Ericsson & Michelin create WAP-based restaurant & hotel location services

Ericsson and Michelin create WAP-based restaurant and hotel location services Ericsson and Michelin Travel Publications present an innovative new WAP application for mobile network operators. The new WAP-based solution will enable operators to offer to users restaurant and hotel location services over WAP phones. Michelin will launch a service based on the new Ericsson location-based offering. The new service, called Guide@Michelin, will make it possible for users to access Michelin's huge database of 60,000 tested and selected addresses on mobile phones using WAP. The 'Red Guide' from Michelin Travel Publications is one of the foremost guides to European restaurants and hotels. It is particularly well known for its prestigious star award system for evaluating the quality of the cooking of listed establishments. The Guide@Michelin service is based on Ericsson's Location Based Information Services platform and can use Ericsson's Mobile Positioning System for the positioning coordinates. These location-based services provide an ideal service-enabling platform for positioning applications in today's GSM systems as well as for emerging GPRS and 3G systems. Always-on connection to mobile Internet will give instant access to location sensitive route planning information. With a WAP phone, users can, via their service provider, access the new location service to search their immediate area, for example, for a suitable place to dine. If users want to find the nearest local Italian restaurant, they can first search in order of proximity, then refine the search based on preferences such as price and comfort class. They are then presented with full information about selected restaurants - opening hours, culinary specialties, reservation information, etc. The service even gives them a route description, showing step-by-step, how to reach the restaurant from their current position. "After providing travel information to users in their home, office or car, through web services or navigation CD-ROMs, Michelin Travel Publications, together with Ericsson, now extends their services towards mobile phones users. More than ever, our aim remains to offer to tourists and travelers the right information at the right time and the right place," says Vincent Pilloy, Manager Digital Products, Michelin Travel Publications. "Together with Michelin Travel Publications, we can now offer an end-to-end solution to operators that wish to provide their customers with the new high value services that mobile positioning technology enables," says Karl-Erik Moberg, at Ericsson Internet Applications. Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers - network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers - the world over. Please visit Ericsson's Press Room at: http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Johan Wiklund, Ericsson Corporate Communications Phone: +46 70 560 0134; E-mail: johan.wiklund@lme.ericsson.se Johan Eliason, Business Development Ericsson Business Unit Internet Applications Phone: +46 8 585 34 401; E-mail: johan.eliason@era.ericsson.se Karl-Erik Moberg, Mobile Positioning Applications Ericsson Business Unit Internet Applications Phone: +46 8 585 33 464; E-mail: karl-erik.moberg@era.ericsson.se Michelin Travel Publications - Digital Products Stéphanie Durroux, Marketing and Sales Phone: +33 145 66 1546; E-mail: stephanie.durroux@fr.michelin.com BACKGROUND INFORMATION About Michelin Travel Publications Michelin Travel Publications have been providing information and recommendations to travelers and tourists for 100 years. With more than 18 million publications sold every year in nine major languages, Michelin leads the travel publication industry in Europe. From printed to digital products, Michelin finds solutions to each and every need of travelers and tourists. Please visit Michelin Travel Publications at: http://www.michelin-travel.com About Ericsson's Location Based Information Services These location-based Ericsson services are based on an application server. It enables the mobile user to get route planning information through giving the locations of interest. The user can choose to receive the information pointed out on a map or as a text-based description. Ericsson's Location Based Information Services are also intended to be used for pre-travel planning and while on the way. It provides seamless support for existing and future mobile devices, and existing and future network technologies. About Ericsson's GSM Positioning System Ericsson Mobile Positioning System (MPS) for GSM operators requires no modifications to standard GSM terminals. It includes servers that allow positioning services to be introduced into existing GSM networks. The system works with any standard GSM network and all existing GSM terminals. A main function of the servers is to translate positioning coordinates. In addition to deployment for emergency services, fleet management, logistics and stolen vehicle tracking applications, Ericsson expect that the system could also be used to deliver mass market services to any GSM subscriber. For example, 'where-am-I-guidance', roadside assistance, local news, information and weather reports and 'yellow pages' services. For more information on Ericsson's MPS, see press release at: http://www.ericsson.com/pressroom/Archive/1999Q4/19991011-0002.html About WAP Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is an open global standard for communication between mobile handsets, devices and the Internet or other value-added services. WAP-based technology enables the design of interactive and realtime mobile services. For more information about WAP, see http://www.wapforum.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/02/28/20000228BIT00970/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/02/28/20000228BIT00970/bit0002.pdf