***Location-Based Directory Assistance
(March 16)
GTE Telecommunication Services and Vicinity Corp. are now
offering the ability for wireless callers to find the closest
business of interest based on their current location.
The Wireless Locator Service senses the exact latitude and
longitude of a caller and uses that information to guide the
caller to the nearest store, ATM, courier drop box, restaurant,
or other point of interest.
The service combines the convenience of wireless devices with the
power of the Internet to provide callers with information
relevant to their immediate needs and location.
Unlike traditional directory assistance, which requires knowledge
of the name of the business, or traditional Yellow Pages, which
provide matches alphabetically within a category, this service
gives callers the closest matches first. The service will be
available to the general public as wireless carriers use the GTE
TSI location based service.
The Wireless Locator Service leverages Vicinity’s Business Finder
service, which has been providing this information to consumers
through Vicinity customer Web sites and GTE TSI’s INPosition
service, which takes information about the geographic location of
a wireless call to create enhanced location-based services.
Wireless Business Finder is offered in two forms, both of which
offer information based on proximity to the caller. The ‘general’
form lets a consumer access practically all businesses listed in
the local yellow pages.
The ‘branded’ form lets Vicinity corporate customers choose an
easy-to-remember dialing code such as #car or #(a short word or
brand name); when customers dial the short code from a wireless
phone, they hear only that company’s information.
Wave Issue 9036 4/6/99 Article 3-01