411 Directory and Information

Welcome to Goto411.com! This website provides information about what a 411 call is, how to use a 411 directory, and more! Never heard of 411 before? Don’t worry, it is easy to understand and simple to use.

411 is an informational inquiry call, or a request for directory assistance. If you have ever wanted to know the location of that great bar you went to with friends the other night but can only remember part of the name, 411 is the answer you are looking for.

411 evolved out of the old operator dialing practice. When the telephone was first gaining popularity, instead of directly dialing your intended call recipient, you would dial the operator and request to be connected to the other end of your call. The operator would then put you through and go on his or her way to help the next caller. The advent of the dialing system changed the nature of an operator’s job from connecting every call, to providing information and customer assistance.

As phones became a worldwide communication network, phone book listings were published for both private citizens and places of business. You could still call an operator to look up a number for you if you didn’t have a phone book handy, and they would assist you.  Eventually operators grew into the 411 industry we know today.

When you make a 411 call today, you are commonly sent through an automated computer system which asks you for your city and state. You’re then prompted to differentiate between business and personal inquiries. A business inquiry is asking after a place of business as opposed to personal inquiries that are looking for a specific person’s phone number.

Some systems will walk you through the entire process via computer automated menus. Others will transfer you to an operator at this point to complete your call. The operator will typically ask for the name of the business or person in question, and then reply with an address and phone number. Most calls have a limit of two inquiries per call.

 411 information can also be accessed online! They can give you phone listings for the company or name you request, as well as showing you results for other companies like the one you searched for. Websites offering 411 directory assistance are usually free of charge, as opposed to the phone calls that work on a fee schedule.

Another thing that 411 sites offer is reverse 411 or reverse directory assistance. Reverse inquiries are the type you would make when you know a phone number and wish to know who the number is registered to. In some cases this is a free service, but most of the time there is a charge assessed for looking up that information.

There are some privacy concerns regarding reverse 411 information. For instance, the police, fire department, and emergency response departments all have access to grey pages. This book contains a listing of all the phone numbers in an area, listed and unlisted alike. The numbers have the registered owner and address printed next to them. The purpose of this is to assist them in emergency response, and these books are not intended for public use.

 

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