ARCEP publishes the results of a quality survey on directory services available prior to 2 November, the launch date of “118” numbers

Paris, 30 November 2005

When introducing the new 118XYZ number format for directory services, ARCEP announced its intent to monitor the quality and evolution of these services. Quality monitoring surveys must provide both indicators on the entire market and individual indicators for each operator.

In order to establish a reference and to determine the level of previous directory services, ARCEP launched a quality survey of directory services active before 2 November. It is publishing the results today.

The survey covers services accessible via the following seven numbers:

- “12” run by France Telecom
- “222” run by SFR View[1]
- “612” run by Bouygues Télécom [1]
- “712” run by Orange [1]
- “3200” run by Scoot France
- “3211” run by Intra Call Center
- “3912” run by The Universal Directory

• The results show the following accuracy and availability rates, for the entire market:

• ARCEP also measured the time required to provide a number.

Numbers can be provided orally or via SMS, or the customer can be connected directly to the number, without the number being announced.

In order to compare all of the operators based on the same criterion, the measurements of this survey were based on the time required to obtain a number orally, with no direct connection. This methodology choice allows us to objectively compare all the service providers, under identical conditions, although it does not allow us to compare the internal data of each operator which are based on different measurement principles. This is why the corresponding results are presented as a provider performance indicator called a speed indicator.

Five of the seven services tested are not invoiced on a time basis.

The results, service by service, are presented in the document linked to this press release.

ARCEP is also providing players with a detailed description of the methodology used to help them better understand the results of this survey. It plans to collaborate with sector players in order to refine the methodology to be implemented in 2006 for the next survey, which will cover the new directory services accessible via 118XYZ numbers.

[1] This number is available only from this network. These services are also available by dialling “12”.
[2] Availability = Rate of calls served: rate of calls for which a request could be made
[3] Rate of accurate responses of all calls served.