iNumNum does it by numbers

By RICHARD WOOD

Startup firm Navigate by Numbers has launched 100 mobile phone "vortals" that allow travellers to get worldwide city information on their Wap phones.

The service is part of Navigate by Numbers' iNumNum system and allows users to link up to weather conditions, local time, airlines, hotels and other tourist resources.

iNumNum is similar to 0800 word numbers but on a global scale. Users key in the name on the alphanumeric 0-9 keypad followed by .com and therefore do not need to remember the underlying number combination.

The firm has bought thousands of "numeric followed by .com" domain names for all sorts of services. It began the process about three years ago and can retain the names as long as it continues to pay the registration fees.

Graham Saywell, a director, said these names, unlike 0800 numbers, had the advantage of being the same in every country, while ultimately the information could be personalised for each country.

The firm claims it is highly placed in listings on Google's Wap (wireless application protocol) site database for its travel information service both for major cities and continents.

Navigate by Numbers is an incubator project of Massey University's e-Centre.