BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Verizon Wireless plans to enter the location-based services market next week with a GPS-based subscription offering.
The carrier is expected to launch VZ Navigator, a $10-a-month downloadable application that includes mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and information on more than 14 million restaurants, gas stations, banks and other points of interest. Verizon Wireless also said it plans to offer Navigator for $3 for a 24-hour period.
The offering makes good on a promise Verizon Wireless made earlier this year to offer its own branded LBS applications; the carrier said it likely would open its network to third-party application developers once Navigator gains traction. Technology for the service is being provided by Autodesk, Navteq and Networks in Motion.
Some other U.S. operators deployed location-based services this year, but Verizon Wireless had shied away from bringing such offerings to market as it worked to meet the FCC’s E911 mandate. Location-based services have captured the imagination of a variety of industry players, but privacy issues and network concerns have impeded deployments in the U.S. market.
While many Verizon phones are GPS-enabled, Navigator initially will be available only on the Motorola Inc. v325, which sells for $80 with a two-year contract. The application is available for download via the carrier’s Get It Now mobile storefront.
