AnswerBeam Rolls Out Unlimited Cell Phone Information Services Catering to Consumers On The Road for Low, Annual Fee

AnswerBeam is betting that people don’t want to pay those prices – and is offering a new cost-effective option that offers extensive information services for one low, annual fee. AnswerBeam, developed by a group of professionals who have known that frustration all too well, offers a solution for busy individuals who spend a lot of time on the road – individuals who don’t always have access to their computers but often find themselves in need of accessing the internet.

There are millions of U.S.-based cell-phone users for whom the cell phone is a necessity that accompanies them on the road while their land-line cannot. But they still need information as often as they do when they are at home or in their offices. The Pierz Group has found, for example, that 411 calls on cellular phones in the United States nearly doubled to 1.7 billion in 2004 from 900 million in 2000. Cell phone providers are taking advantage of that fact, charging $1.25 and more per call. That’s because while directory assistance charges by traditional landline phone companies using voice recognition are set by state regulators, cell phone 411 calls are not.

Studies have found that only 5% of mobile phone users surveyed actually knew how much a cellular 411 call costs. 9% thought the calls were free, while 52% had no idea how much they paid.

At an average of $1.25 a call, in fact, Americans spent $2.2 billion last year on calls to 411 alone.

Cell phone providers want as much of that action as possible and, in the interests of staying competitive, are offering increasingly extensive services; consumers, lured by information services such as horoscopes, sports scores and winning lottery numbers along with traditional 411 information like business addresses and phone numbers, end up paying exorbitant fees - paying for each call and using up more of the airtime minutes.

AnswerBeam (www.answerbeam.com) is rolling out a new, cost-effective alternative: an annual subscription that buys unlimited 411-style calls – plus more - for one low, annual fee of $99.95. AnswerBeam developed this new service to keep people functioning effectively when they are on the road or do not have access to a computer. AnswerBeam provides unlimited information calls, provides driving directions to airport destinations, the closest Jiffy Lube, mechanic, service station or parking garage, a nearby Starbucks, Staples or local movie theaters, offers weather forecasts, road conditions and flight information, looks up telephone numbers and addresses wherever you find yourself on the road, and more. Knowing that many callers are busy driving, AnswerBeam will even text message or read the information to the caller. For travelers who find themselves temporarily stranded, AnswerBeam operators can read from hotel websites, check availability and prices and provide information on amenities.



“Down time is frustrating,” says AnswerBeam Vice President Jim Ward. “We provide the best solution possible for a reasonable price – the best solution for businesspeople, travelers, salespeople, commuters, sports fans, working moms, contractors, realtors, investors, RV vacationers – everyone, in fact, who find themselves on the road and in need of information without immediate access to a home or office computer. Even if you have an administrative assistant or office support system, secretarial staff or a personal assistant, it isn’t an efficient use of their time to interrupt them to look up this information for you. Furthermore, they aren’t available 24 hours a day; they could be at lunch or in a meeting or gone for the day. We save people time and money and get them accurate information when they need it. We’re cost-effective, and we make life simpler. We know we’ve got a winning combination.