Houston, Texas Wireless Dealer on the forefront of the Wireless Data Explosion by offering wireless voice turn-by-turn navigation system for less than a dollar a day!

Wireless Attractions debuts NavTrack," Navigation assistance software that works on the new Nextel i205 Java enabled phone. Navtrak provides audible turn-by-turn directions to addresses nationwide, allow you to pre-plan your trips over the Internet or on your handset and get driving directions spoken to you while driving, all for $15.99 month. This new software and its companion TeleNav Track offer unlimited capability for Houston consumers and businesses alike. Never get Lost Again!

(PRWEB) December 19 2003--To date, wireless services have primarily been comprised of voice, paging and messaging. Now, in addition to these popular wireless applications, the ongoing convergence of wireless and data/Internet is opening the door to a myriad of new data service opportunities. At the end of 1999, there were 470 million wireless subscribers worldwide, compared with 309 million in 1998 (161% growth.) While forecasts vary, most industry observers forecast that the global wireless subscriber base will double within three years to 1 billion by 2003.

•    What are Location Services?

Location Services are the marriage of content, location and time. Imagine the Internet content we are all accustomed to, delivered on demand with the relevance of our location and the time of day. Accordingly, industry analysts have forecasted that the market for location-based services will increase to US $25 Billion by 2005.

Presently, Location Services are dividing into four key market segments:

Fleet management -- by knowing the location of their trucks, transport companies and/or corporate fleets can reduce costs and have real-time communications in remote areas.

Localized information -- regionalized information that is being aggregated to provide the locations of the nearest gas stations, hotels or four-star restaurants, entertainment, shopping etc.

Emergency and Safety Services -- communications, traffic and navigation information being provided to help service providers to speed response to incidents.

Network Management -- location-based billing and efficient network planning for carriers looking to provide opt-in location services to their wireless data subscribers.

As we witness people book flights and check stocks over their wireless devices (handsets, PDAs), it is abundantly clear that wireless data services are quickly becoming a daily necessity. However, location services are more than just a mobile Internet as they provide information that is relevant to the exact location of the wireless subscriber.

The Early Adopters of Location Services

Early adopters of location services in the short and long-haul trucking industry have already capitalized on the benefits of vehicle tracking and remote data communications for many years. In the commercial transport sector, Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) is presently a $650 million dollar industry with analysts estimating it will exceed $1 billion annually by 2004.

•    What is AVL?

Automatic vehicle location (AVL) combines both GPS and wireless data networks for the purpose of tracking, monitoring and exchanging information with remote vehicles.

Mirroring this demand, the adoption of vehicle-based Location Services in private fleets and by consumers is anticipated to grow this burgeoning industry from US$ 1 Billion to US$ 33 Billion by 2005.

Ken Turner, Data Solutions Manager for Wireless Attractions says; Were just beginning to see the tremendous savings that industries are realizing in utilizing the new wireless data capabilities of carriers such as AT&T and Nextel. When a small, local plumbing contractor with only 5 trucks and 8 employees can locate and monitor his company owned vehicles 24 hours a day, wirelessly dispatch new jobs, verify job completion and unauthorized use of vehicles, and save thousands in fuel and insurance costs yearly all because he invested a small amount of money in this new technology, then we know the technology wave for small to medium size businesses is on the horizon."

What are the key industry factors accelerating growth?

1.    Prices of enabling location" technologies (GPS, Wireless connectivity, Internet and devices) are falling while their capability is increasing.

2.    The Internet has provided the ability to host application services eliminating the technical infrastructure and management expense.

3.    Network Operators / Wireless Carriers need new higher margin services to offset declining voice access revenues.

4.    Consumer awareness and interest is increasing in vehicle tracking, roadside safety services, traffic alerts and anti-theft services.

5.    New wireless data networks such as GSM/GPRS and iDEN are being deployed which permit unprecedented speeds and packet data transmission capability. In North America, GSM/GPRS will be the first ubiquitous data network deployed coast to coast.

It is no surprise that early research conducted on consumer interest in location services by the Strategis Group revealed that emergency roadside assistance elicited a high level of interest at more than 50% of wireless users, and traffic and navigation information appealed to 29%.

What is Telematics?

The term telematics originated in Europe and remains widely used in the automotive industry. Telematics devices combine a wireless communications device with location sensing-technology and in some cases a service provider to provide a safety and convenience services to drivers. A wide range of services fall under the Telematics umbrella and these include:

•    Emergency roadside assistance

•    Stolen vehicle tracking

•    Automatic crash notification

•    Remote engine diagnostics

•    Navigation assistance

•    Concierge services (such as ordering tickets, making reservations, etc.)

•    Receiving and sending e-mail.

As a result of such a wide array of services, a number of different suppliers service this market. These suppliers range to include: Auto manufacturers, Automotive component OEMs, Wireless telecommunications equipment makers, GPS receiver manufacturers, GIS developers, Service providers, Content aggregators and Wireless network operators. The Strategis Group projects that 17 million consumer autos will be equipped with a telematics product by year-end 2005.

Wireless Attractions -- At the heart of data convergence

Two distinct segments of wireless location services have been developing for vehicles over the past few years;

Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) which combines GPS and wireless technologies to provide tracking and communications to remote vehicle fleets and Telematics which combines wireless devices, in-car computers and location technologies to provide driver safety services.

Wireless Attractions envisions that these two segments are at a point of intersection due to the advances in wireless technologies, GPS, Internet and the plethora of services now made possible by this integration. Beyond convergence, Wireless Attractions also envisions that the market will demand a customizable" mix of tracking and location services in their vehicles and through various devices.

Wireless Attractions is at the heart of this convergence delivering vehicle focused location services that scale from meeting the needs of the average vehicle owner to the industrial service needs of large fleets. Ken Turner adds; When I can offer in vehicle, turn by turn voice navigation for $16 a month and vehicle tracking for less than a dollar a day, what company wouldnt want it?"

Wireless Attractions has technology partners that offer essential" hardware and software that will impact lives on the road and deliver on a future world" of in-vehicle services today.

About Wireless Attractions: Wireless Attractions is based in Houston, Texas, and offers companies and individuals a one-stop", one-call" mobile solution to all their communication and data requirements. Wireless Attractions is an authorized representative for AT&T Wireless, Nextel, Sprint and T-mobile, and has 9 retail locations in and around the Houston Metroplex area providing professional solutions in voice, data, mobile office and telematics products and services.

Media Contact:

Jim Barr, CEO, Wireless Attractions 713-952-5333

Data Solutions Contact:

Ken Turner, Data Solutions Manager, Wireless Attractions,

mobile 281-924-6958

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