By 2004, at the dawn of the smartphone age, 56,000 people were employed as telephone operators. X | `>`, Find the phone numbers you need with Directory Assistance. Carriers like Sprint and Verizon charge more than $1 and sometimes as much as $2 a call . 4-1-1 is a telephone number for local directory assistance in Canada and the United States. Most phone companies allow you to access directory assistance service by dialing 411. Other directory assistance services require a different dialing pattern such as 555-1212, a toll free number or a number that starts with 10-10. Charges will vary significantly, check the rate before using any directory assistance service. Companies specializing in free directory assistance, www.consumer.att.com/global/english/country_codes.html, "Discontinuance AT&T Toll-Free Directory Assistance Service 1-800-555-1212", "Statement: Directory Enquiries (118) Review", "BT Wholesale Directory Solutions About Us", "Subpart 6: Calls to Service Numbers (numbers starting 084, 087, 09 and 118) from 1 July 2016", "BT Price List Part 19: Calls to Directory Enquiry 118 Services", "118 800 To Connect UK to Millions of Mobile Numbers", "118800 Mobile Enquiry Service Temporarily Suspended", "118 118 fined 80,000 for misleading adverts", "118 118 fined for lack of clarity over pricing", "Telephone review to ensure value for callers", "Ofcom opens investigation into the cost of 118 calls", "Effects of response cost on the behavior of a million persons: charging for directory assistance in Cincinnati", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Directory_assistance&oldid=1146866567, 411 LDA: Local Directory Assistance. To learn more, visit Verizon White Pages. Im 90 years old. She's your telephone operator," read one typical Bell Systems magazine ad. Once wildly popular for its advertising featuring two runners, the service has experienced a dramatic decline in calls due to easily accessible information via mobile devices. Some areas converted immediately to 4-1-1 for directory assistance and 6-1-1 for repair. The Bell System, known as "Ma Bell,"advertisedits mostly female ranks of operators as servile and attentive -- "The Voice with a Smile" -- to attract and maintain customers. Just dial 1-800-FREE-411 (or 1-800-373-3411) from your phone instead. For example: The caller lives in area code 630 (Oak Brook, IL) and requests a listing for a business in area code 213 (Los Angeles, CA). Learn About ATT Directory Assistance - AT&T Home phone Customer Support The operator became the early face of the telephone, a human behind an emerging and complex technology. Order the paper directory by phone Print directory distribution has been reduced in some areas of Verizon's wireline region due to decreased demand. The human telephone operator was a job that came to be dominated by White women during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Addresses and numbers can still be located using online services, such as: Internet search engines, including Google , Bing , and Yahoo! This frees the directory assistance operator to move on to another caller as soon as the correct listing is located. Its free directory assistance. [citation needed], Later in 2014, a similar failure to clearly state call costs resulted in a fine for the 118118 service.[17][18]. I'm having the same problem and I have found that Director assistance is not available on a mobile phone with Xfinity. Directory assistance | AT&T Community Forums When you first reach the operator, let the operator know you will want two listings before you get started. These complex systems use speech recognition and recorded speech or speech synthesis to handle the entire call without live operator intervention. All rights reserved. Outside North America, "1-1-N" numbers are still in use, for these and other services. Support Services & Apps Calling Services 411 Search FAQs 411 Search offers directory assistance and connects you to the number you want. This meant that operator jobs continued to rise until around the 1970s. This makes no sense whatsoever; it just adds another convenience impediment to being able to quickly look-up a phone number and call it. Until the early 1980s, 4-1-1 and the related 1-1-3 number were free to call in most states. Historically, when a single carrier provided most of the telephone services for a region, the data used to satisfy the search could exclusively come for that carrier's subscriber rolls. Just dial 1-800-FREE-411 (or 1-800-373-3411) from your phone instead. Directory assistance systems incorporate a wide range of automation to reduce the cost of human operators. This version of directory assistance is advertiser sponsored, so youll have to listen to a 10-second ad before you reach an agent. or simply "What listing please?". However, we want to advise that the information that @Fl_retire provided is correct. The local white pages in the phonebook is the best way to find someones landline phone number. The job came to be occupied mostly by single, middle-class White women, often known as "Hello Girls." White Pages - online and printed directory information - Verizon 411 is dialed, and the operator is requested to search for a listing in a group of area codes local to the caller (. Get your head out of the old phone book and figure out how to go online January 