The Emergence of Toll-Free DA Providers and VoIP Resellers Has Opened New Growth Opportunities for the Wholesale Directory Assistance Services Markets

Business Wire, Jan 29, 2007

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c49359) has announced the addition of the new Frost & Sullivan report: North American Wholesale Directory Assistance Services Markets to their offering.

Entry of New Voice Service Providers Creates Growth Opportunities

Directory assistance (DA) services have traditionally been a cash cow for telecom carriers. The retail DA usage, particularly for the wireline medium has been on a decline for some time, though wireless DA usage continues to grow. However, enhanced DA features and innovative business models from emerging mediums (such as toll-free and SMS) have infused a new urgency, for both the retail and the wholesale providers in the DA market. For the DA wholesalers, the emergence of new voice service providers such as cable multiple system operators (MSOs), independent voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) providers, toll-free DA providers, and VoIP resellers has opened new growth opportunities. At the same time, almost all of the wireless carriers as well as traditional telcos such as competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and smaller incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) are outsourcing their entire DA operations, which they consider non-core to their operations.

Notwithstanding these growth opportunities, the wholesale DA industry faces some critical challenges. These include the migration of telephonic DA demand to alternative mediums such as online/Internet and print directories, continued pricing pressure from the retailers, and the increasing necessity to keep upgrading the DA product by adding more enhanced DA features, which need to be packaged together at a minimal price for the retailers. "As DA call volumes have been declining, carriers and retail DA providers have been resorting to increasing the retail pricing for wireline DA, further restricting the usage of paid phone-based DA services," notes the analyst of this research service. "This in turn, is likely to shrink wholesale DA volumes, and may force the wholesalers to reduce volume discounts and other pricing incentives."

Increased Wireless Usage and Emergence of the Toll-free DA Services expected to Drive Demand

The Emergence of Toll-free DA Providers, and VoIP Resellers has Opened New Growth Opportunities for the Wholesale Directory Assistance Services Markets.

One of the recent trends expected to drive the demand for wholesale DA is the emergence of the toll-free DA services from providers such as Jingle Networks (provider of 1-800-FREE411). Toll-free DA services are supported by advertising revenues and enables end-users (DA callers) to access DA information without paying any usage fee. This is likely to convert non-users of phone DA, who have been relying on free sources such as online DA Web sites and print directories, and hence provide new growth opportunities for wholesale DA providers. This apart, the increase in number of mobile subscribers and the overall usage of wireless is expected to continue to fuel the demand for wireless DA, both at the retail and wholesale level. As of 2005, wireless DA contributed 54 percent of total wholesale DA revenues and wireline contributed the remaining 46 percent.

In the next five to seven years, Frost & Sullivan expects the market for wholesale DA services to remain stable, though become increasingly more competitive. "New voice service providers and emerging alternative business models such as toll-free DA are likely to keep this market reasonably profitable, particularly for established incumbents and smaller niche participants," says the analyst. "However, serious contenders in this market need to constantly monitor the changing trends in retail as well as wholesale DA segments, in order to successfully compete in this transforming legacy services market."

1. North American Wholesale Directory Assistance Services Markets
 - 1. Executive Summary
 -- 1. Executive Summary
 - 2. Research Scope and Market Definitions
 -- 1. Research Scope and Objectives
 -- 2. Research Methodology
 -- 3. Market Overview and Segmentation
 - 3. Market Drivers and Restraints
 -- 1. Market Drivers
 -- 2. Market Restraints
 - 4. Market Forecasts
 -- 1. Revenue Forecast
 -- 2. Demand Forecast
 - 5. Key Market Trends
 -- 1. Pricing Trends
 -- 2. Directory Assistance Outsourcing
 -- 3. Directory Assistance Automation
 -- 4. Expanding Opportunity for Emerging Telephony Service Providers
 -- 5. Market Consolidation
 -- 6. Enhanced Directory Assistance Services and Features
 - 6. Competitive Landscape
 -- 1. Competitive Landscape and Industry Value Chain
 -- 2. Key Providers of Wholesale Directory Assistance Services
 - 7. Conclusions
 -- 1. Strategic Recommendations
 -- 2. Critical Success Matrix

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c49359