U.S. wireless operators are (finally) launching a big push for location-based services. Sprint yesterday announced that it was offering customers unlimited GPS-enabled navigation services from TeleNav, along with Web browsing, unlimited data access, Sprint Radio, Sprint TV, picture mail and mobile email for $20 per month. Unlimited navigation services will also be bundled into existing Sprint Power Vision Ultimate Pack and Business Pack accounts for $25 per month. Customers that don't want unlimited access can buy the navigation services for $2.99 per day.
AT&T earlier this week added TeleNav services to its product portfolio, a big step for the carrier which didn't select GPS location-based services for its e911 services.
LBS has been a popular buzz word in the industry for a number of years but now is finally getting the attention (and marketing push) it deserves. Perhaps in 2007 LBS will finally become the "killer" app so may application vendors had hoped it would become years ago.
For more:
- see this press release