Are they doing business in China? Or are you planning to start a business in the world’s second largest economy? But are you struggling to make your business available to all consumers in this huge country with a rapidly growing middle class? Many international companies have faced this challenge before and finally there is a solution: China 4001 phone services. These numbers, which start with a 4001 prefix, are accessible throughout China from landlines and mobile devices. With this new service, you can expand your international phone services to connect your global business with local people in China.
Until recently, telecom service providers were only able to offer one nationwide commercial telephone service for China, the so-called 10,800 toll-free number. However, using a 10,800 toll-free number in China actually means installing two different toll-free numbers; one for the north of China and one for the south. Also, a China 10800 toll free number cannot be called from mobile devices, and is only available through direct dial-enabled international landlines. In a country that, as of March 2012, has more than 1 billion mobile subscribers, this can be considered impractical to say the least.
For this reason, Chinese telecommunications providers have created a new type of special telephone service with national coverage, the China cost-sharing telephone number 4001. This number, in the format 400-1-ABCDEF, is accessible from both landlines and landlines. as from mobile devices, even those that are not enabled for international direct dialing. The service is also available to subscribers of foreign operators while roaming in China. Therefore, the new China 4001 cost-sharing service supports healthy companies that want to be available to all of their (potential) customers or employees throughout China.
Since China’s 4001 numbers are generally presented as an alternative to 10800 toll-free numbers, some confusion has arisen among both subscribers and end users as to the fees charged to call these numbers. Unlike the 10800 number, China’s 4001 numbers are not free, callers will be charged the local calling rate. Still, since these 4001 numbers are accessible from both landlines and mobile devices and can be called from all over China, they present a very viable alternative to 10800 numbers.
Considering the fact that China is expected to be the world’s leading economy in 2017 and will have more than 200 million middle-class households in 2020, the installation of a 4001 phone number in China can be seen as an investment in a very profitable future.