Webraska, AirFlash merger creates global LBS firm

Webraska, a French-based provider of wireless navigation services and technologies, and AirFlash, a US developer of location-based technologies and services for network operators and wireless service providers, today announced they are merging to create a global leader in LBS (Location-based Services) applications.

The agreement, which is subject to regulatory approval in California and France, has been unanimously approved by both boards of directors. Webraska shareholders will own 87% and AirFlash shareholders 13% of the new entity. The new company will have its global headquarters in Maisons-Laffitte, France, and the North American headquarters will be in Saratoga, California.

"Both companies were already market leaders," said Jean-Michel Durocher, who remains chairman, president and CEO of Webraska. "It became clear that we should combine the context-driven LBS applications and software application development platform from AirFlash with the carrier-grade geo-spatial technology and the car navigation and telematics applications from Webraska."

Four continents

The newly combined entity has among its clients a dozen carriers on four continents, serving 80 million mobile phone customers. The merged company will be named Webraska. "We expect our customers to continue to make investments in infrastructure and applications that allow their users to stay in touch with co-workers, friends and family," Durocher said.

Rama Aysola, CEO of AirFlash, will become executive vice president for strategic development of the new company. "The market is looking for leadership and defacto standardization in the area of LBS software platforms," Aysola said. "The combination of AirFlash and Webraska offers a clear leader with significant presence in largest markets for LBS applications and services."

The combined resources of the two companies include:

▪ Ready-to-deploy, context driven LBS and telematics applications, such as IbDN(R) Lite (the award-winning PDA-based car navigation application), "where is the nearest?" information services, and "friend finder" community services.

▪ Software development environments for wireless devices, in-car equipment and server platforms. These include XML APIs, Java SDKs, professional services and training.

▪ Carrier-grade geospatial technologies, such as international geocoding, reverse geocoding, enhanced spatial searching, advanced map rendering, map-matching, vector mapping data compression, and route optimization that is continent-wide, multi-modal, real-time and street-level.

▪ The Global Navigation Dataset, a worldwide initiative to license, integrate and update street-level maps, public transportation networks, points-of-interest and real-time traffic information, that is already covering large parts of Europe, North and South America, and Asia- Pacific.

Prior to the merger, Webraska offered products designed to develop and launch internet based wireless navigation and location-based services and applications. Webraska's technology has been chosen by Airtel, Belgacom, Blu, Borg, CMG, Ericsson, KPN, IBM, M1, Nortel, Openwave, Oracle, Orange, Pacific Access, SFR, Telecom Italia Mobile, Vizzavi, and VoiceStream.

SmartZone platform

AirFlash provides location-based technologies and services to network operators and wireless service providers. The company develops, integrates and deploys infrastructure software that enables wireless carriers to rapidly deploy location-based services to their mobile subscribers and customers. 

The AirFlash SmartZone platform and services are currently deployed by carriers and portals in the U.S., Europe, and Australia including E-Plus, KnightRidder.com via AT&T PocketNet Service, Mviva, Orange PCS Ltd, Viag Interkom, and Vodafone. AirFlash has headquarters in Silicon Valley and London and sales presence in Washington D.C., Toronto, London, Munich, Sydney, Frankfurt, Netherlands and Paris.

Webraska recently was selected by Ericsson as provider of geospatial and wireless navigation technology for the development of location-based services around the world. Ericsson will integrate and market Webraska's Wireless Navigation Platform and award-winning Personal Navigation applications as part of its LBS offering, and will be providing the commercial and technical support.