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1999 Archives

Web Phone Book Makes Debut in UK
News Service Story

IBT has put its entire phone book database on the Internet, giving people the chance to save money on calls to the Directory Enquiries service. The web version offers all the functionality of the telephone version. As long as you know a name and a town or region, you can conduct a search, with the option of adding extra search terms, such as initials, if you know them.

A spokesman for BT said there had been no publicity for the web service simply because none had been devoted to other additions to the BT website. In the last six months, BT has set up web interfaces allowing users to check which numbers they have in their Friends and Family list, and allowing them to see an updated statement of their bill.

BT said it did not expect the launch of the web directory to have any significant impact on the number of people using the phone-based directory, which costs 35 pence (there are 100 pence in one pound sterling) per call.