Infone

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Infone was a company that provided directory assistance and other services via a toll-free phone number. A user could call 888-411-1111 to request directory assistance, directions, traffic information, movie times, call completion, dinner reservation assistance and other services. The service was discontinued effective December 14, 2005.

They provided a number of innovative 411 "concierge" like services, including movie listings from a live operator, and offered a feature where they could provide information from a linked Outlook calendar when set up in advance. For a period of time they advertised heavily on U.S. television, featuring ads with then Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, emphasizing their use of all U.S. based operators. The price offered was 89 cents per call up to 15 minutes (for use when the operator connects you to the requested number, as well as for additional information requests afterwards), with 5 cents for each additional minute, making infone also a competitively price long distance service. Initially they even provided 5 or 10 free calls to new users.

Infone identified a registered user (along with billing information... the service was only payable by credit card) by caller ID (number were registered on signing up) and by an advanced voiceprint recognition system from SpeechWorks that identified the user when the user called from an un-registered telephone number (or no caller ID) through the use of a personal phrase spoken by the user (e.g, "Hello Infone!") after the welcome tone.