Telmap's Navigator service to be embedded on the majority of O2 handsets

O2 today announces an agreement with Telmap which will see its personal navigation and mapping service made available to O2 customers on the majority of GPS-enabled handsets sold by O2. To ensure the best possible customer experience, O2 has worked closely with Telmap to optimize the application for use on the O2 network and will be providing first level customer support and billing support.

Telmap's Navigator offers a rich mapping and GPS navigation experience with features including in-car 3D maps with text-to-speech technology, traffic alerts with alternative route options and turn by turn directions while walking. O2 customers will also benefit from access to relevant content including places and businesses, event ticketing, restaurant listings and reviews amongst other premium services. O2 will also incorporate points of interest such as O2 Academy venues and Wi-Fi hotspots.

In addition to providing customer service, O2 will make it easy for customers to pay for the Telmap service by integrating the subscription charge onto their mobile phone bill. O2 will also offer the chance for customers to try the service for 14 days before they decide to buy.

"This is a pioneering agreement between operator and application developer which we believe will set a benchmark for future agreements," said Peter Rampling, O2's Marketing Director. "We have worked closely with Telmap to build a service wrap around the application which we believe will offer the best customer experience. Navigation is fast becoming one of the most popular mobile services and we look forward to bringing this leading application to our customers."

"This is a very important agreement for Telmap and we are excited to be starting this relationship with O2", said Oren Nissim, CEO of Telmap. "There is a strong synergy between O2, a leading, innovative operator and Telmap's innovative technology and vast experience; we believe this collaboration will allow us to deliver the best in class solution to O2 customers and for O2 to create a winning location strategy in the marketplace".   


The first new handsets from O2 with the application embedded will appear on the market in the autumn. There will be a range of subscription packages available, starting from £3.50 per month. Existing customers will also be able to download the application if they have a compatible handset.

The agreement with O2 in the UK will form a framework for future agreements between Telmap and Telefónica operations globally. 


About O2

       Telefónica O2 UK Limited is a leading communications company for consumers and businesses in the UK, with 21.1 million mobile customers and over 457,000 fixed broadband customers as at 30 June 2009. 

       Telefónica O2 UK Limited is part of Telefónica Europe plc which is a business division of Telefónica S.A. and which owns O2 in the UK, Ireland, Slovakia, Germany and the Czech Republic, and has 46 million customers.

       In 2006 Telefónica Europe acquired Be*, the UK fixed broadband provider, and in October 2007 O2 launched its broadband service using the Be* network.

       O2 is the naming rights partner of The O2, the world-class entertainment venue.

       O2 was ranked highest in customer satisfaction for both UK mobile and fixed broadband customers according to the J.D. Power and Associates UK Mobile and Fixed Broadband Studies 2009.

       In February 2009 O2 became the first UK mobile operator to be officially certified with the Carbon Trust Standard in recognition of O2's commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and the 15% reduction in energy consumption achieved over the past three years.

       O2 was launched on 1 May 2002 and now has more customers than any other UK mobile network. 

       O2's UK mobile network covers 99% of the UK's population.  O2's 3G network covers over 80% of the UK population and is fully HSDPA-enabled, providing speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps for customers with an HSDPA-enabled device.

       Telefónica Europe also owns 50% of the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businesses in the UK and Germany. 


For further press information about O2 go to http://mediacentre.o2.co.uk


About Telmap

Telmap is a world leader in location solutions, the company has established a solid reputation for providing its customers with innovative, value added mapping and navigation solutions that open new business opportunities and generate new revenue streams. Telmap has a unique end-to-end solution including a mobile location companion, a complementary web companion, robust location platform with a set of APIs to support its customers in delivering a strong LBS strategy. The company's flagship product, Telmap Navigator, enables users to find their destination quickly and easily by means of pinpoint accurate turn-by-turn navigation. Telmap's unique solution which also includes a market leading LBS platform supports Java, Symbian, BREW Windows, BlackBerry, MID and UIQ devices enables the mobile industry to extend the reach to new markets and customers. Telmap is the #1 choice of location solution and its technology has been chosen by leading industry players Orange FT Group, Vodafone, Vodacom, SFR, O2, AOL, Pelephone, Carphone Warehouse and more.

 For more information, please visit www.telmap.com