>>>>>The increase in medical costs here is a national outrage and should have caused thousands of people to be sent away for long time
>>>>
>>>>Do you remember the phone company advertisements begging us to PLEASE use white pages to find phone numbers and not call 411 information?
>>>
>>>Yes, I do.
>>>My sister-in-law worked for a while as one of the people who answered your 411 call.
>>
>>Why don't you see those ads any more?
>
>I don't know. Why don't I?

411 was "Free" to consumers, per regulation.

Some people used it a lot, why not, it was "Free"

Your sister-in-law still got paid and had an office to work in, and that all costs money.
So, if the consumer did not pay for the service, "somebody else" was paying.

The costs for "Free" 411 were out of control.
Literally, the phone company had no control over escalating demand for the "Free" service.
So, they put up ads begging us to not use the service.

When somebody else pays and something seems "Free" then it will be over-consumed and that third party has to pay and pay.
Kinda makes sense, doesn't it?