AT&T Rolls out A-GPS, Adds Navigation Applications
Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:18 am
AT&T has deployed assisted-GPS technology (A-GPS) on its network to add location-based services (LBS) on its cell phones, the company said today.
It also said it will launch two navigation applications in the coming weeks, MapQuest Navigator and AAA Mobile navigator, underscoring its focus on GPS services.
AAA Mobile navigator will offer audible turn-by-turn directions as well as AAA TourBook travel guide information such as Diamond Ratings for restaurants and lodgings, gas prices, movie reviews and show times.
MapQuest Navigator will give turn-by-turn, voice-guided driving and walking directions, 3D moving maps, and access to 16 million points of interest from MapQuest's database. Users can get real-time traffic alerts, gas prices, gas station locations and AOL's City's Best restaurant and venue ratings.
Plans to launch a location-enabled social networking service and a family-oriented service with privacy controls are underway.
"Using a mobile phone for navigation is convenient because it eliminates the need for consumers to buy or carry yet another gadget," said Mark Collins, Vice President of AT&T. "Traditional navigation devices can be hard to transport, while a mobile phone is always on hand."
Unlike GPS technology which searches satellites for latitude and longitude coordinates, A-GPS triangulates locations of cell phone customers using nearby cell sites.
