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{{Short description|Phone directory search service by Google}}
{{Refimprove|date=December 2008}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2008}}
{{Infobox Website
{{Infobox website
| name = GOOG-411
| name = 727-2777931
| logo = [[File:Goog411 Logo.png]]
| logo = Goog411 Logo.png
| caption =
| caption =
| url = [http://www.google.com/goog411/ google.com/goog411]
| url = [https://web.archive.org/web/20071014091650/https://www.google.com/goog411/ google.com/goog411]
| commercial =
| commercial =
| type = [[search]]
| type = [[Search engine technology|semotoarch]]
| language =
| language = English
| registration = no
| registration = No
| owner = [[Google]]
| author = Google
| owner = [[Google]]
| author = Google
| launch date = April 6, 2007
| launch_date = {{start date and age|2007|4|6}}
| current status =
| dissolved = {{start date and age|2010|11|12}}
⚫
| revenue =
| current_status = Discontinued
⚫
| revenue =
}}
}}

'''GOOG-411''' (or '''Google Voice Local Search''') is a telephone service launched by [[Google]] in 2007, that provides a [[speech recognition]]-based business directory search and places a call to the resulting number in the [[United States]] or [[Canada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/goog411/about.html|title=1-800-GOOG-411: Find and connect with local businesses for free from your phone.|publisher=[[Google]]|accessdate=2009-03-01}}</ref> The service is accessible via a [[toll-free telephone number]].
'''GOOG-411''' (or '''Google Voice Local Search''') was a [[telephone]] service launched by [[Google]] in 2007, that provided a [[speech recognition|speech-recognition]]-based business [[directory assistance|directory search]], and placed a [[phone call|call]] to the resulting [[phone number|number]] in the [[United States]] or [[Canada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/goog411/about.html |title=1-800-GOOG-411: Find and connect with local businesses for free from your phone. |accessdate=2009-03-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227084550/https://www.google.com/goog411/about.html |archivedate=February 27, 2009 }}</ref> The service was accessible a [[toll-free telephone number]]. It was an alternative to [[4-1-1]], an often-expensive service provided by [[local exchange carrier|local]] and [[long-distance calling|long-distance]] [[phone companies]], and was therefore commonly known as '''Google 411'''. This service was discontinued on November 12, 2010.<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/goodbye-to-old-friend-1-800-goog-411.html |title=Official Blog: Goodbye to an old friend: 1-800-GOOG-411 |publisher=Googleblog.blogspot.com |date=2010-10-08 |accessdate=2013-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220042532/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/goodbye-to-old-friend-1-800-goog-411.html |archive-date=2011-02-20 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
GOOG-411 had been assisting people with obtaining phone numbers since 2007. On November 12, 2010, GOOG-411 shut down its service. While Google did not provide an official reason for the shut down, many believe that Google had simply gathered enough voice samples for its research purposes.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chitu |first=Alex |url=http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2010/10/google-shuts-down-goog-411.html |title=Google Shuts Down GOOG-411 |publisher=Googlesystem.blogspot.com |date=2010-10-09 |accessdate=2013-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907224845/http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2010/10/google-shuts-down-goog-411.html |archive-date=2013-09-07 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://buildcontext.com/blog/2011/the-411-parable |title="The 411 Parable": Make sure you are playing the same game. < blog :: buildcontext the personal blog of Ben Hedrington |publisher=Buildcontext.com |date=2011-05-03 |accessdate=2013-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810032940/http://buildcontext.com/blog/2011/the-411-parable |archive-date=2013-08-10 |url-status=live }}</ref> Google also operated a similar service from SMS number 466453 which has also been discontinued.


