Operators are renewing their enthusiasm for location as OTT players build their own means of accessing positional information on consumers. Marketing and advertising will be key, and success will be derived from expertise in context, content and customer relationship.
Tags;
Buzz City,
LBS,
Location based Services,
mobile advertising,
O2UK,
PlaceCast,
Skyhook,
Zoombak,
Cloud,
Features,
Handsets & Devices,
Networks,
Operator 
UK mobile operator O2 has announced a significant push into location based marketing services in a bid to drive customer loyalty. The Priority Moments service, which builds on the firm’s existing Priority loyalty scheme, sees the carrier partnering with a wide range of UK retail and leisure outlets to offer discounts and special offers to its customers.
Tags;
churn,
Location based Services,
loyalty,
O2 UK,
Odeon,
WHSmith,
Android,
App Stores,
Content & Applications,
Europe,
Handsets & Devices,
Networks,
News & Analysis,
O2,
Operator 
The personal navigation device (PND) market is under threat from the increasing proliferation of high end smartphones that are able to run navigation apps as just one of many functions. At least, that’s the premise put forward by many within the mobile industry. With players like Nokia and Google making turn by turn navigation readily available to smartphone users, are the days of the dedicated satnav truly numbered?
Facebook, the largest social network in the world with more than half a billion users, has launched a location-enabled service element that lets smartphone users publicise their whereabouts through the site. Users can also tag friends who are with them, and locate other friends that may be nearby. The service chimes with many of the location-based service concepts touted within the mobile industry when LBS first rose to prominence a decade or more ago.
US electronics giant Best Buy, which co-owns a retail business with Carphone Warehouse, is to launch a location-based in-store service for smartphone owners, allowing them to receive and process discount coupons and special offers from their handset while in the firm’s retail
Vodafone has announced that it will make its location based services software open source group-wide, following its decision to step back from offering turn-by-turn navigation services. Vodafone acquired Swedish location firm Wayfinder for €26m in December 2008 but revealed in March this year that the unit would cease operations in the face of free offerings from the likes of Nokia and Google.
Satisfying the developing world’s demand for value added services
In emerging markets without pervasive fixed telecommunication infrastructures, mobile phones keep populations connected and current with the rest of the world. Mobile web browsing is becoming the cornerstone of mobile content.
Mobile payments could change the way the world spends money
Issue 145 November 2007
Featuring:
Location Based Services: Nokia’s acquistion of Navteq caused a stir in the LBS world. But success stories remain elusive
Vitalis Olunga: The head of GSM Africa speaks to MCI ahead of the AfricaCom event
Loading ...