America Online Inc. on Thursday launched a local-search service that aggregates listings from major Internet brands.

The new AOL Local Search includes the Yellow Pages, CityGuide, Moviefone and MapQuest services, as well as tools that narrow searches by zip code, street address or city. The announcement followed by about a month AOL's release of a beefed up version of its search engine.

All the major search engines, including Google Inc., Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp.'s MSN, offer local search, which is a big draw for advertisers. Twenty percent of all online look-ups are for a product or service near a person's home, according to AOL.

Niki Scevak, analyst for JupiterResearch, a division of Juipitermedia Corp., said AOL's decision to aggregate its many services onto one site makes it easier for online visitors to find and use them.

"It's a logical move forward," Scevak said.

The more interesting part of the announcement, however, is AOL's decision to launch in April a pay-per-call platform for advertisers, Scevak said.

The new service, offered under a partnership with Ingenio Inc., would list an advertiser with a telephone number in a section separate from the general search results. Site visitors who call the number would be patched to the advertiser, but Ingenio would log the call first. The advertiser would be charged based on the number of calls.

"The opportunity relevant to the service is for advertisers where the telephone plays an important role," Scevak said. "For them, the search starts with the Internet, but the tail end is often the consumer picking up the phone and calling."

Law firms and doctors' offices are example of services where consumers would more likely end their search with a phone call.

AOL, a Dulles, Va., division of Time Warner Inc., says its Local Search site includes more than 13 million businesses and points of interest from Yellow Pages, while CityGuide lists restaurants, bars, music and events in more than 300 cities. Moviefone, on the other hand, covers new movie listings on 31,000 screens nationwide.

Road maps and driving directions from MapQuest appears alongside search results, with customized features available, such as viewing the closest subway stations or to see all nearby results on one map.

In addition, consumers will be able to find in their areas sales or special offers on apparel, consumer electronics, home improvement products, food and more through a built-in shopping service powered by ShopLocal.com, owned by CrossMedia Services Inc.