In a short answer – cost, and convenience. With a toll-free number, I can have one number for select territories of the NANP. This means fewer numbers in the long run. This means I have 1 number rather than a dozen numbers. With that said, one toll-free number is cheaper to own then 2 or more other NANP numbers. As for convenience, again – it is just one number. This means multiple countries can download one .vcf file. This means less work on me since it is just one number. Also, one number is simpler to remember than multiple numbers.
For those interested in knowing, my toll-free number is $3.95/month, and the most expensive incoming rate is 23¢ per minute for a call from Alaska. This is extraordinary high, and if I know someone in Alaska, and they were to call me, I will likely offer to call them back. If I receive a call to my SIP phone from a 907 Area Code, then I will ask to call them back. Below are the rates I have, and these rates are accurate as of 2024-11-22.
- Alaska: 23¢
- American Samoa: 7¢
- Canada: 3¢
- Guam: 10¢
- Hawaii: 7¢
- Northern Mariana Islands: 7¢
- Puerto Rico: 7¢
- US 48: 2¢
- US Virgin Islanads: 7¢