Insights

Toll-Free Means Business® with Amazon Connect AWS, Verizon Business, Bandwidth, Bell Canada and Somos

Nov 20, 2025

The 2025 Somos Summit brought together global thought leaders, industry experts and innovators to explore the intersection of Trust, Technology & Transformation. Held just outside Washington, D.C., this year’s event featured insightful sessions and meaningful conversations focused on advancing the telecom ecosystem and shaping the future of trusted communications.

The session Evolving Toll-Free: Enabling Business Innovation and Trust in a Digital Era brought together leaders from across the telecom ecosystem to discuss how this long-standing cornerstone of customer communication is being reimagined for a digital-first world. Judy Klein, Director of Product Services at Somos, moderated the conversation. She was joined by panelists Leslie Beeson, Manager, 

Toll Free Resp Org & Service Assurance at Verizon Business; Jeff Busch, Global Senior Manager, Telecom at Amazon Connect AWS; Sarah Delphey, Director of Global Trusted Solutions at Bandwidth; and Sadia Szegedi, Toll Free, Service Assurance & International Traffic Manager at Bell Canada.

Judy Klein opened by noting that there are “over 45 million Toll-Free Numbers,” each one representing a branded customer experience. “At the heart of this evolution, it’s more than just technology,” she said. “It’s about how Toll-Free is becoming a strategic brand channel, delivering the secure, seamless and trusted experiences customers now expect. Because at the end of the day, Toll-Free Means Business^®.”

The panelists discussed the modernization of Toll-Free through secure routing, digital engagement and expanded connectivity. Leslie Beeson highlighted Verizon’s dual role supporting enterprise and wholesale customers: “We see the full perspective – what our customers experience, what they expect and how our networks perform to deliver it.”

Sarah Delphey emphasized the responsibility that comes with Bandwidth’s position as the largest Responsible Organization (Resp Org) in the U.S. “We need to take that seriously,” she said. “We’re seeing growth from enterprises using Toll-Free in contact centers and messaging, where trust and verification are essential.”

Jeff Busch described Amazon Connect’s global network of thousands of Toll-Free Numbers as “a key value proposition” for enterprise customers, while Sadia Szegedi shared how Bell Canada’s approach integrates operations and repair to ensure reliability: “We do everything from building to troubleshooting, and it’s exciting to see how much innovation has come to Toll-Free over the years.”

As the conversation turned to trust and authentication, Sarah noted, “At the foundation of Toll-Free, you have your reporting, text enablement and porting. If that ecosystem isn’t secure and trusted, the additional features don’t mean as much.” Leslie added that Verizon’s new call protection service “blocks unwanted calls in real time,” a proactive step to help enterprises preserve customer confidence.

Jeff pointed to the importance of verified identity across channels. “There’s still a gap when it comes to outbound Toll-Free and making sure that calls are verified and valid,” he said. “The Right-to-Use framework is a good way forward.”

Judy closed by returning to the collective responsibility of the industry: “Transformation doesn’t happen in silos. Collaboration is key, and as we modernize Toll-Free, we’re shaping the next generation of trusted connections.”

Key Takeaways

• Toll-Free Remains Vital: Despite its legacy status, Toll-Free continues to be a strategic brand channel in an increasingly digital ecosystem.

• Trust Starts at the Foundation: Secure porting, routing and verification are the building blocks for trusted communication.=

• Innovation is Accelerating: Cloud integration, testing and new API frameworks are transforming how Toll-Free operates.

• Collaboration Drives Modernization: Carriers, Resp Orgs and service providers must work together to create shared standards.

• Toll-Free Still Means Business: Trusted communication starts with identity, and Toll-Free remains one of the most reliable paths to connect.

Experience the full conversation at your convenience by watching the on-demand recording today!