May 28, 2000

This site conducted a survey of visitors over a two week period regarding the possibility of the Federal Communications Commission opening up the 411 market for competition. While the survey is not scientific, it does provide an interesting look at the feelings of 10-10PhoneRates.com visitors. Thank you to the 106 people who responded.

The one-time cost to open up the 411 market is estimated at $1.24 per subscriber. This could be charged directly to you or absorbed by companies seeking to serve this new market.
Should consumers directly pay the cost of opening the market via a charge on their phone bills?
6% yes
92% no
2% don’t care

An alternative to allowing consumers to subscribe to different 411 providers is to eliminate 411 as the directory assistance number.
Which do you prefer?
28% Subscribe to 411
49% Use 10-10’s for directory assistance
23% Don’t Care

If competition is allowed for directory assistance, one proposed way to start is by consumer balloting. You would receive a ballot and choose your 411 provider.
Would you like to choose via balloting?
60% yes
25% no
15% don’t care

For households that do not return the ballot, is it a good idea to evenly split up assigning directory assistance providers (instead of just leaving them with their current provider)?
19% yes
69% no
12% don’t care

Would you like to have a choice of different companies that can provide your "411" directory assistance?

58% yes
23% no
19% don’t care

To read the text of FCC Public Notice DA-00930, click here. For a Microsoft Word file with footnotes, click here.