XYPOINT, a provider of phone location and
wireless Internet services, signed a partner deal with business-finder
service company Vicinity Corp. that will let consumers
receive retail and service provider locations and driving directions on any
wireless phone.
The service works on any analog or digital handsets used by the nation’s 85
million wireless consumers, XYPOINT said, and will automatically detect the
location of the caller and use it as the center of the search.
The technology will bring consumers location-relevant information via a voice
user interface blended with text messaging. The will give consumers
turn-by-turn driving
directions to participating retailers and services, such as the nearest gas
station, hotel, coffee shop, ATM, or pizza restaurant. Consumers also can
search for the nearest locations selling brand name products.
Financial arrangements between the companies were not disclosed.
Just last week, XYPOINT announced a partnership with AltaVista to deliver its free wireless
Internet service called WebWirelessNow. The XYPOINT — Vicinity partnership
will enable AltaVista to provide consumers with location relevant AltaVista
content. Vicinity also provides AltaVista Shopping.com’s comparison-shopping
guide with its BrandFinder technology.
“Now, consumers can look for directions to the nearest ATM, gas station,
restaurant or hotel via their wireless phone.” said Ken Arneson, president
and CEO of XYPOINT. “Our superior ability to merge mobile location, wireless,
and the Internet with
consumer-focused applications enable us to deliver services people really
will use.”
The service will initially roll out in major metro markets during the second
quarter
of 2000. XYPOINT and Vicinity will offer wireless carriers and brand name
retailers the opportunity to provide consumers the ability to find nearby
businesses and get turn-by-turn directions through a voice user interface.
