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Microsoft to shut down Bing 411 service June 1st
- Friday, 11 May 2012 09:16
Very soon after Microsoft launched its Bing Internet search division in 2009, it launched a phone-based business search service as well. Bing 411 let people call a number (either 1-800-BING-411 or 1-800-CALL-411) to use their voice to search for businesses via Microsoft's TellMe technologies. In the original announcement nearly three years ago, Microsoft described the many other features of Bing 411:
Call Bing 411 to find a business, then connect to it or get an SMS with a link to a map (which you can also send to a friend). Bing 411 even includes star ratings of businesses based on reviews by other consumers. You can get traffic-influenced driving directions, and for movie theaters, you can get show times and even buy tickets.
This week, users that call both of those phone numbers are now being told, via an automated message, the Bing 411 service will shut down on June 1st. The message directs users to go to the Bing website on their PCs and mobile devices after that date to get their business information.
There is no word why Microsoft is closing down those numbers. However, the division of the company which Bing is a part of continues to lose money and its likely that this decision is a cost-cutting move. Also, Microsoft announced a deal in February with software company 24/7 Inc. that included the transfer of 400 people in Microsoft's TellMe division over to 24/7 Inc.
Source: Neowin.net
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Google Said to Face Fine by U.S. Over Apple Safari Breach
- Saturday, 05 May 2012 10:31
Google Inc. is negotiating with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over how big a fine it will have to pay for its breach of Apple Inc.’s Safari Internet browser, a person familiar with the matter said.
The fine could amount to more than $10 million dollars, said the person, who declined to be identified because the talks are confidential. The fine would be the first by the FTC for a violation of Internet privacy as the agency steps up enforcement of consumers’ online rights
Source: Bloomberg
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Yellow Pages Sites Beat Google In Local Data Accuracy Test
- Tuesday, 17 April 2012 09:51
In the brave new world of “SoLoMo” there are an increasing number of sites and mobile apps competing to help you choose a local business or lead you there. In addition to Google Maps, Yelp and Foursquare there are the venerable yellow pages’ sites and many others. They all get their local data from generally the same several sources; so one might expect all these sites to have comparably accurate information, right?
Apparently not.
Roughly a month ago I spoke with Marc Brombert, the CEO of Implied Intelligence. His company provides a range of data-related services (e.g., enhancement, cleansing, de-duplication) to marketers and publishers. At the conclusion of our call I suggested that Implied Intelligence test the accuracy and completeness of the business listings data on several of the leading local search sites.
Surprise: Yellow pages beat Google for local search
Several weeks later Implied Intelligence sent me the results of its test. They’re a bit unexpected and illuminating. Google, which has probably devoted more effort and resources to local search than any of its competitors, did not come out on top in the test. Overall it placed third. Two yellow pages sites beat it.
Source: Search Engine Land
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Vodafone Buys Cable & Wireless For $1.7B, Gives Mobile Carrier Bigger Window On Enterprise, Broadband
- Monday, 23 April 2012 09:25
Big news from the UK this morning: Vodafone, one of Europe’s biggest mobile operators, has made a formal offer to buy up the assets of Cable & Wireless Worldwide for £1 billion ($1.7 billion), a deal that catapults Vodafone into running its own fixed line network in the UK and specifically will give it a much bigger view on to winning enterprise business — a big challenge to BT.
Source: TechCrunch
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US directory industry faces another round of restructuring
- Tuesday, 17 April 2012 09:39
Analysts warn AT&T's yellow-pages sale provides further evidence of deteriorating credit fundamentals.
It has only been a few years since the pack of directory publishers that filed for Chapter 11 protection emerged with revamped balance sheets and renewed focus, but analysts are already predicting that these companies are bound for a second round of debt restructurings.
The signs are all around. Moody's Investors Service downgraded two major directory companies--Dex One Corp. and SuperMedia Inc.--deep into junk territory in late March. AT&T Inc. said it plans to sell the majority of its yellow-pages business to a private equity firm last week. And a smaller Manhattan yellow-pages company, Ambassador Media Group, shut down and filed for Chapter 7 earlier this month, three years after a Chapter 11 restructuring.
"It's concerning that the two pure-play directories companies filed for Chapter 11, emerged and are already experiencing credit issues," Fitch analyst Mike Simonton said via email, referring to Dex One and SuperMedia."Given the trajectory of the business and their credit profiles, it's possible they could represent some of the first 'Chapter 22' candidates."
AT&T's yellow-pages business, along with Dex One and SuperMedia, represent more than 70% of the directories market, according to Fitch.
Source: Total Telecom
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