Verizon Wireless Launches GPS Service
Verizon Wireless introduced VZ Navigator on Monday, a service that will offer customers the ability to see their location on a map or find turn-by-turn directions. Navigator would be available on compatible phones thanks to GPS and Verizon's wireless network.
Rival Sprint Nextel has been offering a similar service for a year trough TeleNav on its Nextel service, and since September on Sprint for a cost of $9.99 a month. The company had extended the option to its prepay Boost Mobile customers late last year as well.
Recent enhancements to the carrier's CDMA network have made this new service possible, Verizon said. The first phone to offer VZ Navigator is the Motorola V325, introduced on Monday for $79.99 USD after a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate.
Verizon said it has plans to release other GPS-enabled handsets over the next several months to support the service.
Navigator has 14 million pre-programmed points of interest -- meaning the user would not need to know the address of a desired location. These destinations include restaurants, gas stations, banks and other points relative to a location.
VZ Navigator is being marketed as a low cost alternative to full-fledged GPS devices. The service is either available for 24-hour use for $2.99 USD, or $9.99 USD for unlimited monthly usage, and is available through the carrier's GetItNow service.