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Collect call
01
a phone call that the person who receives it agrees to pay for, instead of the caller
Dialect
American
Americanreverse charge call
British
BritishWhat is a "collect call"?
A collect call is a phone call in which the person receiving the call agrees to pay for the charges instead of the person making the call. This type of call is often used when the caller does not have enough money or access to pay for the call themselves. Collect calls are typically made through an operator or service that arranges for the receiver to accept the charges. This service was more common in the past but is now less frequently used due to the rise of mobile phones and prepaid options.
Examples
I received a collect call from the hospital asking me to confirm an appointment.
The operator asked if I wanted to accept the collect call from the prison.
