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, 20:06, 26 September 2008
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<!-- The following is a simple Infobox designed to identify a COMPANY. You should feel free to add your own content to any of the missing elements. The few items pre-filled here are intended to "just get you started" with some basic formatting and semantic tagging. -->
{{Infobox_Company
| company_name = [[Company_Name:=1-800-FREE411]]
| company_slogan = ''Say hello to free directory assistance.''
| company_type = [[Company_Type:=Private|[[Private Company|Private]]]]
| genre =
| foundation = [[Year_Started:=2005|[[2005]]]]
| location = {{flagicon|US}} [[City:=Bedford|[[Directory:Bedford, Massachusetts|Bedford]]]], [[State_Name:=Massachusetts|[[Directory:Massachusetts|Massachusetts]]]], [[Country_Name:=United States|[[Directory:United States|USA]]]]
| key_people = [[Key_Person1:=Scott Kliger|[[Directory:Scott Kliger|Scott Kliger]]]], [[Key_Person1_Title:=CEO|CEO]]<br>[[Key_Person2:=John Roswech]], [[Key_Person2_Title:=President]]<br>[[Key_Person3:=Brian Roberts]], [[Key_Person3_Title:=CFO]]
| industry = Telecommunications
| products = 1-800-FREE411
}}
'''1-800-FREE411''' is an [[United States|American]] service offering free directory assistance.
Callers dial 1-800-FREE411 (1-800-373-3411) from any phone in the [[United States]] to use the toll-free service, which allows them to obtain residential, [[business]], or [[government]] phone numbers. Sponsors cover part of the service cost by playing advertising messages during the call. Callers always hear an ad at the beginning of the call, and then another after they have made their request. Each ad is typically about ten seconds long.
Callers can also have driving directions sent to their cell phones via text message. These directions are available between any addresses or intersections in the [[United States]], but will work only with cell phones.<ref>http://localmobilesearch.net/node/467</ref>
1-800-FREE-411 runs on voice automation technology provided by Nuance Communications. <ref>[http://www.speechtechmag.com/Articles/?ArticleID=37348 SpeechTechMag.com: Nuance and Jingle Networks Enter Strategic Partnership<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
'''Jingle Networks''' aims at attracting customers away from an existing fee-based market. The ''Wall Street Journal'' described it as "inspired by the business model of [[Google]]".<ref name=WSJ>{{cite news
|url=http://www.kelseygroup.com/news/2006/wsj_060420.htm
|title=Your Listing, and a Word From Our Sponsor
|publisher=[[The Wall Street Journal]]
|author=Rebecca Buckman
|date=2006-04-20
|accessdate=2006-11-03}} Article reprinted on kelseygroup.com.</ref>
==Corporate overview==
The parent corporation, Jingle Networks, was formed in 2005, and by the spring of 2008 had, according to TechCrunch, "captured a six percent market share of directory assistance calls." <ref>[http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/21/on-the-road-to-an-ipo-jingle-networks-prepares-to-launch-a-voice-ad-network/ On the Road to An IPO, Jingle Networks Prepares to Launch A Voice Ad Network<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> According to Investors Business Daily, Jingle Networks receives about 20 million calls per month. <ref>http://www.investors.com/ibdarchives/ArtShow.asp?atn=285184279999594&sy=&kw=google,_s|_microsoft_s|_look_s|_to_s|_connect&ps=76&ac=</ref>
On October 23 [[2006]], Jingle Networks announced that it raised $30 million in third round financing from Goldman Sachs and Hearst Corporation. Also on that date, Jingle Network's CEO volunteered on TechCrunch that his company was losing on average 5 cents for every call they processed.<ref>[http://www.talkcrunch.com/2006/10/23/interview-with-jingle-ceo-and-venture-capitalist/ TalkCrunch » Blog Archive » Interview With Jingle CEO and Venture Capitalist<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On[June 25, [[2008]], TechCrunch announced that Jingle had reached per-call profitability. <ref>[http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/25/jingle-networks-proves-their-free-business-model-works/ Jingle Networks Proves Their Free Business Model Works<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== Further reading ==
<!-- These are the references from "1-800-free411". Perhaps they can be worked into this article somewhere?-->
* [http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/nothing/free411.asp "Free 411"] at ''Snopes.com: Urban Legends Reference Pages.''
* Rebecca Buckman, [http://webreprints.djreprints.com/1718300644730.html "Your Listing, and a Word From Our Sponsor"] at ''Wall Street Journal,'' 20 Apr 2006.
* Micharl Arrington, [http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/03/15/1-800-free-411-has-6-market-share-of-us-411-market/ "1-800-Free-411 has 6% market share of U.S. 411 market"] at ''TechCrunch.com,'' 15 March 2007.
* Paul Davidson, [http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/telecom/2007-06-14-free-411-usat_N.htm "Free 411 service goes after rivals for license fees"] at ''USA Today," 14 June 2007.
* Michael Arrington, [http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/10/23/jingle-networks-has-now-raised-over-60-million/ "Jingle Networks has now raised over $60 million"] at ''TechCrunch.com,'' 23 October 2007.