Free Dial is a telephone service where the receiving party (typically a business) pays the call charges. It is a registered trademark of NTT Communications, and numbers beginning with 0120 (10 digits) are assigned. Since callers can make calls for free, it is widely used for customer support, order processing, and information request lines - situations where businesses want to encourage inquiries from customers. It is one of the most recognized telephone service brands in Japan.
The key difference from Navi Dial (0570) is who bears the call charges. Free Dial charges the receiving party, making it free for callers, while Navi Dial charges the caller and is excluded from mobile unlimited calling plans. The distinction "0120 = free" and "0570 = paid" is essential knowledge for consumers. Additionally, toll-free numbers starting with 0800 (Free Access) also charge the receiving party like Free Dial, but these are services provided by KDDI and SoftBank, separate brands from NTT Communications' Free Dial.
The cost structure for businesses adopting Free Dial consists of a monthly base fee (several thousand to tens of thousands of yen, depending on the number of lines and features) plus per-call charges (approximately 8-10 yen per 3 minutes). Combining a 0120 number with a vanity number creates high advertising impact, achieving strong memorability when repeatedly aired in TV commercials. You can review the return on investment analysis in Free Dial business applications.
An important caveat: some Free Dial numbers cannot be reached from mobile phones. This occurs when a business has configured its number to reject mobile phone calls, resulting in an announcement saying "This number is not available from mobile phones." In such cases, you need to find an alternative contact on the company's official website. There have also been reports of fraud groups setting up fake Free Dial numbers to appear legitimate, so always verify the number's authenticity on the official website. You can review the details of the fee structure in Free Dial vs. Navi Dial comparison.