• NYTimes, Monday, December 5, 2005 9:13 PM

Verizon Communications is considering a possible sale of its directory business, according to The New York Times, which said the division could sell for as much as $17 billion. The company is considering a sale or spinoff in order to concentrate more on its wireless, phone and data services. The unit it would offload, Verizon Information Services, publishes 1,750 directories in 44 states as well as SuperPages.com, one of the largest online yellow pages directories on the Web, generating $3.6 billion in revenue last year. Verizon is the country's second largest telecommunications provider after AT&T. Directory businesses are typically more profitable than many other divisions at phone companies like Verizon because they require far less investment in equipment. Automation and revenue from Web sites have also helped their profitability.

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