Collect call
Encyclopedia
A collect call in the USA and Canada or reverse charge call in the UK and other countries (or calling collect) is a telephone call
in which the calling party
wants to place a call at the called party
's expense. In the past, collect calls were only possible as an operator-assisted
call, but with the introduction of computer
-based telephone
dialing equipment, it is now possible to place a collect call without using an operator
, which is called International Freephone Service (IFS) as opposed to Home Country Direct (HCD). Several companies offer services to place collect calls that compete with local service providers. When the operator's number is globally unique, i.e. it does not depend on the caller's country, it is called Universal International Freephone Number
(UIFN).
While Mother's Day
has the highest number of phone calls, the most collect calls are made on Father's Day
.
Other forms of paid communication, such as telegram
s and mail
, could also be sent "collect".
a collect call is made when the charges are billed to the called telephone number. A collect call is an operator assisted call. Authorization must be obtain from the person being called before the call is allowed to proceed.
Telephone call
A telephone call is a connection over a telephone network between the calling party and the called party.-Information transmission:A telephone call may carry ordinary voice transmission using a telephone, data transmission when the calling party and called party are using modems, or facsimile...
in which the calling party
Calling party
The calling party is a person who initiates a telephone call over the public switched telephone network, usually by dialing a telephone number....
wants to place a call at the called party
Called party
The called party is a person who answers a telephone call. The person who initiates a telephone call is the calling party....
's expense. In the past, collect calls were only possible as an operator-assisted
Operator assistance
An operator-assisted call is one in which the calling party places a telephone call which requires an operator to provide some form of assistance in completing the call...
call, but with the introduction of computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
-based telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
dialing equipment, it is now possible to place a collect call without using an operator
Telephone operator
A telephone operator is either* a person who provides assistance to a telephone caller, usually in the placing of operator assisted telephone calls such as calls from a pay phone, collect calls , calls which are billed to a credit card, station-to-station and person-to-person calls, and certain...
, which is called International Freephone Service (IFS) as opposed to Home Country Direct (HCD). Several companies offer services to place collect calls that compete with local service providers. When the operator's number is globally unique, i.e. it does not depend on the caller's country, it is called Universal International Freephone Number
Universal International Freephone Service
Universal International Freephone Service is an international service, assigned the country code 800 by the ITU. The intention is that any customer in the world can dial the same number to reach a business subscribing to a number, and at no charge to the calling party. However, only a limited...
(UIFN).
While Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
has the highest number of phone calls, the most collect calls are made on Father's Day
Father's Day
Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
.
Other forms of paid communication, such as telegram
Telegraphy
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
s and mail
Cash on delivery
Collect on delivery is a financial transaction where the payment of products and/or services received is done at the time of actual delivery rather than paid-for in advance...
, could also be sent "collect".
See also
- 1800 Reverse1800 Reverse1800 REVERSE is a reverse charge call service that is operated by Reverse Corp Ltd in Australia and The Republic of Ireland and via other access numbers in several other countries. A 1800 Reverse charge call is placed by dialing the phoneword 1800 REVERSE 1800 REVERSE is a reverse charge (collect)...
a collect call is made when the charges are billed to the called telephone number. A collect call is an operator assisted call. Authorization must be obtain from the person being called before the call is allowed to proceed.