9, 2023 / 9:50 AM Operator and Directory Assistance Is Ending - AT&T Digital Phone [5] As of 2017[update], there were over 200 providers. Availability depends on your local phone company. This version of directory assistance is advertiser sponsored, so you'll have to listen to a 10-second ad before you reach an agent. [15] The related 118800.co.uk site was discontinued. In the United States cellular market, AT&T announced its withdrawal of 4-1-1 service for its wireless phone customers, effective November 1, 2022. In the 1982 song "Jump to It" by American singer Aretha Franklin, for example, the lyric is "We have a lot of fun, don't we, girl, dishin' out I have been paying telephone bills since I was 18 years old, said Edith Friedman, of Boca Raton. Availability depends on your local phone company. 118 118 is the UK telephone number for a US owned directory enquiries provider. Sign in to manage & troubleshoot your services. Free 411 (Directory Assistance) on Your Cellphone - Yahoo Finance In 1968, the Bell Systemchanged the nameof its information service to "directory assistance" because too many people were taking the name too literally. In Israel, 144 or 1344 is dialed for directory assistance. Interactive voice response systems have been added to many directory assistance systems. When calling for long-distance information you will need to know the city of the listing. Is tmobile 411 free? Some carriers such as Vonage do not send their customer rolls to the aggregator. It is available on a landline with a fee unless you're blind 0 The spokesman did not say how the decision was reached or what alternatives it may offer once 411 service is gone for these customers. Most phone companies allow you to access directory assistance service by dialing "411." Other directory assistance services require a different dialing pattern such as 555-1212, a toll free number or a number that starts with "10-10." Charges will vary significantly, check the rate before using any . Free 411 | Snopes.com You do have to say it twice, though. If you have a problem with the service you received or the charge for the service, contact the company providing the directory service. While you could try dialing 411, which still provides directory assistance for a fee, the old way of life is not coming back. On November 1, 2021, AT&T 411 Directory Assistance is no longer available for wireless devices. Adapted from Pogues Basics, Flatiron Books. Your bill for the directory assistance should include a toll-free number to call. The 411 on 411: Some seniors give poor reception to AT&T plans to scrap Austen Erblat can be reached at aerblat@sunsentinel.com, 954-599-8709 or on Twitter @AustenErblat. "411 usage is not insignificant," the FCC said in a2019 report. David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994. Quickly and easily look up a name or phone number using the Verizon White Pages. [11][12], This article is about the telephone directory number. How do I find someones home phone number UK? Your cell phone carrier will slap you with a $2.50 fee for the privilege. Find local and national listings. Look up business and residential phone numbers. If you dial "0", "00", 411, NPA+555-1212, or 555-1212 on or after January 1, 2023, you may receive a message letting you know that Operator and Directory Assistance can't be accessed. Calls to operators have decreased an average of 3% a year and around 90% overall since he started in 1996, he said. [1] Almost all systems use custom database software to locate listings quickly. There is no operator to reply to a 411 call like the old days when we paid each time we called 411. In 2017, soaring call costs for directory inquiries services, including 118118 and 118500 prompted an Ofcom review of 118 services. Use the two listings per call allowance - Verizon and Qwest will allow you two requests per call (same price). If you dont have one, visit your local post office or library. The first telephone exchange took place in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1878, two years after Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone. These services rely on advertising and make you listen to a short advertisement before you search for your number. The service will bow out starting Monday, Nov. 1, but will still be available for AT&T landlines. Can't Access Directory Assistance (411 or 1411) "Telephone users interpreted her as an efficient way to locateanyinformation," wrote Emily Goodmann, an assistant professor of communication at Clarke University, in her2019 paperon the history of telephone operators. Verizon, T-Mobile, and other major carriers still offer these services for a fee. 411 directory assistance allows you to reach a live operator for directory assistance from your T-Mobile phone. There is also no operator to handle collect calls, so you can't make collect calls to cell phones. You have to listen to a 10-second adbut for most people, thats a lot more palatable than a $2.50 fee. Step 1 Free telephone services such as 1-800-Free411 offer directory assistance. In this case, Verizon bills the call. Starting in January, AT&T customers with digital landlines won't be able to dial 411 or 0 to reach an operator or get directory assistance. However, you will still be able to use your home phone to get 411 Directory