NEW YORK-Canadian users of Web-enabled wireless phones and two-way pagers can get walking or driving directions to any location within the country, under an agreement announced Nov. 22 between Maptuit Corp. and Sympatico-Lycos Inc.
Sympatico-Lycos, an Internet service provider, is jointly owned by Lycos Inc. and Bell ActiMedia, which is part of Bell Canada.
Maptuit, established last year in Toronto, is an applications service provider of real-time wireline and wireless location-based services for consumers and logistics services for commercial fleet management.
Through servers in Toronto and Denver, Maptuit uses a map database, augmented with real-time traffic conditions if available, to chart the best route to a desired location.
In early May, Maptuit signed an agreement under which IBM Canada Ltd. will supply it with financing and IBM’s Netfinity and RS servers. This is one arrangement under the aegis of Net Generation Business, an IBM Canada unit inaugurated this year to help emerging Web-based businesses through provision of hardware, software, services and access to research and development laboratories.
Toronto-based 724 Solutions Inc., which has a financial stake in Maptuit, plans to offer wireless subscribers information to find their bank’s nearest automated teller machine. Future releases will offer location information for other facilities and services.
Likewise, The Descartes Systems Group, Waterloo, Ontario, another Maptuit investor, agreed in May to enhance its own Internet logistics solutions for corporations by adding Maptuit’s location-based technology.
In early October, Maptuit opened its U.S. headquarters in Burlington, Mass. It also named Jeff Papows as chief executive officer. Prior to joining Maptuit, Papows was president and CEO of Lotus Corp.
In the United States, Maptuit is targeting the $500 billion transportation industry, which is under pressure to improve delivery times and reduce fuel costs, Papows said. The company believes it can offer cost efficiencies averaging 20 percent to businesses in this sector.
Maptuit also is working with IBM Canada to expand its consumer and business location based services to Europe and Asia.
