Wireless navigation, mapping product launched

GOTHENBURG, Sweden -- Wayfinder Systems, a global provider of wireless navigation, mapping and traffic information services and technologies, launched its new Wayfinder wireless navigation product at Comdex Scandinavia this week. Itinerary Systems changed the company name to Wayfinder Systems last week.

Wireless navigation and location-based services have been regarded as major services of the future 3G networks. Wayfinder Systems is launching these types of services on a 2G mobile phone over existing 2G GSM/GPRS networks. The Wayfinder offers step-by-step navigation and location-based services such as "Find the nearest gas station" or "Find-my-friend."

"This is a truly wireless system that offers major advantages for both users and network operators," said Magnus Nilsson, CEO of Wayfinder Systems. "The user gets a very useful service on an ordinary phone that he/she brings on all travels, and the operator can immediately start to get revenues from its existing network."

The Wayfinder solution is the first of its kind in the world and this first version of the product consists of a Nokia Series 60 phone, for example Nokia 7650 or 3650, and a Bluetooth-equipped GPS.

Wayfinder's turnkey applications provide full turn-by-turn, dynamic, graphic and voice-enabled navigation to wireless devices to any of the following multiple access modes; WAP, SMS, call-centers, PDAs, the Internet, and in-car equipment. The company's platform can deliver routes and directions to a standard mobile phone using current GSM protocols such as SMS and WAP. Maps can be delivered to the phone via WAP.

"Wayfinder is a very good example of the powerful applications you can develop for the Nokia Series 60 phones. With this product, both users and operators can take full advantage of location-based services already today," said Tapio Mansikkaniemi, service enabler manager at Nokia Mobile Phones.

In contrast to in-car navigation systems that use on-board computers with CD-ROM or DVD drives, Wayfinder uses a powerful Internet-based server software capable of calculating thousands of routes and searches per second. The server stores comprehensive maps, points of interests, company information and real-time traffic information. The phone connects to the Wayfinder server thus providing a powerful off-board and up-to-date navigation solution for the user.

Navigation downloads

The user can enter the destination in many ways: Either by using the keypad of the phone or log on to the personal navigation page on the Internet or call a call-center for the destination. The route will then automatically be downloaded to the phone in only a few seconds and presented to the user by voice, pictures and maps while driving. The user interface is extremely easy to use and the system can be used throughout Europe and North America and wherever a digital map is available, Mansikkaniemi said.

The product is bought as a package with the Bluetooth-equipped GPS and comes with a monthly service subscription that gives the user unlimited usage. The product can be ordered now, while other countries in Europe will follow during the first half of 2003. 

Wayfinder is a provider of wireless traffic-aware navigation and routing services to the automotive and telematic industry, wireless network operators (WNOs) and wireless portals. Itinerary enables its business partners to provide mobile location services that incorporate maps, proximity searches, directions, and routes for multiple forms of transport (multi-modal). The research that forms the core of the company's technology was initiated in 1989 within Ericsson as a research project. 

Wayfinder was incorporated in 1995 and is based in Lund, Sweden. In March 2002, Nordic Wireless AB, acquired a controlling interest in the company. Nordic Wireless is a venture capital firm focused exclusively on the investment opportunities to be found in the field of wireless communication and wireless Internet in the Nordic region.