In most of the United States and Canada, 4-1-1 has for decades been the telephone number for local directory assistance. In recent years, it has been used for long distance directory assistance in most areas in the United States. The traditional number is 1-area code-555-1212.
The 411 service is provided by the local telephone company or wireless provider. Premium services such as Infone supplement 411 with detailed searches and concierge services.
Since deregulation, the price of using 411 has increased to about $1.25 in the U.S., compared to $0.50 CDN in most of Canada. Many payphones still have the most basic form of local 411 free of charge, presumably because the customer will pay to call any numbers provided.
411 is also used as a slang term meaning "information".
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