The leading German White and Yellow Pages Directory service offers a free download of a full navigation system onto the mobile phone. The user simply downloads and installs the software from the website of “Das Oertliche”. The GPS receiver that is required for navigation can be bought on the website.

The navigation software not only offers premium quality routing across Europe but also allows for navigation to locations searched within the directory service, including a reverse search option. Location search is limited to Germany.

The routing information that the user downloads is for free. Charges for that service are sponsored with advertisements. The customer only pays for the GPRS connection cost. Advertisement can be tailored to the current location of the user and is either displayed via banners or as a full screen ad when reaching a destination.

The software is based on the offboard navigation solution developed by the German software developer Jentro. Being Java based it runs on nearly all commonly used mobile phones. Jentro provides turnkey navigation based software solutions for any geocoded mobile advertisement requirement.

For more information refer to here or to here. For the full press release (in German only) go here.