I thought nortel shut down their voice product and was going to use infospace stuff...further celloc I thought would work with infospace as one of their directors is formerly from Saraide....this press release suggest other wiise but I wonder if the nortel voice product they talk of might be a locus dialogue product...you might recall that nortel had a research lab for voice they shut down and many of those folks went to work for locus? I think infospace is going to be bought out by nortel.
Cell-Loc announces wireless location-sensitive service trial with Nortel Networks
Voice-activated service provides wireless access to location-based information
Calgary AB, February 8, 2001 - Cell-Loc Inc. (TSE: CLQ) today announced that it will conduct a joint trial with Nortel Networks of the first voice-activated, wireless location-sensitive service that will use network location technology to provide services to mobile phones users in Austin, Texas.
The trial will demonstrate both companies' ability to combine new wireless and Internet protocol (IP) technologies to create new, adaptable solutions that are expected to provide immediate revenue opportunities and service differentiation to operators and service providers with both existing and future 2.5 and 3G networks.
The new service incorporates Nortel Networks Voice Navigation System and National Directory Assistance Service with Cell-Loc's position collection and distribution system (PCDS) location middleware and Cellocate position determination equipment (PDE).
By dialing a pre-arranged phone number, wireless users will gain access to location-sensitive directory assistance and navigational information without requiring the user to input an address, cross street, zip code, or city/state combination. The caller's location will be automatically determined using Cell-Loc's Cellocate network, the first commercially deployed network TDOA (time difference of arrival) location technology.
Nortel Networks Voice Navigation System will then translate the caller's voice request into data, enabling location-specific services such as nearby business searches performed through its National Directory Assistance Service, detailed driving directions, call completion and eCoupon delivery. The service results will then be converted into a voice response, which will be played back on the caller's mobile handset. Trial participants will be offered access to a web site where they can create a custom profile to personalize their entire user experience.
The trial is scheduled to be conducted in April 2001. The proven wireless Internet solutions are expected to be commercially available to telecommunication service providers in the fourth quarter of this year.
"As a location carrier, Cell-Loc is pleased to work with Nortel Networks to trial this new service on our Austin network," said Dr. Michel Fattouche, president and chief executive officer, Cell-Loc Inc. "Cell-Loc's wholly owned subsidiary, TimesThree, had tremendous success trialing an operator backed location-sensitive 411 (L411) service in Calgary. The Austin trial will validate our technology deployment in the U.S. and our ability to capture revenues from commercial location services. This trial and our relationship with Nortel Networks reinforce Cell-Loc's commitment to creating the location services space."
"By working with other positioning network companies such as Cell-Loc to deliver a service that can ultimately be expanded to third generation networks, Nortel Networks once again delivers on the promise of its 'Wings of Light' strategy, which combines optical, wireless and IP solutions to bring the Internet to wireless," said Mark Tharby, vice president, Wireless Internet, Nortel Networks. "This can help operators to provide reliable, high-speed Internet access virtually anytime and anywhere."
In addition to operating on current generation mobile phones, the wireless location-sensitive service will be accessible through other interfaces to support advanced digital devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and Internet ready mobile phones. |
