1-800-FREE-411 is a free, nationwide directory assistance service. It's free from all phones, including cell phones. People pay an average of $1.25 a call when calling information at 411. This service eliminates that charge.
How? Advertisers of course. Businesses pay to be able to run a short 15 second message trying to get you to use their service, rather than the competitor you might just have asked for. For example, you call 800 free 411, and ask for Domino's Pizza. Well, you might hear an advertisement from Pizza Hut, offering a deal that tries to entice you to buy from them instead of Domino's. Not too bad, free 411, plus discounted offers from other businesses.
Go to www.free411.com to read about it for yourself. The site lists answers to questions like, is it really free, will I get put on some telemarketing list, can I call from my cell phone, will I get a busy signal, etc. I tried it before I wrote this. I asked for the number to a local insurance agency. I was on hold for about 3 seconds, and then I heard an ad for a different insurance company, offering special rates. I chose not to be connected to them, and they gave me the number of the original company I asked for. It was pretty painless and free! Why didn't I think of that?
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