There is a tall free number to get around using 411: (800)FREE-411. It has some commercials but it saves you a buck from not using 411. I wish I came up with that idea...
the worst part is that google started making 'acquisition noises' with the jingle guys (free 411) before goog 411 launched. google had some meetings with them, talked about the business and learned everything they could, but i hear the jingle guys (free 411) discovered it was all pretense, as google was actually just doing research for their own free 411 service (goog 411) that google was actively developing at the time.