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I confirmed yesterday that Microsoft is closing down the discontinued GOOG 411 back in 2010 and now Bing is shutting their service.
If you try calling 1-800-BING-411, you will hear a recording telling you the service is going offline June 1st.
I have no clue how many people actually use the service, but I bet less and less every day.
With all these smart phones with embedded voice search native to the device (Google Voice Search & Apple Siri) there is less of a need to dial a phone number to get voice search.
Forum discussion at Google Blogoscoped Forums.
Postscript: Bing has extended this service until July 1st to give their customers more time to transition elsewhere.
Comments:
Jrudorf
05/16/2012 12:31 am
You don't use Goog411 and Bing411 from your Phone! You use it from Skype to make FREE Unlimited calls to Businesses with Skype. It's how people like Me communicate on Telephones from areas that only have Internet Service but No Cell Reception, like the rual areas of Alaska. Shutting down Bing 411 is a terrible idea. When Goog 411 was shut down it ruined my life, but I at least had Bing 411 to fall back on. Now what. Assholes.
Annie Oakley
05/20/2012 08:46 am
I love Bing 411 and use it all the time. I don't have a smart phone and it is really convenient to be able to get a number and have them connect you to that party. I hate to seem them go as before them I used Google 411. Wish they weren't terminating that service.
H.ElEbiary
05/21/2012 04:31 pm
it is a great service i wish they keep it ..yes a lot of people have a smart phones ..but bing 411 is great when you are driving it is safer to use..
marianne
05/22/2012 04:34 pm
I use it alot as it is safe to use to find the bussinesses, does anybody know of another one to use in it place.
Samir
05/23/2012 06:48 pm
I switched from goog411 to bing411 the day the service dropped. I used it often — in fact I didn’t even change the speed dial in my phone from “GOOG411″ to “BING411″. I always was amazed that I got a call to a business connected without using any minutes or data, or driving off the road while trying to look it up on the web. RIP bing411, you will be missed.
L. RAE
05/25/2012 04:44 pm
A HUGH LOSS....THE MOST CONVENIENT SITE ON THE WEB. WHILE DRIVING YOU CAN GET PHONE NUMBER TO ANY BUSINESS IN AMERICA. THEY DIAL FOR YOU. NEVER SAW IT ADVERTISED BUT USED THEM FROM CONCEPTION...AFTER GOOG 411. DON'T KNOW HOW IT PROFITED MICROSOFT, BUT IT SURE PROFITED THE USER. MAYBE IF MORE PEOPLE KNEW OF THE SERVICE, THEY WOULD HAVE MORE PEOPE USING THE SERVICE..... HOPE SOME ONE PICKS UP AND CONTINUES THE SITE. JUST HOPE THEY FIGURE OUT THAT ADVERTISING WILL GET THE VOLUME THEY APPARENTLY NEED TO FUNCTION. ; (
Jason,DGreg
06/01/2012 03:29 am
Shit, no more prank calls every night all around america
Eddie Hernandez
06/01/2012 03:34 am
damn it me and Jason can't do pranks anymore, we met so many nice folks in walmart and mcdonalds, and we aren't drug addicts. it kept kids, and adults like us, off the streets and such. damn shame
Anna Marie Bunting
06/01/2012 11:30 am
seem to be on and they took the message off...
ruckstande
06/01/2012 12:10 pm
I just heard about this yesterday. Go figure.
still works
06/03/2012 01:23 pm
actually this is working right now its june 3rd
Richard
06/04/2012 03:56 pm
This could never have been something Goog or Bing just did out of the goodness of their hearts. June 1st sounds like a contract deadline. Since this was strictly for business phone searches, perhaps the June 1 deadline threat was to leverage a contract renewal from whomever was paying for all of this. America needs the commerce. Even if 10% of cell users used this system who can afford cutting off 10% of potential business calls?
jim
06/18/2012 07:44 pm
Google did it to develop their voice recognition technology.
Rocket
06/23/2012 02:20 pm
Seems to still work and its june 23rd
Mo
07/07/2012 11:51 pm
I think they shut it cuz me n ma mates were prank calling everyday
gkid
07/18/2012 06:36 pm
18005558355 id still bing 411 run by another provider
Michael Brown
07/18/2012 09:16 pm
i used bing 411 and goog 411 its sad to see them go..
Michael Brown
07/18/2012 09:18 pm
I was sad to here when goog 411 was shutting down i used it so much on my phone and on skype