Beijing will put a state-of-the-art wireless information service
designed for visitors to the city during the 2008 Olympics to the
test in the second half of 2007, according to the service operator
China Netcom.
The wireless service will be available in the form of a portable
electronic device, similar in appearance to a mobile phone, which
visitors can rent for a fee from airports, hotels and tourist
sites. The cost will not be determined until the trial period
ends.
The service, available in the seven languages of Chinese,
English, Japanese, Russian, French, Spanish and German, will
provide general Games and city information, and information on
tourist sites, transport, dining and business.
It will also have an emergency option which will put the user
through to a multi-lingual call center. The in-built Global
Positioning System will enable call centre staff to help foreigners
who are lost in the city.
Before renting the equipment, users can list their interests
during the registration process. The device will then deliver
specific information according to users' interests and their
location in the city.
The wireless handsets will also be available in the cities of
Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang, Qingdao and Qinhuangdao, which are all
hosting Olympic events.
The trial period will last for three months in which only a
select group of users in Beijing will have access to the
service.
(Xinhua News Agency June 1, 2007)