InfoSpace and McLeodUSA Form Partnership

InfoSpace Inc. and McLeodUSA Publishing Co. said they formed a strategic partnership to bring enhanced local advertising to yellow pages on the Internet.

McLeodUSA produces and distributes nearly 15 million proprietary telephone directories for 166 markets in 21 states, reaching a distribution population of nearly 27 million. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“InfoSpace continues to syndicate its core yellow pages directory to high traffic Web sites, cellular phones, pagers, screen phones, Internet TVs and other Internet-enabled devices to allow businesses to reach millions of potential customers,” said Naveen Jain, president of Redmond, WA-based InfoSpace.

Arthur Christoffersen, president and CEO of McLeodUSA, added: “InfoSpace has the technology and unmatched distribution which will enable us to deliver enhanced value to our advertisers as we help them reach not only local and regional consumers, but also the worldwide marketplace.”

Consumers can find a business by name, near an address, or by a particular category. Consumers using InfoSpace’s or McLeodUSA’s yellow pages will not only get a business name, address, phone number, and fax number, but they can also view the business on an interactive map and get door-to-door directions.

McLeodUSA Publishing is a wholly owned subsidiary of McLeodUSA, a provider of integrated telecommunications services to businesses and residential customers. The company’s telecommunications customers are located primarily in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota.