Teledotcom

What is a teledotcom?

A teledotcom is a domain name that not only spells both a topic but also has a matching toll free phone number. This means the word that spells something will have a toll free prefix and a top level domain extension after it. Example: 1-800-Wikipedia.com. That would be ideal for Wikipedia if they wished to take calls also, but they do not appear to need calls as a commercial entity seeking customers might.

A teledotcom can be accessible by either phone or internet address. The teledotcom must have both the domain name of a topic as well as the toll free number.

Famous Teledotcoms

The most famous teledotcom is 1-800-Flowers.com. Consumers can either access it online or by dialing the first part of the domain without the TLD (Top Level Domain) extension ie: .com, .net, .org etc. Others include 1-800-Lawyer.These are examples of companies with brands that you will see television adds ran nationally.

Teledotcoms Are Rare

It is hard to get a domain name that spells a commercial item such as computers, flowers, insurance or anything that could be easily generate significant web traffic based on consumers simply typing it into their browser and easily remembering it for future visits. It is even harder to get a toll free number that spells any commercial item. It is harder still to get a domain name and matching toll free number.

DomainsBefore the business community purchased domain addresses for their websites, most of the internet savy workers and or techies bought up any word that spelled something. Later businesses had to pay large fees to purchase them.The cost of domains is up and to own a name that spells a commercial term will cost more than the actual ICANN registrars standard fee. The resellers mark them up.

Toll Free NumbersSimilarly toll free numbers were registered by telecom companies and if a toll free number spelled a word it was instantly off the market. However there is some ambiguity as to the ability to sell numbers. It is prohibited however not illegal to sell the good will that comes with transferring a number when sold in conjunction with a domain name, business or other asset to which the telephone number is related. Hence these also get sold in conjunction with other assets legally, and the value of the other assets is boosted accordingly.

It is stated that 1-800-flowers purchased the toll free number in conjunction with a flower company that had up to or near seven million dollars in debt. These toll free numbers are considered so valuable to the company that the company now ownes the matching number under the 888, and 877 prefix. When the 866 toll free prefix came out great competition was underway for the flowers number as well but was not acquired by the company.

Competition For Use of Teledotcoms

Most owners of rare toll free numbers that spell something also register the matching domain name and therefore have a valuable teledotcom. All owners of valuable domain names do not have matching toll free numbers as they are rarer.

Unlike domain names where one person can own eLoans, and another can own eLoan and all can be allowed to use the names as they are considered fair use, toll free numbers that are first to market and part of a brand, are usually protected. For instance 1-718-Mattress, a New York area code business was forced to relinquish the use of the number as it confused people by to closely copying the brand of 1-800-Mattress.

Using a Toll Free Number As a Brand

All companies do not use their web domain names as their brand. Not every company would name themselves after the domain they acquire as they often take a similar but not exact name.

However when a domain name or telephone number spell a valued term, the company will not only use the Toll free, Domain or combination Teledotcom as a brand, they will sometimes even change a long standing company name to match it. This has happened with lenders for instance, Refinance.com now has that as their name when previously they were another company prior to acquiring the valuable domain name worth seven figures.

Using a toll free or teledotcom as a brand is common when they spell a frequently used or understood term.

When a company acquires a similar area code to a predecessorsuch as 1866flowers, it should not name itself as a company, 1866flowers.com etc. It can however fully utilize and publish the number and it's spelling for easy remembering for it's customers as long as it makes clear that it is part of separate company. The 1800Flowers company cannot prohibit the 1866Flowers phone number from use or marketing of the easily remembered phone number when used in conjunction with a distinguishable brand name.

The mistake made by 1-718-Mattress is they did not distinguish themselves as a company with another name. Had they been Neighborhood Mattress Inc., with 718-Mattress published alongside, then 1800-Mattress could not have had a claim that 1-718 was using a confusingly similar name. The use of a phone number and it's spelling is a right for any holder of a toll free or other prefix. Telephone numbers are part of a public trust and must be fairly available to anyone on an equal basis. Responsible Organizations (Resporgs) must honor the rules that distribute phone numbers fairly according to law.

Consumer Use of Teledotcoms

Consumers enjoy the easy access to services and goods that can be found by simply typing in the word on the keyboard such as flowers, or by simply dialing it.

They order mattresses by calling or visiting on the web, a famous teledotcom known as 1-800-Mattress.com

Travel sites also use Teledotcoms to generate online and web traffic with the use of a matching name and phone number such as 1866Vacancy.com

References

* [http://www.tollfreenumbers.com/index6.htm Toll Free Numbers expert Bill Quimby explains purpose of matching toll free numbers and domains. Scroll down to article]
* [http://www.1800flowers.com/ 1800Flowers.com the nationally known toll free flowers company]
* [http://www.1800matress.com/ 1800Mattress.com Toll free nationally advertised bedding sales company]
* [http://www.1800lawyer.com/ 1800Lawyer.com/ Legal oriented teledotcom]
* [http://www.1866Vacancy.com/ 1866Vacancy.com/ Travel oriented teledot]
* [http://www.1800contacts.com/ 1800Contacts.com New way of ordering contact lenses via a teledotcom either online or by toll free number that spells something.]