1-800, 1-700 & 1-900 Numbers in Israel: Who Pays and What to Choose
When a business wants a national service or sales number, it runs into three families of special numbers in Israel: 1-800, 1-700 and 1-900. They look similar — but the difference between them comes down to one question: who pays for the call. The right choice affects your cost, how willing customers are to pick up the phone, and how your brand is perceived. This guide explains what each number means, who pays, and when to choose which.
In short
- 1-800 (toll-free): the customer pays nothing — the business covers the call. Ideal for customer service (“call us free”).
- 1-700 (national / unified): the customer pays a fixed national rate, and the business doesn’t pay for the call. One national number without bearing the call cost.
- 1-900 (premium): the customer pays a premium rate, and part of the revenue goes back to the business. Suited to paid services (information, donations, voting).
- Either way: the number is just the “door” — it has to route to a cloud PBX or contact center that handles the call.
1-800 — toll-free
With a 1-800 number, the customer doesn’t pay for the call — the business does. It’s the classic friction-remover: when you want customers to call without hesitating (service, support, returns, inquiries), “call free” works. The downside — you bear the cost of every inbound call, so at high volume it’s worth pairing with smart routing and automation so you don’t waste expensive minutes.
When to choose: customer service and support, campaigns where removing every barrier for the caller matters.
1-700 — national / unified
With a 1-700 number, the customer pays a fixed national rate, identical from anywhere in the country, and the business doesn’t pay for the call itself. This is the “golden path” for businesses that want one national, professional, location-independent number — without bearing call costs like a 1-800. The customer knows it’s not a “free” call, but it’s not expensive either, and that’s usually entirely acceptable for a business service.
When to choose: one national number across several branches, a service or sales center that wants a national presence without a per-call cost.
1-900 — premium rate
With a 1-900 number, the customer pays a premium rate, and part of the revenue flows back to the business. This is a revenue model, not just a service channel — so it’s reserved for services where the call itself is the product: paid information, phone consulting, voting, donations and campaigns. Its use is regulated and requires clearly disclosing the rate to the caller.
When to choose: when the call is a paid service or a revenue channel.
Comparison — who pays and what to choose
| Number | Who pays for the call | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1-800 | The business (free to caller) | Service and support — remove friction |
| 1-700 | The caller (fixed national rate) | One national number with no call cost to the business |
| 1-900 | The caller (premium) + a share to the business | Paid services, information, donations |
Special numbers, a star number or a virtual number — what’s the difference?
It’s easy to mix these up, so here’s the simple distinction:
- 1-800 / 1-700 / 1-900 answer the question “who pays for the call.”
- A star number (like *1234) answers “how easy is it to remember and dial” — a short, catchy number for campaigns.
- A virtual number / DID is a regular business line — local or international, for day-to-day operations.
Many businesses combine them: a catchy star number for advertising, a 1-800 or 1-700 for national service, and a regular virtual number for the everyday line.
How to choose and how to route
- Start with “who pays.” Service that wants zero friction → 1-800. National presence with no call cost → 1-700. A paid service → 1-900.
- Think about volume. On a high-volume 1-800, pair it with automation and smart routing to keep costs in check.
- Route it to a cloud system. The number needs to land in a cloud PBX or contact center with an IVR menu and queues.
A special number is only worth it when it routes to a system that handles the call properly. At Reshetcall we help you allocate a 1-800, 1-700 or 1-900 number and route it to your cloud PBX or contact center, with smart routing & IVR. Talk to us and we’ll match the right number type to your business.