[navdeep]

Bharti Airtel, in collaboration with Sweden-based Wayfinder Systems, today launched its GPS-based Navigation Application on compatible mobile handsets.

The company said the application is so designed that it turns compatible mobile phones into whole GPS-based navigation systems -- complete with detailed maps and points-of-interest of several cities across the country.

For starters, the application will be available on the BlackBerry 8800, Airtel said. And, it will cover information on cities including
Delhi and NCR (Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad), Bangalore, Mumbai & Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chandigarh.

Speaking at the launch, Sanjay Gupta, chief marketing officer of mobile services, Bharti Airtel, said, "We are now introducing in India a state-of-the-art GPS-based navigation system that will largely benefit all frequent travelers using compatible mobile handsets like the BlackBerry 8800."

To download the application, Airtel BlackBerry 8800 users need send NAV as SMS to the shortcode 3636. For further instructions, they can refer to the Airtel Web site.

On offer is a six-months free trial for all Airtel BlackBerry 8800 users. Under the scheme, customers will not be required to pay any subscription charges on the application during this period.

However, there will be data download charges applicable as per subscribers' BlackBerry plans.

Techtree.com India > News > Telecom > Airtel Announces GPS Navigation

[fash_1]

Awesome news! Should be very handy when in unknown cities.

[1100D]

Good idea, but when the utilities people themselves cannot pinpoint a certain address to the house level, I am skeptical as to how is this really going to help at the current moment (unless all roads, streets are digitised).

However, unlike the developed world in India finding directions are too easy, people have a lot of time and information without any work!

[vabs78]

Originally Posted by navdeep

Delhi and NCR (Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad), Bangalore, Mumbai & Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chandigarh.

they have maps for all these cities??

[Mayavi]

Originally Posted by 1100D

However, unlike the developed world in India finding directions are too easy, people have a lot of time and information without any work!

Indian GPS: 'Seedha chale jao aur baye mudo', doesn't matter where you wanna go

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Mayavi

Indian GPS: 'Seedha chale jao aur baye mudo', doesn't matter where you wanna go

Yeah at that moment intervene and say , are you sure we have to do a "baye mudo" , the second fellow says "arre haan, baye nahi daaye jaana"

[dadu]

Then you havent seen Eicher city maps, in that you can pinpoint to a particular address or one near it.

but in gps, maps can be dynamically updated whereas in prints they need to be republished.

Airtel should make this available for all java and pocket pc based mobiles, blackberry is still far away from being a masses phone.

'

Originally Posted by 1100D

Good idea, but when the utilities people themselves cannot pinpoint a certain address to the house level, I am skeptical as to how is this really going to help at the current moment (unless all roads, streets are digitised).

However, unlike the developed world in India finding directions are too easy, people have a lot of time and information without any work!

[rahul_intlad]

Actually manufacturers should take the initiative and get in sat nav in India especially in the higher segment cars.

Regarding the airtel GPS initiative would the data not be transferred using airtel GPRS,the thing is so slow at times I am sure you would reach the destination before the map fully loads onto your screens.

[LandCruiser]

GPRS download speeds are laughable and of no use that too for an application that needs real time processing! May be you can walk with the phone and find your destination, but not drive.

[babhishek]

Switch to Mobile Office and ensure you have an edge compatible device.
I do not agree with you on the speed at all; I have consistently recd more than 22kBps on my EDGE enabled E61i.
Thats >128kBps ISDN/DSL speeds.
On another note; I hope this isn't for blackberry only; thats quite a niche segment especially owning a blackberry 8800 which is a specific model in the segment.

Originally Posted by LandCruiser

GPRS download speeds are laughable and of no use that too for an application that needs real time processing! May be you can walk with the phone and find your destination, but not drive.

[risga]

The data transfer charges would be killing given the large downloads that would take place. Better to have your data on PDA.

[dadu]

W,ll have to see the refresh rates for the maps, it depends on the application too.

As far as gprs costs are concerned, take the 399 pm mobile office plan, it has unlimited usage.

[JayD]

I think this feature may be supported by the new nokia N95 too, right??/ because it comes with gps.

[dadu]

It might be having inbuilt gps but if the application cannot run on the symbian OS used by nokia, it will not work, you need to check it.

[suren181]

Would anyone know whether it would be available for the Blackberry 8100. Just bought one a month or so back, would love it to have this feature.