NORTH AMERICAN DA AND SEARCH: AT THE CROSSROADS OF OPPORTUNITY

Abstract

The great and rapid change that has gripped this historic industry has triggered difficulties too numerous to count, while simultaneously generating enormous opportunities.

In a market roiled by transformation, it seems there are more questions than answers. As the industry moves to incorprate more advanced, DIS-centric services and functionality, what will happen to traditional DA? How quickly will Free DA take off? Which business models will best serve the new breed of Mobile DIS? What about the Mobile Web and the impact of Local Search?

For the first time, a single document tackles all the tough questions, and pieces together a fascinating and compelling vision of the future of DA, Local Search, and DIS. Moreover, " of "North American DA And Search: At The Crossroads Of Opportunity" provides for the first time a blueprint and timetable for the launch of business models that could help DA providers and carriers to break away from their revenue-constrained environment, and migrate to revenue-enhanced models that exploit existing emerging assets across voice, data and online models.

• Why 2008 Will Prove To Be The Defining Moment For DA
• What New Entrants Are Being Drawn By The Lure Of The Market' s Size
• What Competition And Opportunities DA Faces Going Forward
• As Local Search Becomes Medium And Device-Agnostic, How Quickly Will It DA Be Drawn Into The Equation?
• What Impact Will The Following Disruptive Services Have On Traditional DA And Directory Information Services:
  • Portable Global Positioning Systems Expanding Beyond Traditional Directions Into Business Category Search And DIS;
  • Plug-And-Play Voice-Based Step-By-Step Driving Directions Services Piggy-Backing On Traditional DA;
  • Voice-And Text-Based Comparison Shopping, Travel And Other Vertical Industry Services Poised To Launch;
  • Free DA, In Its Second Version, Evolving Into Free DIS Offerings;
  • Online Yellow Pages And Mobile Local Search Competing With Paid And Free DA;
  • Social Networks Tapping Into The Youth Market With Voice And Other Widgets For Event-Based DIS;
  • All You Can Eat Search Services Outfitted With Live Background Guides;
  • Targeted Demographic-Based Search And Information Services.
• Why Wholesale And Retail DA Providers Face A Mixed Market Growth Amid Broad Peripheral Opportunities?
• What Will Be The Impact Of Mobile Phones Morphing Into All-In-One Smart Devices, Encompassing Music And Video Streaming To Business Search, Location-Based Services And Even Novels?
• To What Extent Will Mobile Phone Device Makers Provide Content Services That Range From Directions To Music To Promotional Coupons, Etc.?
• Reality Checks:
  • How Far Will Booming Wireless Usage Cut Into Wireline DA?
  • What Sort Of Future Will Wireless DA Enjoy?
  • How Will Companies Monetize Unchartered Territory - Parallel Multi-Stream Business Models For The DA Industry Are At A Crossroads:
  • DA As Mainstream Service To Accommodate New Offerings;
  • Convert Disruptive Services Into New Opportunities Through Partnerships;
  • Expanding Value-Chains To Tap Into Surrogate Segments And Partners;
  • Create High-Volume Advertiser-Based Revenue Models In Short Order;
  • Up The Ante On The Wireline DA Front To Add Broadband DIS;
  • Mix Of Subscription, Ad-Based Free And Paid Models.
• What Efforts Are Being Made vis-a-vis Efficient Call Center And Operator Practices For Better Margins?
• What Higher Order Automated Services Are Emerging To Offset Outsourcing Challenges
• Five-Year Forecasts For The Mainstream DA Market, Loaded With Insights Into Expanding Value Chains

• Why wireless growth will open up the audience for new directory information services;
• The true future of DA: interactive, integrated service over multi-media channels;
• Emerging technologies redefining DA implementations;
• Which new business models will create greater margins in the short term and new revenues in the long run;
• The outlook for information services - when, where, and how;
• The reasons some carriers view the DIS value proposition guardedly;
• Calling volumes, actuals, and trends - today and tomorrow;
• Regulatory, strategic, and tactical issues for wireline players eyeing DIS;
• Service-specific caution points for wireless and wireline players;
• Demographic considerations - a moving target;
• Basic-service vs. DIS pricing: how price levels are evolving, with their inevitable impact on usership, profit margins and revenues;
• Key players - markets pursued, strategies embraced, and growth issues to be resolved;
• Highly detailed five-year market forecasts...... DA call volume and revenue, wireless and wireline...... through 2012!

About The Author

Saroja Girishankar is The PELORUS Group' s Vice President of Information Services. With over 20 years in the communications industry, Ms. Girishankar comes with extensive research and analysis experience from her work with several industry publications and as an independent analyst. Her technical expertise covers directory assistance, wireless services, IP networking, telecommunications systems, operations, and applications.

Prior to joining The PELORUS Group, Ms. Girishankar was with the publications InternetWeek, as Executive Industry Editor, and Communications Week, and contributed to the industry magazine InformationWeek. Ms. Girishankar has written numerous reports and white papers on a wide range of telecommunications topics, including voice messaging, broadband services, global deregulation, and telecom infrastructure.

Ms. Girishankar has a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from the University of Delhi, India and a Masters in Education from Rowan University.

Editor Al Fross has researched and written about the directory assistance arena for two decades. He has edited and published many groundbreaking studies, including The PELORUS Group' s “North American DA Markets” and “Future Of Operator Services” reports. He holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University.

The PELORUS Group is a market research, business planning, and competitive intelligence firm. Its charter is to provide strategic insight for its worldwide base of clientele. Its challenge is to veer away from consensus research, and expose the myths within key telecommunications and information services industries.