Free Google 411 service

[ztirffritz]

800-4664-411 (800-GOOG-411)

It isn't perfect, but it is FREE. All voice interaction and no live person to talk to, but it seems to work well. I created a code on my Asterisk Server so we only need to dial 411 and it auto dials 800-4664-411.

[Carm]

Here is another free 411 service

1-800-373-3411

Same format, with ads of course.

Carm

[elmo3]

Beware--the cell phone companies are or will be aware of these things, and will bill you a couple bucks for the privilege of using them.

That's right--the cell phone companies charge you for getting directory assistance, even if you don't get the directory assistance from them directly.

Read your contract. Call your cell phone provider. It's true. I know, because it happened to me (Cingular). I called and argued with the guy, and he took it off the bill.

[mikebw]

Thanks for the tip.

[quote elmo3]I called and argued with the guy, LOL, I could never imagine that happening...

[ztirffritz]

This is a toll free 800 number. Google is absorbing the cost. That is how 800#s work. Google is leveling the playing field by throwing around technology. It used to be that only the phone company had access to all of the numbers and the ability to connect calls. Asterisk allows anyone to do it. Heck, I'm doing it in my home. I could, in theory, populate a MySQL database on my asterisk server that is queried when someone dials 411, but Google has done all the work and better than I could by the way. The phone companies are kicking themselves for getting rid of their R&D Labs (Lucent/Bell Labs) because their business model is going up in smoke. The moment someone first transmitted data over a phone line in place of voice traffic, their business model became a dying breed. They need to acknowledge that they are not transmitting voices, but 1s and 0s. That is how they make their money now. Just as the Record labels no longer sell CDs, but transmit 1s and 0s. The sooner these businesses realize this, the sooner they can save their business.

[graylocks]

i just called. it only covers business listings but that's a start.