Did you know that you can call 1-800 numbers free with Skype? A few months after announcing SkypeOut, the pay service that lets Skype users call regular telephones and mobile phones around the world, the leading software VoIP provider opened up free calls to toll free numbers, including 1-800 numbers. And the great thing about this is you can actually call any listed telephone number in the USA for free!

Interesting, isn’t it? The concept involves calling the 1-800-FREE-411 service operated by Free411. The service is actually an interactive voice-assisted directory listing that connects you to your correspondent at no charge.

How to do it? Using Skype, dial +18003733411 (3733 stands for the keypad “FREE”) and press “call.” You will hear the interactive voice recognition system (IVRS) prompt asking you the city and state of the person you are calling. The next question would be whether you’re calling a business or a residence. And then you are asked to dictate the surname of your correspondent.

Since the system uses IVRS, sometimes the computer will have difficulty understanding your responses, due to a heavy accent or a difficult-to-pronounce name, so be sure to speak in a clear voice. The system sometimes asks you to spell out the surname of the party being called. Finally, if all else fails, there is a live operator fallback—your call will be answered by a real person (at last).

Once the system gives out the listed number of your correspondent, you are asked to hold as you get connected. Free 411 is free because it is ad-supported. The downside? Audio advertisements may play before a call is connected, and calls also have a three-minute limit. But for something free, I think the small hassle is well worth it.