Company: Bell Mobility
Industry: Location-based Services (LBS), Location Technology
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

Toronto, ON--  Bell Mobility, Canada's leading wireless provider, today announced MyFinder, the first offering in Bell Mobility's suite of location based services (LBS) that will support useful and convenient applications based on the user's location.MyFinder allows Bell Mobility customers in Quebec and Ontario to receive location-specific information on their digital wireless handset and eventually PDA (personal digital assistant).LBS will be available on Bell Mobility's network in Western Canada in the first quarter of 2003.With a push of a button, MyFinder finds the location of the user's mobile device (with their consent) within Bell Mobility's coverage area and allows the user to look-up information for services such as restaurants, gas stations, hotels, hospitals, banks or theatres.MyFinder will also provide the user with the address and directions for the requested destination, as well as the expected distance and time of travel to get there -- whether by vehicle or by foot.Directories and directions can be sent as a text message to the user or to a friend's mobile device.

"Whether it's text messaging, wireless games, e-mail or even LBS, today's wireless customer wants to be able to use their mobile device for more than just making and receiving voice calls," said Kelly Dixon, Vice President Marketing Bell Mobility."Today's announcement is the first phase of Bell Mobility's commercial launch of location based services.LBS will evolve to deliver higher levels of accuracy, expand to include a wider selection of content, and a suite of advanced offerings including services that will enable customers to find and communicate with each other." MyFinder services will also soon be available through Bell Mobility's VoiceNet service, offering customers an interactive voice based alternative to search for nearby services and businesses.Offering LBS is the first step in being able to deliver safety services to our customers that will enable dispatch emergency assistance in the future.

Here are a couple of examples of how MyFinder works:

• Sarah is trying to finish off her holiday shopping but needs   more money.She has requested to be located by the MyFinder   service which has found her in the area of Pine Street and   Alexander Street.Sarah requests MyFinder to provide her with   a list of nearby bank machines.MyFinder provides her the list   of the nearest bank machines, estimates the time it would take   to get there and provides step-by-step walking directions to   the bank machine she selects.
• Richard has just finished work and has agreed to meet Karen   for dinner.He has requested to be located by the MyFinder   service which has found him at the corner of Bay and Maple   streets.He requests a Thai restaurant at Brighton and   St. Pierre streets and sends this information to his dinner   companion Karen, located at Oak and Creek streets, by quickly   sending her a text message through the MyFinder service.   Richard can also look up directions to the restaurant and   then search for a gas station along the way, and be provided   with step-by-step directions (based on mode of travel).

About Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility, a division of Bell Canada, provides a complete range of innovative wireless communications solutions: PCS and cellular, web-browsing and data, two-way messaging, paging and airline passenger communications services.Bell Canada, Canada's national leader for communications in the Internet world, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data communications, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions, local and long distance phone and directory services.Bell Canada is owned by BCE Inc.of Montréal.For more information please visit http://www.bell.ca

No need to whistle, the next time you need a taxicab, just dial (pound key)TAXI on your cellphone.A convenient voice-activated system will connect you to the first available taxicab company -- in any city, anywhere in Canada.Bell Mobility is offering this service free during the Holidays. So make (pound key)TAXI your designated driver and have a safe Holiday Season.

Don Blair (don.blair@bell.ca)
Phone: 1-888-482-0809