Another Google threat to Sensis

I've previously blogged about the threat Google is to the Yellow and White Pages monopolies Sensis currently holds. Thanks to Techmeme and Search Engine Land, I found Google411.

While this is currently a US-based experiment you can't help but think this is another threat to Sensis' dominance.

If Google launch this in Australia and take a chunk of the directory assistance market it pretty well leaves Sensis with only the printed directory business as a monopoly. Sensis have shown they struggle when forced to compete in a market.

There's no doubt the printed Yellow and White Pages directories are going to be very profitable for a long time to come, but these are declining businesses with high distribution costs.

When I was a Telstra shareholder, I was a firm advocate of them selling Sensis. I'm wondering now if they've left it too late.