Can you use a toll-free number when roaming in Italy?

[AlanCA]

When on holiday in Italy recently I tried to dial a "toll-free" number given to me to use to contact a car hire company. When I dialled the number on my O2 PAYG SIM I was given a voice message saying this number is not valid.

Should such numbers work on an O2 PAYG SIM?

The number given was 800 87 6272. That is all. On my paperwork it says "TOLL FREE NUMBER FROM ITALY 800 87 6272". I tried various combinations of prefixes such as 00, 0039, 0044, but none was valid. There was credit on the SIM, it worked OK in Italy for normal chargeable Italian or UK numbers.

Does the O2 PAYG roaming agreement in Italy include "TOLL FREE" numbers? The operators that connected to my phone there were ITIM and IWIND. This number did not work with either of these networks. I have asked O2 help desk and in-store and nobody seems to know. I have tried IWIND and ITIM stores and they don't know either. When I collected my rental car the breakdown number on the keyfob was of a similar nature. If I had broken down I would have been stuck as I could not have called it.

Is there anyone out there who really knows the answer?

Is there anyone out there who is in Italy and can try the number for me?

Many thanks for any help that can be offered.

[AlanCA]

Hi Emilie, I haven't had any solutions yet. I am about to go to Germany and will see if there are toll-free numbers there that I can try. This will show if the problem is more widespread. Regards Alan

[darrengf]

Hi @AlanCA

you should be able to call Toll free numbers when abroad.

ive called toll free when in Greece, USA and France and it worked fine.

However there is always some caveats.

What people don’t realise is that behind a Toll Free Number is a main dialling number associated with it.  Free phone numbers are only a extension or a main number.

Same with 0870 and 0845 in the U.K., which is why we have saynoto0870 website.  Behind every 08 number sits behind the correct number,

However sometimes especially from mobiles, the Toll Free numbers may not be in the system to call, which is why it may not work.  However any company should also be able to give you another number which is not a toll free one.

when I’ve rented cars I was always told the toll free one and the international number

do please let us know as this is something really interesting for helping other people out of needed.

[AlanCA]

Hi,

Having not been able to use toll-free numbers in Italy using my 02 payg SIM I recently went to Germany and tried toll-free numbers there. The numbers would not work there either.

I asked for help at an O2 shop. They advised me that although they use the same brand name as UK that 02 Germany is a different company. They were friendly and helpful though and we tried several toll-free numbers there on my 02 (UK) SIM and they would not work.

When I hired a car in Germany with Hertz, on the key fob there was a toll-free breakdown number of the 0800 form that did not work on my 02 SIM. We tried every combination of 00800 .., +49800.. etc. etc. we could think of. None worked. They also provided a normal international number and this worked fine. So I presume that they know that in some circumstances the toll-free number cannot be used.

So as far as I am concerned the lesson is that toll-free numbers in other european countries do not work on an 02 (UK) payg SIM.

So the lesson is to check that any phone numbers you are given are available in International format, not just as toll-free numbers. A case in point is to beware that Interrent car rental only give toll-free numbers on the key-fob so you have to remember to ask for a normal International number or you will be stuck if you break down! Also on the booking form, if you use Autoeurope to book the hire, make sure you write down international numbers for autoeurope and Interrent as you will have problems without international numbers. On the booking form Autoeurope sent me there was only an Italian toll-free number and a UK toll-free number, neither any use in Italy on your 02 (UK) payg SIM!

Good Luck!