Assistance. Directory Assistance | CenturyLink $1.99 per call Within the U.S. - $1.99 per call, plus airtime. Training was also rigorous and procedures were strict. Additionally, the information is not added to, or otherwise shared with, marketing lists or telemarketing firms. A home phone may not be as prominent in households compared to the past, but this useful device still exists, especially in business settings. Cell phone owners currently enjoy a kind of privacy through obscurity: Wireless numbers aren't listed with directory assistance. The 411 directory assistance number charges you each time you call to look up a number. Whatever you do, dont dial 411 on your cell phone to get directory assistance. There's a wonderful circularity there," said Josh Lauer, an associate professor of media studies at the University of New Hampshire who is writing a book on the cultural history of the telephone. Example: The caller is looking for a listing in Los Angeles, CA (area code 213) and dials 213-555-1212. Until 23 August 2003 directory inquiries were available by dialing 192 for numbers in Britain, and 153 for foreign numbers, with the service supplied by the caller's telephone company. A decade later, more than 30% were automated, according to a 2019 article by theFederal Reserve Bank of Richmond. To connect, dial 411, and send the call. Correct. In Canada and the United States, directory assistance was historically a local function, and most companies updated listings at their directory assistance centers frequently, sometimes daily. Prepaid is inexpensive because its stripped down, no frills service. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. [6] 118 118 (The Number) was the second most-expensive number at 11.23 for a 90-second call, but accounted for 40% of DQ calls,[4] mostly due to heavy advertising. How do I reach 411 search? Since 99% of the market is smartphones, even less reason to use 411. In some cases, a 411 call from a landline will yield local, national, and sometimes international listings. Free directory assistance has been trimmed back in recent years. Check the phone book. Depending on your state, you may be eligible to receive a certain number of local directory assistance calls each month at no charge (call allowances). Does Directory Enquiries still exist UK? Anotice on AT&T's websitedirects customers to find addresses and phone numbers on Google or online directories. Directory assistance is offered nationwide by mobile carriers by dialing 4-1-1 on your cellphone. [22] In practice, teleoperators hand telephone subscriptions' contact information to Suomen Numeropalvelu Oy, which forms and relays a number database to various directory assistance private companies. Most telephone companies permit up to two listings per 411 calls. The breakup of AT&T in the 1980s and the deregulation of the telecommunications industry altered operator and directory services. Other areas retained 1-1-3 by installing what were known as "double-header" trunks, which actually connected the call to the long-distance equipment and then "snatched it back" if the second digit was also a "1". free directory assistance (via the 411 phone number), in most cases telephone customers are now charged a fee (typically $1.00 or more) for each directory assistance call. [9][10] The service charge must be declared alongside the number wherever it is advertised or promoted. U.S. wireline telephone companies classify DA into four rate classes: In the U.S., directory assistance for companies with toll-free "800 numbers" (with area codes 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888) was available from toll-free directory assistance, reachable by dialing 1-800-555-1212, for many decades until it was discontinued in 2020. The-CNN-Wire 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Your local phone company must provide you with a free published directory that covers all of your local calling area. . "Often tragedies happen when something is exceptional," he said. Is 411 still a thing? - Knowledgemax Local & National Directory Assistance can also be used for more advanced searches. Get free 411 directory assistance that really works (a review) - Wise Bread You can find the name, address, and ZIP Code of the person or business that called you. The system does not respond to the spelling of words. Some phone companies will extend free directory assistance to blind customers. Does the number 411 still work? - Hashtagquestions Most phone companies allow you to access directory assistance service by dialing "411." Other directory assistance services require a different dialing pattern such as 555-1212, a toll free number or a number that starts . Most systems recognize location and listing. However, wireless numbers for residential customers are not available via 411. These areas had used 4-1-1 for directory assistance, and because of the ability of common-control switching to analyze the initial digits of a number in a "sender" before routing the call, these areas did not require the dialing of an initial "1" to initiate a long-distance call. On the new Bell dials, "Operator" was printed in the "0" position. 