FREE 411 service for the cellphone!!!

[huynhc]

Just dial "(800) free - 411" (8003733411 for you lazies). Whats the catch? You gotta listen to a short 5 second ad from a competitor before you get the digits. But cmon, you gotta give a little to get a little. This is pretty hot considering the fees cell phone users pay for 411 service. The databases the cell phone companies use is the same this 800 service utilizes.

P.S. Sorry if this sounded like an ad! I'm just a long-time broswer but never posted (don't let the join date fool ya)... and in reply to the question regarding if this service is available for all cell services. My reply is it should work on ANY phone given it is a 800 number (well at least valid inside the U.S.)

 

[carbine15]

righton

 

[dude8604]

Actually, what's better is Synfonic. You text message them the name of a business and a city, and their system will automatically send you a text message with the Yahoo Yellow Pages result. Only downside is it doesn't look up phone numbers for individuals.

 

[Adam8281]

but you gots to pay for the text message, right? So it's not as free as the free-411

 

[esquared]

This is great if it works with any service. My cellular service charges me either 1.25 or 1.50 per 411 call. :thumbsup:

 

[foodfightr]

If you get free text messages, you can text google just about anything including an easy 411. Check labs.google.com under SMS.

 

[MiataPaul]

Originally posted by: Adam8281
but you gots to pay for the text message, right? So it's not as free as the free-411

That depends on how many min. you have. You still have to pay for calls to 800 services so if you get free or cheap text it might still be cheaper, I have a lot more unsued "text" credits than I do phone min.

 

[snedman]

Here is the article

article states a 10 second ad not 5... heres the other by text Syfonic

Heres one specific to Calif - 800ideas.com

Another by text upsnap Upsnap

 

[ondarkness]

awesome fine OP

 

[Goosemaster]

obviously spam, but because we like it it is not?


:laugh: at you guys

 

[esquared]

Originally posted by: MiataPaul

Originally posted by: Adam8281
but you gots to pay for the text message, right? So it's not as free as the free-411

That depends on how many min. you have. You still have to pay for calls to 800 services so if you get free or cheap text it might still be cheaper, I have a lot more unsued "text" credits than I do phone min.

I don't understand your statement "You still have to pay for calls to 800 services"? Calls to 800 numbers are toll free. You don't have to pay for them. 800 service is included with your airtime (at least with Verizon), so if you are on a plan with included minutes it is the same as making a phone call to anyone else. The only time you would have to pay-per-minute is if you were on a pay-as-you-go plan like Virgin. 800 calls are still toll free calls regardless of land line or cell phone, again providing you have a plan with "X" amount of minutes.

 

[snedman]

I just called it. It actually isn't that bad. Its all automated. It did find the number I was looking for and automatically connected me as well. I did a residential one. I didn't try the business one. My minutes are all inclusive on my plan. But yes, I guess you would be paying per minute if you had a refill card or you did pay by the minute. Either way, if you use this from your house as well, and don;t have free directory assistance, it is a good program as well. Snedman

 

[huynhc]

 

[Devistater]

Nice! And the google SMS thing one of you mentioned looks uber cool. The other day I was wanting movie times and wasn't near a computer.

http://www.google.com/sms/

As for the guy who mentioned spam (referring to that 5 or 10 sec ad when you call the 800 number), no its not. Spam is UNSOLICITED email. If I sign up to computergeeks or compusas or bestbuy mailing list and they send me coupons or stuff about thier deals, its not spam since I asked for it. I.e. I opted in.
So if you know about the ad and you call it because you are willing to listen to it, its not really spam.


Ah crap WTF is this!!!
"US shortcodes are not supported on T-Mobile prepay, which means that unfortunately, you currently can't use Google SMS with T-Mobile prepay."

Mfers at T-Mobile, wtf.

I got all excited on seeing this:

Google SMS gives you access to information that's especially helpful when you're out and about. This includes:

* Phone book listings, including addresses and phone numbers for US businesses and residences
* Step-by-step driving directions
* Movie showtimes and theater locations
* Local weather conditions and 4-day forecasts
* Facts to trivia questions
* Online product prices for comparison shopping
* Answers using Google's calculator function
* Dictionary and phrase definitions"

And now I cant even use it!!

 

[tbalon]

Works great for me.....I was hoping something like this would come along.... D*m phone companies are getting enough money out of me as it is. Great find and thanks OP.

 

[MiataPaul]

Originally posted by: esquared

Originally posted by: MiataPaul

Originally posted by: Adam8281
but you gots to pay for the text message, right? So it's not as free as the free-411

That depends on how many min. you have. You still have to pay for calls to 800 services so if you get free or cheap text it might still be cheaper, I have a lot more unsued "text" credits than I do phone min.

I don't understand your statement "You still have to pay for calls to 800 services"? Calls to 800 numbers are toll free. You don't have to pay for them. 800 service is included with your airtime (at least with Verizon), so if you are on a plan with included minutes it is the same as making a phone call to anyone else. The only time you would have to pay-per-minute is if you were on a pay-as-you-go plan like Virgin. 800 calls are still toll free calls regardless of land line or cell phone, again providing you have a plan with "X" amount of minutes.

