Voice-enabled directory services give consumers instant access to local information
San Diego, CA - September 11, 2006 - Voice-based mobile search technology provider V-ENABLE, Inc. today announced Enhanced Directory Assistance (eDA), the first hands-free mobile solution providing users with access to business and residential listings, maps and driving directions, as well as weather and points of interest.
Designed to support a full range of pricing programs from pay-per-call to free, ad-sponsored models, eDA allows carrier implementations across a wide set of market segments. Available as a white-label service offering, wireless carriers can customize eDA to fit their specific brands and customer needs.
With V-ENABLE's patented technology, voice search can find and retrieve general Yellow and White Pages requests in less than two seconds, with accuracy and speed surpassing automated IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems. Search results appear on users' screens in the form of addresses, phone numbers, maps and driving directions, quickly connecting them to business or residential listings. Subscribers may ultimately request connection with an operator for further assistance, if desired.
Aggressively entering the multi-billion dollar operator-assistance market (also known as '411' or 'directory assistance'), eDA further reduces the cost to wireless carriers while providing more value to the mobile user by often eliminating IVRs and the need for a live operator, replacing those elements with a rich multimedia (voice and text) solution.
In addition, GPS-enabled mobile phones can prioritize eDA requests by location. By asking for a retailer, a user receives a list of nearby outlets with addresses, maps and phone numbers, ranked by distance.
"Voice search doubles the frequency of text-only mobile search, which not only validates the ease of use and convenience associated with our voice interface, but also has the potential to double advertising revenue through increased page views for wireless carriers," said Collin Holmes, VP of product management. "When a user's search results are displayed, in some implementations, a contextual advertisement accompanies those results; V-ENABLE's mobile platform also enables advertisers to deliver coupons to users on their mobile devices, increasing the value of eDA for carriers, consumers and marketers alike."
According to a recent report by The PELORUS Group, US wireless directory assistance revenues will increase from $3.5 billion in 2006 to $6.3 billion by 2009. The PELORUS Group forecasts that eDA will increase from $400 million in 2006 to $1.3 billion by 2009, comprising 25 percent of the total US wireless directory assistance market.
About V-ENABLE
V-ENABLE is the leading provider of mobile search solutions optimized for accessing and presenting content and information over mobile networks. V-ENABLE was founded by wireless experts from Nokia, Motorola, PacketVideo and Cisco. Its patented mobile voice search technology allows mobile users to search using their voice and receive personalized content and information in a visual format on their mobile phone. The V-ENABLE mobile voice search interface software is a unique client-server solution, available for carriers, application developers and publishers using BREW, JAVA, SYMBIAN, WAP, xHTML platforms.
Founded in 2001, V-ENABLE is headquartered in San Diego, CA. Mobile voice search applications powered by V-ENABLE technology are currently available from Verizon Wireless, ALLTEL, U.S. Cellular and Leap Communications. For more information, visit http://www.V-ENABLE.com