Importance

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Abstract

A method of operating a telecommunications network (10) for providing a voice-activated telephone directory is disclosed. The directory is toll-free to the caller and accessible via a heavily advertised, easily remembered access number wherein the caller is quickly and automatically connected to the selected business. The preferred method broadly includes step (34) of providing a 1-800 access number, step (36) of prompting the caller to speak a spoken business category, step (38) of comparing the category spoken by the caller with a stored database of categories to determine a match, step (40) of prompting the caller to speak the desired business entity listing the caller is seeking if a category match is determined, step (42) comparing the entity spoken by the caller with a stored database of entities to determine a match, step (44) of connecting the caller to a business telephone number associated with the matched business entity if an entity match is determined, and step (46) of charging the business the caller was connected to a fee for making the connection.

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First Claim