TORONTO — Relief has finally arrived for U.S. mobile subscribers struggling to get a taxi when they really need one. By simply dialing #TAXI® (#-8-2-9-4) on their mobile phone, callers can now get connected to the first available taxicab company serving their local calling area, receive a recommendation for a local cab company or the caller can choose the cab company of their choice in any city or town across the country.
With the addition of Sprint to AT&T and Verizon Wireless’s subscriber base, #TAXI (Pound Taxi) is now live on more 215 million mobile phones in the U.S.
“This is a pivotal milestone for #TAXI as the service is now available with every one of the three major wireless carriers in the U.S.” said Nick Quain, CEO of CellWand. “This paves the way to allow us to begin our marketing initiatives in the U.S. market, much like we have already implemented in Canada.”
#TAXI is an award winning application that has been available to Canadian mobile phone users for many years and has already generated millions of calls and revenue in Canada.
#TAXI utilizes a proprietary taxi database rating system and allows callers to simply state the name of their city or town in order to be connected. The service includes several unique features:
• Recommending the first available taxicab company best able to serve callers
• Allowing the connection to a preferred cab company
• Avoiding busy signals when connecting to a taxicab dispatch
• Finding the first available taxicab company dispatch during the busiest of times
In addition to being a powerful new service for revelers, business travelers and for people on the go, #TAXI has also been used effectively as a tool for women’s safety and a vital service to help prevent drunk driving. #TAXI is a national sponsor of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in both Canada and the U.S. and further supports their prevention message with inclusion in many #TAXI marketing messages.
“We are very pleased #TAXI is helping to make our streets safer,” said Laura Dean-Mooney, MADD National President. “#TAXI helps the public by providing an easy way to designate a sober driver and prevent drunk driving.”
#TAXI is a pay-per-use service with a charge automatically added to the mobile phone users wireless bill when they use the service. #TAXI is available with Sprint for $1.75 per call and ranges from $1.25 to $1.79 per call, depending on the wireless carriers that include Boost Mobile, AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Alltel. The service was provisioned with the US carriers with the assistance of CellWand’s U.S. partner, Single Touch Systems Inc (OTC BB:SITO).
About CellWand Communications Inc.
CellWand is North America’s leading provider of mobile search applications through abbreviated dialing codes. Utilizing location based technology, voice recognition and intelligent databases, these lifestyle applications give mobile phone users an easier way of connecting to businesses and information, while providing wireless carriers with increased Average Revenue Per User (ARPU).
CellWand’s first application, #TAXI® (Pound Taxi) is available on virtually every mobile phone in Canada with Bell Mobility, Fido, Rogers, TELUS, Virgin Mobile, MTS and SaskTel, and now in the U.S. on over 215 million phones with AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and Alltel. CellWand is a privately held company founded in January 2000 with its headquarters in Toronto. #TAXI is a proud corporate sponsor of MADD and MADD Canada as part of promoting an easy way to plan ahead and get home safely after drinking. For more information visit www.cellwand.com and www.poundtaxi.com.
Contacts:
Nick Quain
CellWand Communications Inc.
(direct) 613-791-6448
nquain@cellwand.com
###