In this section we look at - The Current Situation - Current Challenges - Increasing Call Traffic Current Situation Directory services The demand to 'find and connect' telecom subscribers to one another is exploding. Individuals want to be able to connect with each other, regardless of location, network or device and are willing to pay to get connected. Wireless directories In a recent Kesley Group wireless study, almost 50% of all business users use wireless 411 or voice-mail applications. For the business user, wireless directory assistance (DA) and voice messaging are the top two enhanced wireless services. On the consumer side, roughly one-third of consumers have used wireless directory assistance services.

Current Challenges

As people become more mobile and the range of mobile devices proliferate, the existing directory models are challenged. The major challenges that face existing directory models are listed below.

Multiple service providers

Mobile customers in a given area can belong to any one of several Service Providers. An effective Mobile Directory solution needs to be multi-provider.

Competition for customers

Service Providers want to protect their customer base as competition intensifies within the mobile market. They are therefore reluctant to share their subscriber information.

Controlling access

A mobile phone is nearly always with the mobile customer. Mobile customers protect their privacy by controlling whom they give their mobile number to. To avoid unwanted calls, many customers (including Fixed Line Customers) are unwilling to publish their telephone number.

Mobile devices have no fixed address

Unlike fixed line phones, mobile devices are not confined to one fixed physical address. Therefore a person trying to contact a mobile customer is unlikely know how the contact’s phone is listed.

Mobile Phones have several Contexts

Mobile phones are for both business and personal use therefore there needs to be a flexible method of finding a consumers mobile phone, which allows for the various ways in which we may know that consumer.

Customer information goes out of date

The lack of an interactive platform for customers to manage their own listings means that information is quickly out of date and the customer has little control of how people can find them. Consumer management of content has been a clear focus of the Internet this transition needs to be made in the telecommunication field as well.

Prepaid customers are hard to find

Prepaid customers are largely anonymous, and therefore they have not been asked to participate in most directories.

Overcoming Current Challenges

Our Solution provides a clear answer for Overcoming Current Challenges.

Increasing Call Traffic

How customers store frequent contacts

Currently mobile phone subscribers store mobile phone contact numbers of the people they are 'close to', forming a close calling circle. This of course leads to difficulties when users change or loose their phone, but normally the numbers for their calling circle are memorized or available.

Hard to find occasional contacts

In addition subscribers tend to use mobile phones to contact people they 'know of', but have difficulty getting in contact with because they do not know the persons number or do not have the number with them. This has up until now been relegated to fixed line numbers.

Connectivity increases call volumes

The CCI solution will make it easier for callers to find people they 'know of' who would not normally be in their personal directory, substantially increasing call traffic and revenue for operators.