Free 411 Service

[lizardpuppy]

I found this article that I thought you guys would like:

http://www.ziggyzap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2017

 Saving Money On Your Cell Phone Bill...
Cell phone bills are the biggest pain! So over the years i've found a few ways to help me save money... thought I would pass them along.

1-800-Free-411, instead of using 411 or 1411 and getting charged anywhere from $.75 - $1.50 per listing, just call, that number and although you have to listen to a stupid advertisement its absolutely free. I'm always using that number to find businesses and stuff around me... its great.

Also when you make a call to someone and you get their voicemail, depending on which company they are with you can usually hit 1 or # right when their voice starts and it will take you right to the beep where you leave your message... i know that sounds stupid, but did you know that your phone conversation is 1 minute and 1 second, its rounded up to 2 minutes on your bill

The last way to save money I've found out is to send text messages via internet anytime your around the computer and need to send a text. Every major cell phone provider offers text messaging through their website... this way you aren't charged like $.10 per outgoing text message.

I know I sound like a penny pincher, but I've had 2 cell phone bills over $600 (just 1 month) and many $250-$350 cell phone bills in the last 5 years!

[CountyKid]

Doesn't work anymore.

[rbcp]

What doesn't work anymore?  Everything he mentioned works.

[Billy_The_Kid]

This is really old but it's good to clue in the people who may not have hear it before, so I say good find.

[rbcp]

Here's another good tip for directory assistance - text your listing requests to Google at GOOGL (46645).  Google will text you back with the listings.  There's usually a small fee when you text a shortened number like that, but it's not as much as the fee most carriers charge for directory assistance.  It's not as free as 800-FREE-411, but it's a good deal.

[trevelyn]

The switch hook trick still works in pittsburgh, man do we have some old equipment here
Dial 411 "please deposit $1.00" Then simply hold the switch hook down for one second and release.  You'll be greeted with a surprise "Thank you for calling veriZon, City and State please?" 

[I-baLL]

The switch hook trick still works in pittsburgh, man do we have some old equipment here
Dial 411 "please deposit $1.00" Then simply hold the switch hook down for one second and release.  You'll be greeted with a surprise "Thank you for calling veriZon, City and State please?" 

Yes, but after you give them the city and state do they still ask for money? They do here.

[trevelyn]

oh, i didnt know that the other way routed the calls at no cost, then hell, I would use that all day and not get charged!  ANd it does, but it still gives you the "411" (information = phone number)
after that i can simply play the redbox tones i made with soundforge anyways.. payphones here are total ass. I have never seen a payphone in pittsburgh PA that took credit xcards, had an LCD, or anything different like i saw up in Toronto.  I even saw different colored handset up there that looked really cool.  Maybe VeriZon in PA just doesnt have the funding for cool stuff... sorry i thought that would help.

[adamh]

gotta say the 1800Free411 does work here   I used it while on vacation a lot.

Didn't know about the "1" or pound bypass trick though...

[gangals]

I actually saw a billboard advertisment for FREE411 yesterday.

[RijilV]

[yoh, this data was limited time only] is a backdoor number to some 411.  It has worked for years, and I thought was widely published in the 'phreaker' scene...evidently not.  I think decoder found it to be honest...

[mthawoffspringb]

ive never tried the 411 thing but i always use the # key...but for verizon customers the * key is the one you have to hit...i always make my voice mail really long to piss people off...but now more people are beggining to figure this out, oh well

[trevelyn]

I actually saw a billboard advertisment for FREE411 yesterday.

dewd, i saw that too!! yesterday on the way home from my mums.

[AmishGangsta]

The switch hook trick still works in pittsburgh, man do we have some old equipment here

You must live in South Hills. North of the city gets all the newest stuff first!

They've just installed this new type of dialing they call 'rotary.' I'm suspect, but it might be the next big thing! 

I have never seen a payphone in pittsburgh PA that took credit xcards, had an LCD, or anything different like i saw up in Toronto.

The Radisson attached to the ExpoMart in Monroeville used to have some very high-tech payphones until they removed ALL the payphones from the entire facility- sometime within the last year.

The rest area south of the city on I-79 towards Wheeling have the type of phones I have seen in Canada...