Terralink goes into wireless navigation

Wellington-based mapping solutions provider Terralink International has closed a deal with French mobile GPS navigation solutions provider Webraska to offer Webraska’s platforms for navigation and location-based mobile services to New Zealand.

Mike Donald, managing director of Terralink, says the GPS market is growing. “We believe that most geographic information will be delivered in the wireless space in the future,” he says. “That is why our partnership with Webraska is so important.”

Webraska provides the technology and Terralink provides the dataset. The web service will be launched in March and the mobile service will be available mid-year, according to Donald.

The real time navigation application guides the user by voice to the requested destination. Unlike existing in-car GPS-systems, that deliver pre-loaded information, Webraska’s application also gives up-to-date traffic information and alternative routes in real time.

“In the near future, users could prepare an itinerary or route on the web and then send all information to the mobile,” says Webraska CEO Eric Node-Langlois. The location-based mobile service delivers city maps, street directions or information about the location of friends or points of interest to mobile phones.

Node-Langlois also talks about a call centre service, which users would be able to call to ask for directions, or find out where the nearest restaurant, petrol station or ATM is. Donald thinks that kind of service will happen in New Zealand.