==Operations==
==Operations==
Users who call the toll-free telephone numbers 1-800-466-4411 or 1-877-466-4411 (1-800-GOOG-411 and 1-877-GOOG-411) or the local number 1-425-296-4774<ref>{{cite web |url= http://mobile.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=114953 |title= Using : Corporate or commercial users - Mobile Help |publisher=[[Google]] |accessdate=November 5, 2009}}</ref> are asked for the city and state of the sought business. Users may search for by business name or category, which generates a list of up to eight search results. Search can also be invoked by using the key pad if the user prefers. This works in a similar manner to [[T9 (predictive text)|predictive text]] input on a cellular phone. Users may select the destination by speaking or pressing the number that corresponds to the desired result. Once the destination is selected, the service places a call to the business or returns a [[Short message service|text message]] with the phone number. Alternatively, users can listen to the address and phone number by saying "details". U.S. users may narrow search results by zip code or street intersection.
Users who called the [[toll-free telephone number]]s 800-466-4411 or 877-466-4411 (800-GOOG-411 and 877-GOOG-411) or the local number [[area code 425|425]]-296-4774<ref>{{cite web |url= http://mobile.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=114953 |title= Using : Corporate or commercial users - Mobile Help |accessdate= November 5, 2009 |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://archive.today/20091211121927/http://mobile.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=114953 |archivedate= December 11, 2009 }}</ref> were asked for the city and state of the sought business. Users were also able to search for by business name or category, which generated a list of up to eight search results. Search was also invoked by using the [[keypad]] if the user preferred. This worked in a similar manner to [[predictive text]] input on a [[cellular phone]]. Users were able to select the destination by speaking or pressing the number that corresponded to the desired result. Once the destination was selected, the service placed a call to the business or returned a [[short message service|text message]] with the phone number. Alternatively, users were able to listen to the [[street address]] and phone number by saying "details". U.S. users could narrow search results by [[ZIP code]] or street [[intersection (road)|intersection]].


Although Google’s FAQ states that users may prevent their phone number from being saved by blocking their [[caller-ID]], this is ineffective when calling the 800 number and only works when calling the other two.<ref>this can be verified by pressing <code><big><big>*</big></big></code> at the opening message</ref>
Although Google's [[FAQ]] stated that users were able to prevent their phone number from being saved by blocking their [[caller ID]], this is ineffective when calling the 800 number (due to [[Automatic Number Identification|ANI]]) and only works when calling the other two.<ref>this can be verified by pressing <code><big><big>*</big></big></code> at the opening message</ref>
The service announces that the call may be recorded for the purpose of service improvements.
The service announced that the [[call recording software|call may be recorded]] for the purpose of service improvements.


Google advises users not to use the service for emergency calls, recommending that they call [[9-1-1]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mobile.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=91565&topic=13551|title=Overview: Emergency Calls|publisher=Google Inc.|accessdate=2009-03-01}}</ref>
Google advised users not to use the service for [[emergency call]]s, recommending that they call [[9-1-1]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mobile.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=91565&topic=13551 |title=Overview: Emergency Calls |publisher=Google Inc. |accessdate=2009-03-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214204654/http://mobile.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=91565&topic=13551 |archivedate=December 14, 2008 }}</ref>


==Business model==
==Business model==
Google has stated that the company originally implemented GOOG-411 to build a large [[phoneme]] database from users' voice queries. This phoneme database, in turn, will allow Google engineers to refine and improve the speech recognition engine that Google uses to index audio content for searching.<ref>[http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/07/10/23/Google-wants-your-phonemes_1.html Google wants your phonemes | IDGNS | News | October 23, 2007 | By Juan Carlos Perez, IDG News Service<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Google stated that the company originally implemented GOOG-411 to build a large [[phoneme]] database from users' voice queries. This phoneme database, in turn, allowed Google engineers to refine and improve the speech recognition engine that Google uses to index audio content for searching.<ref>{{cite web|last=Carlos |first=Juan |url=http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/07/10/23/Google-wants-your-phonemes_1.html |title=Google wants your phonemes &#124; Data management |publisher=InfoWorld |date=2007-10-23 |accessdate=2013-11-07}}</ref>

==VOIP access==
[[Skype]], [[Yahoo! Voice]] as well as a number of open [[Session Initiation Protocol|SIP]] [[VoIP]] services allow to call toll-free U.S. phone numbers for free over the internet.<ref>See e.g. [http://wiki.ekiga.org/index.php/Fun_Numbers Fun Numbers] from [[Ekiga]]</ref> Combining this with GOOG-411 allows to call all U.S. and Canadian businesses for free from anywhere in the world.


