Vodafone traffic service may slow drive to 3G

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

NEWS
Subscribers to the Vodafone live service will soon be able use their mobile phone to plan a journey across the UK and be guided around traffic congestion.

The network operator is adding traffic and travel information to Vodafone live -- which already supports picture messaging, news alerts, email and IM -- through an agreement with mobile navigation company Yeoman Group.

The deal, announced on Monday morning, means that from 28 August users of Vodafone live will be able to see the status of the nation's roads both as text and as maps. They will also be told if there is any disruption on their route and advised of the best way to avoid it when on the move.

Yeoman has been operating its TravelM8 mobile navigation service since 2001. The deal with Vodafone sent its shares soaring almost 75 percent to 42.5p in morning trading in London.

By adding more functionality to its live service, Vodafone is proving that it is possible to provide plenty of useful services over GPRS networks. This may encourage some users to wait longer before moving to 3G.

Talkback

Relevant article, Graeme. Here's a free MMS service you and other ZDNet UK readers (particularly Vodafone subscribers) may want to try (genuinely free - I'm writing from an R&D lab in Singapore and this is our free demo server - please note that this is NOT a commercial message as we do not sell to end-users):

A system we've built enables any user to set up her own PC-camera which is then accessible over MMS. Users can also set up Internet URLs as "pseudo-cameras" and access them the same way - this could include traffic cameras from bbc.co.uk. Try this: send an sms saying "camera humberbridge" to +6596832687. Vodafone subscribers will receive a picture with traffic from one of the cameras on the bbc site (and, as far as the Vodafone network is concerned, you'll have used your phone for GPRS data, NOT for MMS, so you don't get charged for MMS...). You could create a free account on our system and add your own cameras. We're seeing folks using this system for monitoring their elderly parents / grandparents, babies and young children in child-care centres, even pets (no kidding!). If you want more information, drop by www.wilabs.com/permodia/permodia.html

Once again, this is NOT a commercial message - I apologise if this offends anyone. I thought Graeme's article was relevant in the context of what we're doing and figured I'd write about it. Also, I mention Vodafone specifically as I know our demo server is accessible over their network - it may be accessible over mmO2, T-Mobile, 3, etc., and I'd be grateful if you could let me know...

via Facebook 13 August, 2003 10:23
Reply

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

Tony Douglas

Please God no; teach them anything you like - thinking rationally, the uses and misuses of data, what data is and what it's not - but leave the...

1 hour ago by Tony Douglas via Facebook on Kids are the future. Teach ’em to code.
BrownieBoy

@Jack, > Works really well for thieves.... Nice attempt to deflect the argument by tossing in a point that's totally irrelevant, even it were...

16 hours ago by BrownieBoy on AMD Ultrathins to challenge Intel Ultrabooks
bootlegger

Make that 13 people now - I got refused today at Manchester airport. I thought I was up to date on this legislation - I knew of the EU ruling from...

19 hours ago by bootlegger on UK airport body scans will not be opt out
tinycg

Don't forget to check out apps like GoodReader or SlideShark either, they're indispensible for people on the go in presentation situations. Best...

22 hours ago by tinycg on Four top iPad apps for people on the move
TerryRK

Well it seems there is something a number of us agree on. Why is the Ubuntu Unity launcher so ugly? I thought perhaps it was something to do with...

1 day ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Freebies202

Duplicate comments are not made intentionally. Its very good to know that now you are keeping check on this problem because sometimes a commenter...

1 day ago by Freebies202 on Microsoft fixes blog comments, speeds up blogs with open source
kevinmchapman

"the very significant number of users" and "many (most) of us" - you have no evidence for these statements. It is a fact that most users are saying...

2 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Marg Menzies Harrison

Another grammar faux pas is the improper use of "you". When sitting down down in a restaurant, for example, I get cringe when the waitress...

2 days ago by Marg Menzies Harrison via Facebook on 10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid
zdnetukuser

And NOW, folks, for Canonical's next trick... Kubuntu is late. Here's a pencil. Draw your own conclusions. cf.:...

2 days ago by zdnetukuser on Linux Minterface
Moley

@kevinmchapman. The discussion here reflects the very significant number of users who really do like the traditional menu system and who wish to...

2 days ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

Er, no... It is an efficient means of finding the application/file/setting you need in one place. The icons are a simply a fallback for when you...

2 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

Isn't the provision of a text based search an admission by the developers that the mass of icons approach does not work? I don't need to use a...

2 days ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

"Unity and GNOME 3 both abandon the old text-based cascading menus in favour of a graphical icon-driven system." Point truly missed. Both use a...

2 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

whs001 - Thank you, I'm glad you liked the article. I absolutely agree with you on your first point. I should perhaps have made it clearer that...

2 days ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Dennis Nilsson

If we allow corporate interest to dictate the way our government circumvents due process against foreign entities then we should accept the same...

2 days ago by Dennis Nilsson via Facebook on ACTA stumbles in Germany
GHar123

I totally dislike pirating of works, I fear that artists will be deterred from creating works if they think that they are going to get ripped off....

2 days ago by GHar123 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
JCB33

How dare film makers, artists or anybody that invests in creativity stop us pirating their works for free. I want to be able to walk into my local...

2 days ago by JCB33 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
Moley

@GrueMaster. I prefer horses for courses rather than one size fits all. I, and I suspect most other computer users, do not really wish to have...

3 days ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
greycynic

The product that scares me every time I have to use it is the Office 2007 version of Excel. The first bug that I found was applying the median...

3 days ago by greycynic on Ten flawed products that derail productivity
GrueMaster

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

3 days ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint