Directory assistance
Description:
'411' information operators at New England Telephone answer on headsets “What city please?” and flip through voluminous phone books to give listings quickly. Most operators are middle-aged or older women. Interview with Joanna Reardon describing abuses of directory assistance service (people with odd non-telephone questions). Interview with Peter Cronin about necessity of charging for directory assistance at 20¢ per call to save almost $20 million.
