BTinternet to Offer Questico’s Live Answers

[London, ENGLAND] Already popular in the U.S.,
live answers from experts are being introduced to
the users of BTinternet, the U.K. ISP announced
this week.

BTinternet has agreed a content deal to integrate
Questico.co.uk’s live answer information service into
its portal. Users will be able to quiz experts about
topics including astrology, IT and health, in live
one-to-one phone conversations.

“Advice is by far the most sought after resource on
the Web today,” said Tony Harris, senior vice president
of BTopenworld, the division of BT that runs BTinternet.

“By teaming up with Questico, we’re able to provide a
means to an end for many, and our users will be able to
get advice and direction on everything from property
surveying to how to cook the perfect summer pudding,”
said Harris.

Apparently, there are experts on all kinds of subjects
who are willing to talk to enquirers and provide the
benefit of their wisdom for a relatively small fee.

The service from Questico has experts in astrology,
legal, business, health, pets and personal finance.
Users pay 65 pence (approx. US $1) per minute, although
the first £3 (US $4.25) of calls are free.

Reports from the U.S. say that the live answer sector
is now generating significant revenues for some Web sites.
By 2005, according to researchers at Datamonitor, the
sector will be worth around US $6 billion globally.

“Experts with answers is what the next killer Internet
application will provide,” said the Datamonitor report.

The success of the industry in the U.K. and elsewhere
will clearly depend on its ability to provide accurate
answers to the sort of questions people will ask. There
is surely a limit to the billions that can be derived from
issuing horoscopes or giving instructions for cooking summer
puddings.

However, the lure of what Questico UK Managing Director
Richard Barker calls “a new revenue stream not reliant
upon advertising or shopping” is a powerful one — and
undoubtedly someone will make it work.