WHITAKER ASSOCIATES

Industry Leaders to Explore New Strategies and New Models in Radically Changing Directory Information Search Market

ROME, Nov. 1 /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.