Exactly my point, it uses your included air time. I come very close to using my min on my plan, so calls like this could push me over the limit. This is very different from a "toll free" call on a land line. Most land lines are not time limited for local calls and a toll free call will count as a local call, and on some of the plans that charge per min even on local calls, 800 calls are not charged (ergo toll free). If you make a call on a cell phone, at least on most plans the term "toll free" is really meaningless as most cell phone plans do not charge extra (toll) for long distance calls, but they take off time from your included min for calls to 800 numbers. So if you do not routinely come close to using your cell phone time, then it might be cheaper but run close to the limit and it could cost you. That was my point so if I made a lot of calls to this service it could potentially cost money for the time. So I get something like 200 text messages a month on my plan and use about 8 or so a week so that is a smarter choice for me.

 

[thelamer]

Awesom thanx man

 

[SteelGuy]

this is great!!

 

[PDubs]

/offtopic
Alternatively, if you already have web services, you can use Switchboard for wap. Works great.

 

[ynotravid]

cool huynhc, keep posting.

 

[itakey]

I just tried it. Definitely awesome for free. I just looked at my Verizon statement and my last 411 was $1.49! FREE is better

 

[esquared]

Originally posted by: MiataPaul

Originally posted by: esquared

Originally posted by: MiataPaul

Originally posted by: Adam8281
but you gots to pay for the text message, right? So it's not as free as the free-411

That depends on how many min. you have. You still have to pay for calls to 800 services so if you get free or cheap text it might still be cheaper, I have a lot more unsued "text" credits than I do phone min.

I don't understand your statement "You still have to pay for calls to 800 services"? Calls to 800 numbers are toll free. You don't have to pay for them. 800 service is included with your airtime (at least with Verizon), so if you are on a plan with included minutes it is the same as making a phone call to anyone else. The only time you would have to pay-per-minute is if you were on a pay-as-you-go plan like Virgin. 800 calls are still toll free calls regardless of land line or cell phone, again providing you have a plan with "X" amount of minutes.

Exactly my point, it uses your included air time. I come very close to using my min on my plan, so calls like this could push me over the limit. This is very different from a "toll free" call on a land line. Most land lines are not time limited for local calls and a toll free call will count as a local call, and on some of the plans that charge per min even on local calls, 800 calls are not charged (ergo toll free). If you make a call on a cell phone, at least on most plans the term "toll free" is really meaningless as most cell phone plans do not charge extra (toll) for long distance calls, but they take off time from your included min for calls to 800 numbers. So if you do not routinely come close to using your cell phone time, then it might be cheaper but run close to the limit and it could cost you. That was my point so if I made a lot of calls to this service it could potentially cost money for the time. So I get something like 200 text messages a month on my plan and use about 8 or so a week so that is a smarter choice for me.

"So if you do not routinely come close to using your cell phone time, then it might be cheaper but run close to the limit and it could cost you"
What??? If I don't routinely come close to using my cell phone time if definitely will be cheaper, it's free. I have already paid for my airtime so the phone calls within my block of air time are already included no matter who I call, even an 800 number. It's all the same. And if you are one that happens to go over his/her minutes, it's probably still cheaper than the 1.49 service charge I pay per call. I heard other wireless companies are charging more than 1.49 for a 411 call, so it can actually be much worse.
Also, most cell phone users on a plan have unlimited nights and weekends, so really the only way you would ever have to pay for this free411 call would be during business hours on Mon-Fri if you were over your minutes. But then again, spend those two overage minutes calling free411 for anywhere from $0.20(at 0.10/min) to maybe $0.70($0.35/min) or pay the 1.49 or more to your cell phone company for the 411 call.

 

[rmrf]

Originally posted by: MiataPaul

Originally posted by: esquared

Originally posted by: MiataPaul

Originally posted by: Adam8281
but you gots to pay for the text message, right? So it's not as free as the free-411

That depends on how many min. you have. You still have to pay for calls to 800 services so if you get free or cheap text it might still be cheaper, I have a lot more unsued "text" credits than I do phone min.

I don't understand your statement "You still have to pay for calls to 800 services"? Calls to 800 numbers are toll free. You don't have to pay for them. 800 service is included with your airtime (at least with Verizon), so if you are on a plan with included minutes it is the same as making a phone call to anyone else. The only time you would have to pay-per-minute is if you were on a pay-as-you-go plan like Virgin. 800 calls are still toll free calls regardless of land line or cell phone, again providing you have a plan with "X" amount of minutes.

Exactly my point, it uses your included air time. I come very close to using my min on my plan, so calls like this could push me over the limit. This is very different from a "toll free" call on a land line. Most land lines are not time limited for local calls and a toll free call will count as a local call, and on some of the plans that charge per min even on local calls, 800 calls are not charged (ergo toll free). If you make a call on a cell phone, at least on most plans the term "toll free" is really meaningless as most cell phone plans do not charge extra (toll) for long distance calls, but they take off time from your included min for calls to 800 numbers. So if you do not routinely come close to using your cell phone time, then it might be cheaper but run close to the limit and it could cost you. That was my point so if I made a lot of calls to this service it could potentially cost money for the time. So I get something like 200 text messages a month on my plan and use about 8 or so a week so that is a smarter choice for me.

I don't think you are grasping this here. Let me lay it out:

411 Service from $cellular_provider

• ~$1.50 charge for 411 call
  still uses cellphone minutes to make 411 call

Summary: Use plan minutes and pay ~$1.50 for 411 call.

411 Service from free provider

• no charge for 411 call
  still uses cellphone minutes to make 411 call

Summary: Use plan minutes and make a free 411 call.



That should be simple enough for you.

EDIT: formatting.

 

[carbine15]

good lord help us.

 

[lagvoid]

Will use it next time I'm in need. Thanks OP!