GOAM - GoAmerica, Inc. (GOAM)

[jmhollen]

Company Profile

GoAmerica was founded in 1996 as a provider of innovative wireless data solutions for corporate customers. The company is currently focused on providing a broad mix of communications products and services to consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing, through its Wynd Communications subsidiary.

Today, the Company's services enable people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to communicate more effectively through wireless messaging across an array of integrated means including: text-telephone devices ("TTYs"), e-mail, fax, alphanumeric pager, and voice telephones. These wireless services are device and network independent.

The Company markets its services indirectly through relationships with dealers and channel partners and directly through telesales, event sales and the company's online shopping site: Deafwireless Superstore (http://www.deafwireless.com).

GoAmerica's broader vision is to enhance the quality of life of people who are deaf or hard of hearing by being their premier provider of innovative communication services.

Market Focus

According to the American Speech Language and Hearing Association, there are an estimated 28 million consumers in the United States who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (http://www.asha.org). The Company estimates that approximately 1 million of these 28 million people are profoundly deaf and unable to benefit from voice-based communications technologies. Of the 28 million people with hearing loss, not all are ideally suited for the company’s wireless services, however as the product mix of the company expands to include other forms of communications technology, the company's addressable market will expand further.

A majority of the Company's target customer base has historically relied primarily on a TTY to make and receive calls both at home and at work. TTY devices have been in use in the U.S. since 1964, offering connectivity to landline telephone services. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 gave rise to the formation of Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), which are third-party translation services that enable non-deaf consumers to communicate with deaf users of TTY devices. Two significant technology developments in the Telecommunications Relay Services area make this an attractive expansion area for GoAmerica; namely the evolution of Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay) and Video Relay. Both of these new technologies are changing the way deaf Americans communicate and has created an opportunity to tap into this market of federally reimbursable services.

With its brand leadership in a well defined niche, the company is poised for growth. Additionally, delving further into Telecommunications Relay Services and reaching the broader hard of hearing market with new services, will provide the company with new sources of revenue.