Jan/Feb 2005

Real-time traffic information on mobile phones, including live video of congestion spots - that's the remarkable offer being made by a new service called TrafficTV, which has been launched by Cheshire-based mxData. Even more remarkable is the pricing, which can be as little as £4 a month, depending on the options chosen, or alternatively just £1 for a single day's access.

The system pulls in real-time traffic information from sources such as Trafficmaster, the Highways Agency, Transport for London, Traffic Wales, and Scotland's National Driver Information and Control System. It captures a range of input types including time-lapse images (refreshed every few seconds), plus slow scans, video and continual live streaming.

Users initially download a relatively modest free Java program to their mobile phone. It occupies just 200 kilobytes, and is said to take only 30 seconds to download. They can then connect to the wireless Internet and view current traffic conditions.

The company is emphasising that the service is not restricted to third-generation phones, but will also work on fairly modest colour-screen 2G models. A compatibility list is posted on the TrafficTV.com Web site.

 

Traffic flows can be viewed either on a map or as actual pictures, which are still images (regularly refreshed) on 2G phones, but can be moving video images on 3G phones. Users can zoom in or out, and see how long delays are expected to last.

Initially the service is available on the Orange mobile network. The company says it also plans to offer a vehicle tracking service, and to provide regional information including weather, local car parking availability, and bus and train times.

mxData used to be known as Integrated Mobile Technologies, and has been Trafficmaster's mobile partner for some years, although it points out that the new service uses a range of data sources, not just Trafficmaster's.

Already the company says it has won contracts in the US to set up a similar service in ten cities. Partners there include four mobile networks, plus handheld manufacturer Palm.