The cell phone companies make directory assistance almost effortless…dial 411… get the information… and get connected automatically. Of course, if someone paid you $1.79 (Sprint, T-Mobile) or $1.99 (AT&T, Verizon) for each 411 call, you’d make it easy for them to connect as well.
Directory assistance charges can really add up: 10 calls a month comes out to over $200 a year.
There is a free* directory assistance alternative from Google. Just dial 800-GOOG411 ( 800-466-4411) from your cell phone. The service is voice-activated and can help you find the business you choose (it doesn’t do residential numbers at the present time). In addition to a voice reply, the service can send you a text message with more details and a map.
A related free* information service is also available from Google. Just text 466453 from your cell phone with a request for information – movies, sports scores, weather, business names and more.
There may be some situations where your cell phone company’s 411 service makes sense to use, but these free services can be just as good in many cases and can save you a considerable amount of money if you use them frequently.
* Charges apply as they would in any regular cell phone call or text, but your bill will only go up if you go over your plan allowance of minutes or messages.
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