We are, of course, in the midst of a global cultural battleground. I don't think it is too far fetched to say that we will look back at the late 20th and early 21st century as a time of fundamental changes that are as significant as the changes that have occurred at anytime in the history of man. The best that one can hope is that one can influence the changes that will occur. Global telecommunications firms transport their expertise from one country and continent to another in nanoseconds. People in one land watch what is happening to people in countries half a world away.
Manufacturers offer hardware and software throughout the world.
Regulators learn about regulations in other lands. And the news about these happenings travels fast. While directory markets in different countries will continue to become increasingly similar, it seems clear that the markets in one country are unlikely to be identical to the markets in another country. Differences will continue for a combination of reasons, including the existence of unique consumer tastes, historical facts, and differing regulatory requirements. One similarity between the respective strategies being pursued is the development of an integrated services approach that delivers information to customers the old fashioned way through voice service but also through the newly emerging smart mobile telephones and wireline internet.