When you are looking for a doctor, or perhaps the local locksmith, or cleaning company you want to be able to find them quickly and without a lot of fuss. Directory assistance is the key to helping with a task like that. When you use this service, you will be able to find the correct information for the listing that you are searching for in a short time.

What is directory assistance you ask? It's a service provided by telephone companies that will find a certain telephone number or address of a business or a residence. It has been around for many years and has been provided by telephone companies for its customers since the 1970s or by some in the 1980s. So some companies have been doing this for over 30 or even 40 years.

There are different numbers to dial to reach directory assistance. For Canada and the United States you can dial simply 411 from your home landline. If you were to need a listing that is a non-local area code number or in a remote location you can simply dial 1-555-1212. There is also a toll-free directory which
you dial at 1-800-555-1212. The listings the directory finds all start with 800, 888, 877 or 866. The toll-free directory is great for finding toll-free numbers for businesses. Sometimes people even have personal 800 numbers in their own residence too and this would be the way to find that information out.

There are different classifications. The first is 411 LDA, you dial 411 and the operator will search for you in a local group of area codes. The second is 411 NDA, you dial 411 and the operator will search for you in non local area codes. Then you have 411 which is the national number. The final one is AT&T international directory assistance and for this one you dial 00 and ask for the operator and they will help you find international listings.

It has now become a business as well. Many companies have now formed that specialize in free services. Clients usually will have to listen to an advertisement for something before they can receive the information that they are looking for.

It has been and still is one of the best tools that a customer can utilize to find the numbers that they are looking for.