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4 Bus. Info. Alert 1 (1992)

handle is hein.journals/busiale4 and id is 1 raw text is: What's new in business publications, databases and research techniques Volene 4, No. I January 1992 Contents Teleconnunica- tions: Looking for the Right Connections I Calendar 5 New Publications 6 Publishers 12 Index 12 Telecommunications: Looking for the Right Connections By Marc Solomon Telecommunications as a business information category sounds innocent enough. But the quest for information about market trends, issues, and segments of the tele- communications industry has detours that can sidetrack the most resolute researcher. This article surveys 24 telecommunications sources in five industry subsegments for the best and worst subject coverage, formats, and editorial tendencies. Defining an Industry Last Fall eight people disconnected from society and entered Biosphere 2. All their belongings have to be recyclable. Even their oxygen supply comes from the plants they cultivate inside this three-acre eco-shelter. For company they have each other- and an outside phone line. This example reminds us that telecommunications is not so much an industry or segment as it is an aspect of human nature. On a typical business day 58 million calls originate from New York City. When the lines go down, everybody's out of business. Last September's AT&T central office snafu stranded more traffic than Hurricane Bob. TheYellow Pages are consulted more than any map, dictionary or article of faith. Yet, there are discernible segments with projectable markets andprevailing trends. But the desire for market clarity does not square with an industry once defined by one major player. In 1974 AT&T was the largest corporation in the world. Today it's the choice, and far from the only one available. So when you select your research sources, beware of some basic conditions. One, there is a surplus of corporate-based spending and market projections. Just say the word network and your biggest problem will be changing the toner cartridgein your laser printer. Two, there is a dearth of data on the consumer, retail, or residential end of the spectrum. At a time when more and more questions on these markets are being asked, we cannot stress this enough. What's Not Out There Market Segmentation. For the most part, asking for phone usage based on calling regions or consumer segments is a dead end. Keep in mind that phone companies are neither manufacturers nor retailers, but utilities. As researchers we are constantly asked for revenues from toll services that break out market demand by traditional demographic segments. Ad Sources. Advertising data resides almost exclusively in the long-distance category and to a lesser degree with cellular. The phone wars between AT&T, MCI, continued on next page

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