NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- kgb, (www.thekgb.com), a privately held New York-based Company, and the world's largest independent provider of directory assistance and enhanced information services, today announced it has acquired Texperts, an SMS mobile find company based in the United Kingdom.
Texperts will deepen kgb's market strength and service capability for mobile text services. The success of both companies demonstrates that consumers have a growing need for the instant availability of simple, accurate and hassle-free delivery of information on their mobile phone. The acquisition will also enhance kgb's ability to build on the initial success of the company's text advertising program (www.118118advertising.com), launched in 2007 in the U.K., which enables advertisers to reach consumers via the medium of mobile text, a highly effective and cost efficient alternative to more traditional mass media.
"Texperts is a perfect strategic fit for kgb as we continue to grow our SMS mobile find businesses across Europe and North America. With their innovative software platform and industry experience, Texperts will enable us to serve our millions of customers better," said kgb CEO of Mobile and Digital Services, Bruce Stewart. "At kgb we have built our reputation on bringing millions of consumers immediate, specific, accurate and convenient answers to their questions 24 hours a day via phone, text, and the Internet. Acquiring Texperts will extend our strength in that space and broaden our capability to better serve our customers, as well as the advertisers who want to reach them."
"kgb is known for driving the knowledge industry forward by introducing products that bring consumers accurate, immediate answers to their questions, whether by traditional directory assistance services or through newer text or mobile find services," said Texperts CEO and Co-founder, Sarah McVittie. "This is a great time for Texperts to bring our expertise to kgb, at a time when the company is focused on ensuring that consumers can enjoy the full potential of text services."
kgb has pioneered the provision of a broad range of information services beyond traditional directory assistance, including call completion, "TXT-Direct," movie listings, train schedules, price comparisons and "Ask Us Anything" across multiple platforms, including mobile and landline phones, SMS and the Internet. In 2007, kgb launched its innovative "Ask Us Anything" two-way text messaging service in the United Kingdom and plans to continue to expand two-way text offerings throughout Europe and the U.S. In 2008, kgb won the Pelorus Award for best text service in the United States.
In 2007, kgb launched an innovative suite of advertising solutions through 118//Media in the U.K., which offers advertisers the combined power of enhanced voice, text, and online services. The new service allows businesses themselves to set up their own campaigns to advertise in an unobtrusive way within the text messages that 118118 sends free to its mobile callers every day. This extends the available options for advertisers, and gives them full control of their advertising campaigns by providing complete flexibility without any binding commitments. As an ad solution, text messaging provides advertisers with a degree of precision audience targeting never before available.
ABOUT kgb
kgb, a privately held, New York-based company, is the world's largest independent provider of directory assistance and enhanced information services. The company has built some of the most successful and recognizable brands in the telecommunication services sector. kgb is also the largest and fastest growing independent wholesale directory assistance service provider in the U.S. In 2007, kgb served millions of consumers and answered over a billion questions.