Industry Leaders to Explore New Strategies and New Models...
Whitaker associates
Industry Leaders to Explore New Strategies and New Models in Radically Changing Directory
Information Search Market
ROME, November 2/PRNewswire/ --
Whitaker Associates announces that key industry leaders have agreed to participate in
the European Directory Marketplace Conference 2006 (EDM06). Members on the opening
Executive Panel include:
-- Dr. Andreas Albath, CEO of telegate AG (www.telegate.com);
-- Mr. Simon Grice, CEO and founder of Midentity (www.midentity.com);
-- Mr. John A. McMaster, President, CEO, and member of the board of LSSi
(www.lssi.net);
-- Ms. Valerie Shwartz, Director of Voice and Business Services, PagesJaunes
(www.pagesjaunes.fr).
In addition to these individuals, industry-leading organizations have signed up as
Gold Sponsors:
-- BTSLogic (www.btslogic.com), which provides total solutions in the area of
Information Services Systems, including Data Management, Search Engines, Call Center
Technology, and Speech Enabling.
-- Information Services Extended, Inc. (ISx) (www.isxinc.com), a provider of
directory assistance solutions and information services to telecommunications companies,
call center operators, and content providers.
-- LSSi Corp. (www.lssi.net), which builds, markets and supports advanced national
and international directory database solutions for directory assistance service providers
and corporate clients.
varetis AG (www.varetis.com) has signed up as a Silver Sponsor.
Historically, directory assistance (DA) / directory enquiry (DQ) providers and print
publishers (yellow pages and white pages) have operated in distinct markets, but those
distinctions are becoming less clear and less relevant. Traditional markets are
declining, but dramatic growth is occurring in Internet and other electronic information
services, as illustrated by Google. Companies from different backgrounds and with
different competitive advantages find themselves in new and unfamiliar territory.
These changes are being driven by three factors: competition, technology, and
regulation. EDM06 will delve into the most important issues facing this industry,
including:
-- Deregulation of European markets, including France and Italy;
-- Internet search engines;
-- Local search;
-- Mobile information services, including location based services,
navigation, SMS, and WAP;
-- Voice over IP (VOIP) directories;
-- Wireless directory listings;
-- Universal service requirements;
-- Data strategies;
-- 'Personal Identity' and social networking;
-- Service automation, including voice recognition;
-- Quality.
According to Stuart M. Whitaker, President of Whitaker Associates, 'The participation
at EDM06 by these industry leaders and these industry-leading organizations is testimony
to the vibrancy of the directory market and to the importance of this conference to
competing in that market.'
EDM06 will be held February 6-7, 2006, in Rome, Italy. For further information or to
register to attend, please visit www.whitaker.com.
Web site: www.whitaker.com
Source: Whitaker Associates
Stuart Whitaker of Whitaker Associates, +1-703-506-1220