Sprint Nextel today launched a local cell phone directory service to find information such as nearby restaurants, driving directions, and movie times.

The $2.99 a month service, called "Find It!," combines GPS (Global Positioning System) and directory information from InfoSpace to let users search out locations without having to enter a postal code or even know where they are. Answering a growing demand for location-based information, industry analysts project the U.S. market size for mobile directory assistance at more than $3 billion in 2006.

Find It! is available on a range of Sprint Nextel phones. Customers pinpoint their location through automated GPS or location systems, with preset entries such as zip code, address or intersection. The service includes:

- Local Quick Clicks - Find local business listings and locations with maps and driving directions with minimal clicking.

- One-Stop Searching - A single search location for Yellow Pages, White Pages, Maps, Directions, Movie Listings and more.

- Find People by Name or Number - Search using only first and last name, or by entering a phone number to find out to whom it belongs.

- What's Nearby - Access details on what's close with one click on the phone, even if the caller doesn't know exactly where they are.

- Click to Connect - Make phone calls with one click instead of dialing the entire number.