Date: Monday, March 22 1999
Ericsson and Scandinavian Airlines System are running a trial for Wireless Travel Services in cooperation with two of the travel industry's leading companies, SMART and Amadeus. In the initial phase, frequent fliers are able to book and cancel flights and to check timetables and availability of flights on the Internet via their mobile GSM device.
The Wireless Travel Management trial is focusing on SAS's frequent flyer customer segment, that is, those passengers who routinely book air travel several or more times per month. In the trial, in addition to being able to directly book and cancel flights and check flight information through the Internet, travelers can also send and receive e-mails. Participants in the trial are using a mobile phone and a handheld computer with Internet web browsing functionality.
Ericsson's WebOnAir, is being used to enable faster downloading of Internet pages via a wireless terminal. Depending on the character of the information being accessed, WebOnAir, which was shown at CeBIT in Hannover, can triple the speed of downloading Internet pages on a mobile device.
A second trial phase is scheduled to run in May and will offer participants additional services, which will be selected based on experience and knowledge gained during the initial trial.
For purposes of the trial, the demonstration facility at Ericsson Wireless Internet in Kista, outside Stockholm, is acting in the role of an ISP (Internet Service Provider), connected to the SMART travel booking system and the users via a mobile network.
The Wireless Travel Management concept is being demonstrated at two major trade fairs during March; CeBIT in Hannover and TUR ´99, in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The close cooperation between Ericsson and these partners - SAS, SMART and Amadeus - is aimed at developing tailor-made services that facilitate travel for customers through convenient, fast access to information, 24 hours a day - wireless from any place - and greater control over management of their travel planing.
Commercial launch the Wireless Travel Management service is planned for the second half of 1999.
Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers - network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers - the world over.
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