411 NDA: National Directory Assistance. [13], Following criticism of very high and increasing charges for DQ services, Ofcom introduced a price cap to 2013 levels from 1 April 2019. In this case, AT&T Illinois bills the call. Individuals with physical or visual disabilities and seniors may also be eligible for call allowances, depending on the state. Want help finding a phone number? Local Directory Assistance refers to a call placed to 411; National Directory Assistance refers to a long distance directory assistance call placed to 1-AREA CODE-555-1212, where the area code dialed is not within your local calling area; Directory Assistance charges may appear on your bill when: Calling local 411 and/or national directory . About 411 Search Expand All What is 411 Search? To simplify long-distance calling, it was desirable to change this to a "1". Users who call the toll-free number 1-800-FREE411 (or 1-800-373-3411) can navigate a nifty automated voice recognition system that asks for a location (city and state), type of listing (business, government, or residential), and name. Free directory assistance has been trimmed back in recent years. In 1984, there were 220,000 telephone operators. Note that although Free-411 provides its service for free, users are still subject to any charges associated with making calls that may be imposed by their cellular service providers. This advertising model allows businesses to acquire new customers over the phone, cost effectively, with little or no risk. Calls to DQ services declined by an average of 38% yearly from 2014 to 2017.[4]. After the introduction of local exchange competition, most telephone companies outsourced directory assistance service to nationwide call centers. Representatives for Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile, the latter of which recently merged with Sprint, didnt respond to requests for comment. Also, some companies extend free service to customers who are physically unable to use the printed telephone directory. For an additional charge, you can usually press1any time after the requested number has been announced to automatically dial the number. If you can find the name of the owner of the phone number, you can usually use Whitepages or another people searching website to find their address.Go to a reverse-lookup website. Is 411 Still A Thing? - CLJ By 1900, more than 80% of operators were White, single, US-born women. Automation could not provide the same level of personal service, Bell believed. Male managers decided that women were better suited to answering and connecting calls from rude customers because they were seen as more docile and polite. In later years, if you dialed "0 and asked for directory assistance, the operator would transfer you over to "411."). Showing Content for | Change your ZIP Code, Enter another ZIP to see info from a different area. To order a print version of the directory: To learn more, visitVerizon White Pages. The conversion proceeded as follows in Springfield, Massachusetts: The services of directory assistance queries is often outsourced to a call center who specializes in that function. Their customers can get their listings in the directory assistance database using a free service such as ListYourself.net. After calling tech support and he calling me back on my landline so he could hear the message for himself, the tech checked to see if there was any kind of weird block on either 411 or 1411 and could not find one (I sure had never put a block on it). Do I need to sign up to use 411 Search? Other information services require a different dialing pattern, e.g. [15] Its website was suspended[16] within weeks of its launch so that the company could re-engineer the site to enable the large number of ex-directory requests to be handled more efficiently. Some older AT&T customers who may not know how to use a computer, no longer have a landline or cant read the text in a phone book now worry they wont be able to use a service they feel theyve paid into for decades. In North America, all areas formerly using 1-1-3 have been converted to using 4-1-1, and 1-1- is now reserved for vertical service codes. In the United Kingdom directory enquires services (sometimes abbreviated as "DQ"[4]) are provided by a variety of different companies, with a variety of call charges, each company reached by dialing a six-digit number beginning with 118. We made three separate trial calls to 1-800-FREE411 asking for information on different local businesses, and in each case the voice recognition system smoothly processed all our spoken information and correctly identified the businesses of interest. It works sort of like commercial radio or television businesses pay to sponsor it in exchange for presenting their advertisements to customers. . (area code) 5551212: National Directory Assistance. 4-1-1 - Wikipedia Look up business and residential phone numbers. The dirt on everybody and givin' each other the 411".[1]. (The "0" for operator appeared with dial phones, said Lauer from the University of New Hampshire. In 2014, the 118500 service run by BT was fined 225,000 by PhonepayPlus (later renamed as the Phone-paid Services Authority) for over-charging customers and failing to clearly display call costs. Call allowances not used within one billing period cannot be transferred to an additional billing period or to another account. You'll be charged the standard $1.99 fee For a 411 call.

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