Report hails future for ICA

Recently published research by Saddletree Research Inc. reports that among the new breed of Internet application service providers (ASPs), vendors offering Internet call-answering (ICA) services are poised to be among the early market-growth leaders.

Internet call answering integrates the Internet with the voice telecommunications network and eliminates the need for a second phone line for Internet access in the home or small business. Internet call answering functions as a "virtual second phone line" by monitoring incoming call activity during an Internet session and notifying the user when someone is trying to call him or her. Depending upon the subscriber's service, the user has several options regarding incoming-call disposition, including terminating the Internet session and taking the call, sending the call to a voice mailbox, sending an announcement to the caller asking for a later callback, or simply ignoring the call and continuing the Internet session.

"Although this is a fledgling industry, it is having an immediate and significant impact on Internet communications and on home-based Internet users," said Paul Stockford, chief analyst at Saddletree Research Inc. and author of the report. "Feature-rich ICA services are available from a number of providers for a very reasonable, moderate monthly fee. The advent of free ICA, however, seems to have really captured the attention of a large percentage of the population, based upon early take rates. We believe ICA will have a positive impact on everything from e-commerce to family harmony over the next five years."

Saddletree Research estimates that out of the current 54.7 million U.S. homes with personal computers (PCs), more than nine million of these homes will be using ICA software to monitor call activity during Internet sessions by the end of this year. Saddletree Research further estimates the market for ICA software will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 38 percent through the year 2004.

About Saddletree Research
Saddletree Research Inc. (www.saddletreeresearch.com) is a high-technology market research firm specializing in emerging companies and technologies in the contact center, customer relationship management (CRM), computer telephony integration (CTI) and Internet communications markets.

For more information on this report, "Internet Call Answering: Market Potential and Communications Implications," contact Saddletree Research at 480/922-5949 or via e-mail at info@saddletreeresearch.com.