==See also==
==See also==
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==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>


⚫
{{Google LLC}}
==External links==
*[http://www.google.com/goog411/ GOOG-411]


⚫
[[Category:Discontinued Google services]]
⚫
{{Google Inc.}}

⚫
[[Category:Google]]
[[Category:Telephony]]
[[Category:Telephony]]
[[Category:Telephone numbers in Canada]]
[[Category:Telephone numbers in Canada]]
[[Category:Telephone numbers in the United States]]
[[Category:Telephone numbers in the United States]]
[[Category:Directory assistance services]]
[[Category:Directory assistance services]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 2007]]

[[Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2010]]
[[ar:جووج-411]]
[[bn:গুগ-৪১১]]
[[fr:Google GOOG-411]]
[[id:GOOG-411]]
[[ja:GOOG-411]]
[[vi:GOOG-411]]

Latest revision as of 06:47, 8 June 2024

727-2777931
Type of site
semotoarch
Available inEnglish
DissolvedNovember 12, 2010; 13 years ago (2010-11-12)
OwnerGoogle
Created byGoogle
URLgoogle.com/goog411
RegistrationNo
LaunchedApril 6, 2007; 17 years ago (2007-04-06)
Current statusDiscontinued

GOOG-411 (or Google Voice Local Search) was a telephone service launched by Google in 2007, that provided a speech-recognition-based business directory search, and placed a call to the resulting number in the United States or Canada.[1] The service was accessible a toll-free telephone number. It was an alternative to 4-1-1, an often-expensive service provided by local and long-distance phone companies, and was therefore commonly known as Google 411. This service was discontinued on November 12, 2010.[2]

History[edit]

GOOG-411 had been assisting people with obtaining phone numbers since 2007. On November 12, 2010, GOOG-411 shut down its service. While Google did not provide an official reason for the shut down, many believe that Google had simply gathered enough voice samples for its research purposes.[3][4] Google also operated a similar service from SMS number 466453 which has also been discontinued.

Operations[edit]

Users who called the toll-free telephone numbers 800-466-4411 or 877-466-4411 (800-GOOG-411 and 877-GOOG-411) or the local number 425-296-4774[5] were asked for the city and state of the sought business. Users were also able to search for by business name or category, which generated a list of up to eight search results. Search was also invoked by using the keypad if the user preferred. This worked in a similar manner to predictive text input on a cellular phone. Users were able to select the destination by speaking or pressing the number that corresponded to the desired result. Once the destination was selected, the service placed a call to the business or returned a text message with the phone number. Alternatively, users were able to listen to the street address and phone number by saying "details". U.S. users could narrow search results by ZIP code or street intersection.

Although Google's FAQ stated that users were able to prevent their phone number from being saved by blocking their caller ID, this is ineffective when calling the 800 number (due to ANI) and only works when calling the other two.[6] The service announced that the call may be recorded for the purpose of service improvements.

Google advised users not to use the service for emergency calls, recommending that they call 9-1-1.[7]

Business model[edit]

Google stated that the company originally implemented GOOG-411 to build a large phoneme database from users' voice queries. This phoneme database, in turn, allowed Google engineers to refine and improve the speech recognition engine that Google uses to index audio content for searching.[8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1-800-GOOG-411: Find and connect with local businesses for free from your phone". Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
  2. ^ "Official Blog: Goodbye to an old friend: 1-800-GOOG-411". Googleblog.blogspot.com. 2010-10-08. Archived from the original on 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  3. ^ Chitu, Alex (2010-10-09). "Google Shuts Down GOOG-411". Googlesystem.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on 2013-09-07. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  4. ^ ""The 411 Parable": Make sure you are playing the same game. < blog :: buildcontext the personal blog of Ben Hedrington". Buildcontext.com. 2011-05-03. Archived from the original on 2013-08-10. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  5. ^ "Using : Corporate or commercial users - Mobile Help". Archived from the original on December 11, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
  6. ^ this can be verified by pressing * at the opening message
  7. ^ "Overview: Emergency Calls". Google Inc. Archived from the original on December 14, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
  8. ^ Carlos, Juan (2007-10-23). "Google wants your phonemes | Data management". InfoWorld. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
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