1800 Call
Calling an 1800 number in Australia is free for the caller. The business that owns the 1800 number pays the call charges on its published plan.
Calling an 1800 number in Australia is free for the caller. The business that owns the number pays the call charges on its published plan. That is the split: the caller's side costs nothing in the stated Australian 1800-number context, and the business's side is billed per minute under the plan it chose.
This page explains both sides of an 1800 call, what happens when the call connects and how an 1800 call differs from a 1300 call.
From the caller's side
A caller dials the published 1800 number and pays nothing for the call in the stated Australian 1800-number context. That is why businesses publish 1800 numbers on service and support lines: the caller's cost is removed.
This page covers the Australian 1800 context only. Caller charges from overseas, or under particular phone plans, are not established here and are not covered on this site.
From the business's side
The business pays the call charges for every 1800 call it receives, at the per-minute rates of its plan. Published 1800 plans start at $10 per month, ex GST, month-to-month with no lock-in, and rates differ by plan and by whether the call arrives from a fixed line or a mobile. The current fee and rate tables are on the pricing page — read those tables rather than relying on an estimate.
What happens when the call connects
The call arrives on the phone the business connected the service to. The sign-up flow asks for exactly that — the number the service will connect to — so an 1800 call is answered wherever the business points it. Beyond that connection step, this page does not establish routing, device or coverage arrangements.
1800 call or 1300 call?
The caller's cost is the difference. A call to an 1800 number is free for the caller, while a call to a 1300 number costs the caller a local call rate, with the business paying the remainder of the call cost. For the business, both are billed under the published plan. The 1300 numbers overview covers the shared-cost option.
1800 call questions
Is a call to an 1800 number free?
For the caller, yes, in the stated Australian 1800-number context. The business that owns the number pays the call charges instead.
Who pays for an 1800 call?
The business that leases the 1800 number pays the call charges on its published plan, at per-minute rates billed per second. Published plans start at $10 per month, ex GST.
Do calls from mobiles cost the caller anything?
This page covers the stated Australian 1800-number context, where callers pay nothing for the call. Qualifications for particular phone plans are not covered on this site.
How is an 1800 call different from a 1300 call?
On an 1800 call the caller pays nothing. On a 1300 call the caller pays a local call rate and the business pays the remainder. Both are billed to the business under its published plan.
Where can I read more?
The 1800 numbers overview covers the category in full. Related pages cover 1800 phone numbers, 1800 number basics and 1800 helpline numbers.
1800 numbers
Learn more about 1800 numbers
See the 1800 numbers overview, or search available Phonewords for your business.