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Hopper's Money Saving Tip
Free Directory Enquiries.
How do they do this? The model is quite simple; as part of the call you'll need to listen to an advert, which usually lasts about 20-30 seconds and this subsidises the cost.
Freedirectoryenquries, 0800 100 100
Pros: A real person answers, no registration needed. Cons: Accuracy issues, only one enquiry allowed.
If it knows the number, this is a quick service, with the ad only lasting 20 seconds. Better still the advert is only played after it's confirmed it knows the number; so if not you can ring off. It also is an easy number to remember.
The business model behind this is interesting. To make it viable, the advert you're played will tend to relate to what number you're asking for and also allows you to connect through, for free, to the advertiser. E.g if you ask for National Rail Enquiries number, the advert is for Euro-star.
The Number, 0800 118 3733
Pros: More than one number request. Cons: Advert played immediately, automated system.
Technically to use this service for free you must first register online, so it can add you its advertising database, though it often works without. You then listen to an advert immediately and answer automated questions to ask your enquiry. Rather annoyingly it always asks for an 'address' which can be a little confusing; and only later, if it can't find the details comes back and asks for an area.
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