Leasing vs buying a 1300 number

For a lot of businesses, getting a 1300 number is a no-brainer. It is, after all, a surefire way to expand your customer base and strengthen your company’s image.

For a lot of businesses, getting a 1300 number is a no-brainer. It is, after all, a surefire way to expand your customer base and strengthen your company’s image. But while the decision to advertise your business with a 1300 number may be an easy one, choosing between the various options presented by a 1300 number requires some thought.

For example, what kind of 1300 number do you want? Do you want a standard 1300 number or a smart number? Standard numbers are cheap and easily accessible, but, consisting as they do of random combinations of numbers, they aren’t very easy to remember. Customers are liable to forget them. That’s where smart numbers come into play.

But there is yet another question: what kind of smart number do you want? Do you want a phone word (e.g., 1300 SHOWER) or a high recall number with an unforgettable pattern of numbers? How much are you wiling to pay to get that ideal 1300 number?

Standard issue 1300 numbers can usually be obtained directly from your telco provider, oftentimes at no additional charge, though you will of course have to sign up for a monthly service plan. Smart numbers, on the other hand, come directly from the government or from a company that buys them from the government and resells them to third parties.

When you have settled on a type of 1300 number, you must then decide whether you want to buy or lease the number. Before continuing, we should clarify something: you will not be buying or leasing the number itself. Rather, you will buy or lease the Rights of Use for the number. All 1300 numbers are the property of the Australian government, which delegates oversight to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

If you choose to lease the rights to a 1300 number, you will be dealing with a telco company that has already purchased the rights from the government. Many of the most sought-after smart numbers are held by such companies. So this may be the only means of getting the phone word you want. But keep in mind that you will be paying a premium price and will also have another contract to worry about. Furthermore, if you switch providers you will lose the number.

The majority of businesses are better off buying the rights to a 1300 number. In the case of a smart number, you will need to open an account with The Numbering System, which is run by the ACMA. Once you’re registered you can browse the database of available smartnumbers and choose the one that most appeals to you. It is then a matter of finding a good telco provider to service your new number.

Leasing a 1300 number can, and does, work for a lot of business owners. However, if you want a permanent solution, buying a number is the more sensible option. Not only will this give you total control over the number (you can, for example, lease it to another party if you want), it also gives you the freedom to relocate your business and switch telco providers without having to change numbers.