Depending largely on the cellular operators actions, the US LBS business market is forecast to grow to from 582,000 to 1.1 million subscribed devices by the end of 2010, reports In-Stat. Location-enabled enterprise applications constitute a small but important segment of the market for mobile IT applications, the high-tech market research firm says. Applications for this technology include fleet management/dispatch, workforce and sales force management, as well as a variety of public sector location applications.
www.instat.com

Verizon Wireless announced that it has expanded its VZ Navigator(SM) service to include the popular all-in-one mobile phone, The V. With VZ Navigator and The V from Verizon Wireless, customers can access a wide array of LBS options, including mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to find more than 14 million points of interest. http://biz.yahoo.com

Webraska has announced that it has joined the Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry® Independent Software Vendor Alliance Programme. Under the terms of the agreement, Webraska will develop a version of Webraska Navigation 6 for BlackBerry.
www.webraska.com

Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of MapPoint® 2006 that can help customers improve decision-making capabilities and increase new business opportunities through the use of maps and geographical information, enabling better analysis, visualization and communication of business information. It also enhances its usefulness for mobile information workers by adding rich new GPS integration and driver guidance capabilities so that users can make the most out of time spent away from the office.
www.microsoft.com

NextBus Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Grey Island Systems International Inc., announced that the Town of Chapel Hill, N.C., awarded a contract to NextBus, Inc. in April to provide a real time passenger information system for Chapel Hill Transit. The contract is worth approximately US$ 950,000. NextBus uses global positioning satellites and advanced computer modeling to track buses on their routes. Taking into account the actual position of the transit vehicles, their intended stops, and the typical traffic patterns, NextBus estimates the bus arrivals. These estimates are updated constantly as the vehicles are tracked.
www.telematicsjournal.com

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS), announced the availability of TCS Places and TCS Handset Locator, two new services that wireless carriers and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) can offer to their subscribers which leverage the carrier’s location infrastructure. TCS Places is an innovative service that provides the means for subscribers to have instant access to their content and services while “onthe- go.” www.telecomsys.com

Multimap has announced the implementation of its Storefinder search facility on www.boots.com. The new service enables customers of the UK’s leading health & beauty retailer to search for nearby stores by both
location and services provided, and to access comprehensive street-level maps showing their exact locations, in a few simple steps. www.multimap.com