Phone directories: Zip.ch wants to break monopoly
Zip.ch enters the online directory market as a new player. The offer is free for all users, private individuals as well as companies. Zip.ch goes online on Wednesday with the first version of its platform for PCs, tablets and smartphones (iOS and Android).
This is to be significantly developed in a short time and provide access to the entire rubric data, such as job title, which Swisscom Directories has collected from paying customers as part of its monopoly. Swisscom Directories sells this data at prohibitive prices to deter potential competitors from the market, writes Zip.ch in a statement. Zip.ch will soon take legal action against this grievance.
With its free strategy and user-friendly technology, Zip.ch intends to attack the market leader. The lucrative Swiss market is currently dominated by the Swisscom-Tamedia alliance with the Local.ch and Search.ch platforms. This monopoly does not meet the expectations of private individuals, companies and the self-employed, the statement continues. Those who want to sharpen their profile with additional information will be asked to pay. In the case of Swisscom Directories' fee-based category services, customers are forced to accept excessive prices, even though the user-friendliness does not offer the same quality and simplicity as the Google search engine, which is regarded as a worldwide reference.
Zip.ch aims to remedy this situation. A second version of Zip.ch will be available shortly. This will offer new functions: Individuals and companies will be able to easily create or edit their address data online. A heading can be selected free of charge, and web addresses or logos can be inserted. In addition, links to social networks and descriptions of other activities are also free. Zip.ch is owned by Zip.ch SA, Swiss public limited company based in Geneva and held by private investors. Zip.ch is the latest child of Alexandre de Senger, who founded Neo Advertising with Christian Vaglio-Giors in Geneva in 2003.
