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mapAmobile launches in South Africa

MI International has licensed Cellfind to market its mobile location service, mapAmobile, in South Africa. The deal follows the successful launch of mapAmobile's consumer and corporate products in the UK.

The service, which will be marketed under the brand name 'Look4me', will be the only passive mobile location service in South Africa and will be sold via the country's largest cellular network operator, Vodacom. The consumer service is due to launch at the end of February with a corporate service due in April.

During an initial promotional phase, Cellfind is offering free Look4me subscriptions to Vodacom's 1,2 million contract holders. Users will be able to subscribe via their mobile phone and pay for location requests through their network. The location service is not for profit, with charges made per location request and for the duration of the 'USSD session', effectively the time it takes to make the location request. Location requests can also be made via the Internet.

Cellfind managing director, Alan Knott-Craig, who is based in Johannesburg, is optimistic about take-up of Look4me, "Look4me is a service that provides peace of mind for all cellphone users, thereby improving the quality of life for all South Africans. It is easy to use, it is affordable, and it is useful. We expect to have a subscriber base of 100 000 within the first three months."

Continues Knott-Craig, "Look4me is the first passive location based service in South Africa that complies with all relevant legislation and protects the rights of individuals. This system provides all the benefits of cellular location information whilst eliminating all the potential abuses."

Graham Church, director of sales for mapAmobile, adds: "The expansion of mapAmobile abroad is great news for us and a massive vote of confidence in mobile location services. Our ultimate goal is to become global, so the deal with Cellfind is a significant step forwards."

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