Mobile solutions specialist Justfone, developer of mobile software applications, launches their location based service, named Fonetrack&trade. Initially available to customers on the O2 network, the service will allow O2 customers to locate and track the location of standard GSM phones on their account.

Fonetrack's many applications include vehicle tracking, fleet management, caller identification, lone worker monitoring and the work flow optimisation of field-based personnel such as sales teams and service engineers by incorporating Fonetrack's GSM mobile location capabilities.

Steve Brown, Justfone's Managing Director said: "I know of no comparable location enabled business tools in the UK market at present and we are delighted that O2 have recognised its massive potential. For many businesses, tracking the location of individuals or vehicles using a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) based system is prohibitively expensive. This offering is radically different in that the base hardware is the users existing mobile device, which makes it a much more cost-effective option.  For example, all a service engineering company will have to do is register its employees current phones on the system, it can then schedule their service calls by identifying which technicians are closest to which jobs."

Fonetrack™ is delivered across a range of technology platforms. At entry level an account holder can log on via a WEB browser and view real time or historical locations of the phones carried by field based employees. A more sophisticated Windows based application offers many functions such as incorporating real time and historical data into routing, mapping, reporting and billing requirements. A WAP based application is available and others using voice recognition and PDAs are on the way. Additionally, Justfone can provide a range of tools and integration services that will offer location enabled enhancements to existing IT systems.

Claire Jeffries from O2 said: "We are very pleased to be supporting Justfone in using mobile technology to deliver this innovative new service that will contribute to customer's overall business efficiency and the safety of mobile workers in the field."