Remember when 411 calls were free? Those days are gone — now it can cost up to $3.49 for an information call. In spite of the cost, there are billions of these calls made per year. I admit it — I avoid calling 411. It’s not that I can’t afford it — it’s a matter of principle. I don’t want to pay for information that I know is available free on the web. Fortunately, there is a new way. A startup called Jingle Networks, Inc. has developed 1-800 FREE-411 (1-800-3733-411). No charge for the call and no charge to be connected after they give you the number you are looking for. How do they do it? A new business model.
Call 1-800 FREE-411 (1-800-3733-411) and request a phone number for "Sally’s Hair Salon" and you may get a message saying, "Hold while we look up that number". "If you would like a $5 discount for your first visit to Steve’s Hair Salon, press 2". "If you want the number for Sally’s Hair Salon, please wait and you will be connected at no charge". Try it yourself, or listen below to a live demonstration of my experience in trying this.

Related :

Jingle Networks, Inc. was one of the companies that showed their new product or service at the DEMOfall Conference in Huntington Beach last week. You can see a list of all the companies at the Demo ALUMNI page or see a short list of the things I found particularly interesting here in the "conferences" category of patrickWeb.