14 DAY TRIAL // Orange has launched a new navigation system for mobile phones to help its customers to arrive at their destination in a much shorter time and using the best route possible. This technology is not storing any data on your mobile phone but instead, it is downloaded from a central server through Wi-Fi, 3G, GPRS or EDGE on the device, keeping your handset's memory free and ready to use for the storage of other type of data and it also makes it very easy to always have up to date maps and points of interest.
The service is powered by Webraska, a top GPS navigation solution provider, and is compatible with a wide range of mobile devices, making it a very cost effective navigation business solution allowing you to save money, time and fuel by giving the user the possibility to choose the faster and easier route to its destination.
Gareth Williams, Group Manager Solution Products from Orange Business Services, has said that "using Sat-Nav on your mobile means businesses can save time and money. It is easy to use and enables businesses to streamline the number of devices they have to purchase and manage. The location based service market is currently around ?55m and estimated to double by 2009 according to the Yankee Group. Orange is well placed to capitalize on this opportunity through our brand, channel reach, customer service and understanding of how applications work in a mobile environment."
The maps provided by this service are also updated once every three months, thus being the most up to date map system of all the Satellite Navigation systems at the moment, because the standard services update their maps on an annual basis and they also force their customers to buy the new versions at the beginning of each year if they want to get up to date directions.
The SatNav service offered by Orange is also providing its users with real-time road traffic information that allows the optimization of the routes according to the actual traffic conditions and re-routing in case the traffic gets stuck or too challenging.
On this subject, Jean-Michel Durocher, the founder and EVP of Webraska, declared that "working together, Webraska and Orange have produced an application that can help you get to wherever you need to be, by the best possible route, whether you are in your car, walking or on a bike. It offers all the benefits of a traditional Sat-Nav unit with real-time access to new maps and the latest information whilst eliminating the need for expensive and bulky hardware equipment."
If you want to use this technology, you have to pay 150 ? (no VAT taxes included) to get the "in-a-box" Sat Nav system from Orange that includes a GPS receiver and the software license. Also, you have to pay 27.59 ? for real-time traffic information and 27.59 ? if you want to have maps for all Europe (all taxes are considered to be the annual charge for the service).