View source for Directory:1-800-FREE411

{{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.

Consumers dial 1-800-FREE411 (1-800-373-3411) from any phone in the [[United States]] to use the toll-free service, which allows callers to obtain any residential, [[business]], or [[government]] phone number for no charge. Customers who do not use a free service typically pay $1 to $2 to place each 411 call. Sponsors cover the service cost by playing short advertising messages, about 12 seconds long, during the call. A consumer using the service to find a number could hear targeted ads or general (branding) ads. Consumers may choose to have driving directions texted to them following a call.

1-800-FREE-411 runs on voice automation technology provided by Nuance Communications. <ref>http://www.speechtechmag.com/Articles/?ArticleID=37348</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>

According to the Jingle Networks Privacy Policy<ref>http://www.free411.com/about/privacy</ref>, 1-800-FREE-411 "will never share your personal information with telemarketers or spammers."

==Corporate overview==
The parent corporation, Jingle, 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/</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> Since the company's launch, Jingle has amassed a base of 130,000 paying advertisers. <ref>http://www.free411.com/about/pressreleases/p20080626</ref>

On October 23 [[2006]], Jingle Networks announced that it raised $30 million in third round financing from Goldman Sachs and Hearst Corporation.  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/</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.''
* "Alex," [http://whatis.blogs.techtarget.com/2007/04/16/free411com-free-directory-assistance-at-1800free411/ "Free directory assistance at 1800free411"] at ''WhatIs.Blogs.TechTarget.com,'' 16 Apr 2007.
* Scott Davison, [http://share.skype.com/sites/partners/2007/08/jingle_networks_provides_1800f.html "Jingle Networks provides 1-800-FREE411 service to Skype users in the US"] at ''Share.Skype.com,'' 1 Aug 2007.
* 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.
* [http://www.free411.com/about/pressreleases/p20070425 "Press release"] at ''Free411.com,'' 25 April 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.
* [http://www.free411.com/about/pressreleases/p20061023 "Press release] at ''Free411.com,'' 23 October 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.