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Bell Mobility introduces MyFinder - Canada's first wireless location based service
URL(s): www.bell.ca/MyFinder
By simply requesting to be located, Bell Mobility's MyFinder service delivers customers with the relevant and local information they need
TORONTO, Dec 17, 2002 - Bell Mobility, Canada's leading wireless provider, today announced
MyFinder, the first offering in Bell Mobility's suite of location based services (LBS) that will support useful and convenient applications based
on the user's location. MyFinder allows Bell Mobility customers in Quebec and Ontario to receive location-specific information on their digital
wireless handset and eventually PDA (personal digital assistant). LBS will be available on Bell Mobility's network in Western Canada in the first
quarter of 2003.
With a push of a button, MyFinder finds the location of the user's mobile device (with their consent) within Bell Mobility's coverage area and
allows the user to look-up information for services such as restaurants, gas stations, hotels, hospitals, banks or theatres. MyFinder will also
provide the user with the address and directions for the requested destination, as well as the expected distance and time of travel to get there --
whether by vehicle or by foot. Directories and directions can be sent as a text message to the user or to a friend's mobile device.
"Whether it's text messaging, wireless games, e-mail or even LBS, today's wireless customer wants to be able to use their mobile device for
more than just making and receiving voice calls," said Kelly Dixon, Vice President Marketing Bell Mobility. "Today's announcement is the first
phase of Bell Mobility's commercial launch of location based services. LBS will evolve to deliver higher levels of accuracy, expand to include a
wider selection of content, and a suite of advanced offerings including services that will enable customers to find and communicate with each
other."
MyFinder services will also soon be available through Bell Mobility's VoiceNet service, offering customers an interactive voice based alternative
to search for nearby services and businesses. Offering LBS is the first step in being able to deliver safety services to our customers that will
enable dispatch emergency assistance in the future.
Here are a couple of examples of how MyFinder works:
- Sarah is trying to finish off her holiday shopping but needs
more money. She has requested to be located by the MyFinder
service which has found her in the area of Pine Street and
Alexander Street. Sarah requests MyFinder to provide her with
a list of nearby bank machines. MyFinder provides her the list
of the nearest bank machines, estimates the time it would take
to get there and provides step-by-step walking directions to
the bank machine she selects.
- Richard has just finished work and has agreed to meet Karen
for dinner. He has requested to be located by the MyFinder
service which has found him at the corner of Bay and Maple
streets. He requests a Thai restaurant at Brighton and
St. Pierre streets and sends this information to his dinner
companion Karen, located at Oak and Creek streets, by quickly
sending her a text message through the MyFinder service.
Richard can also look up directions to the restaurant and
then search for a gas station along the way, and be provided
with step-by-step directions (based on mode of travel).
Today's version of MyFinder narrows the location down to the general area using the cellular transmission tower which is in contact with the
customer's wireless device. The initial offering will be available through Bell Mobility's Mobile Browser service and as such, is only available to
those customers with digital wireless phones.
When using MyFinder, customers will continue to be charged according to their existing Mobile Browser and Text Messaging rate, and will only
pay an incremental fee when they request to be located. Those customers that select the option "Find Me" will be charged $0.25 for each "Find
Me" request. Once a customer selects the "Find Me" option their location information can be used a number of times to locate various items.
When customers subscribe to MyFinder services, they will be in full control of the times at which their location information will be available to
the service, through a personalized privacy profile. For more information about the MyFinder privacy policy, please visit
www.bell.ca/MyFinder.
About Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility, a division of Bell Canada, provides a complete range of innovative wireless communications solutions: PCS and cellular,
web-browsing and data, two-way messaging, paging and airline passenger communications services. Bell Canada, Canada's national leader for
communications in the Internet world, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data
communications, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions, local and long distance phone and
directory services. Bell Canada is owned by BCE Inc. of Montreal. For more information please visit www.bell.ca
No need to whistle, the next time you need a taxicab, just dial (pound key)TAXI on your cellphone. A convenient voice-activated system will
connect you to the first available taxicab company -- in any city, anywhere in Canada. Bell Mobility is offering this service free during the
Holidays. So make (pound key)TAXI your designated driver and have a safe Holiday Season.
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