Latest Podcast



Featured Articles

Monday, September 5, 2011

Interview with Neal Fullman, CEO of Get Taxi

Mark Bridge writes:

Get Taxi promises ‘a simpler, faster way to order taxis from your mobile phone’. But there’s much more to this ambitious company than its free mobile app. I spoke to Neal Fullman, the company’s CEO (and a previous visitor to TheFonecast.com), to find out more.

“Get Taxi is set to pretty much revolutionise the way that the great London taxi is booked and dispatched”, Neal explained. “The technology works in two ways; either from a mobile phone, in which case the mobile app geo-locates the passenger and then sends their request for a taxi to any one of our taxis carrying our unique driver unit within a mile’s radius. Once the driver has accepted the ride, it then sends back to the customer a notification showing the driver’s name, his licence number, the registration number of the taxi, a photo and an ETA. This gives the passenger a huge amount of control over their taxi journey and it eliminates continually asking ‘where is my taxi?’. This is further enhanced by a real-time Google map showing the taxi’s location in relation to you and its progress across the map to you at the pick-up location.”

“We also have a web-based client for our corporate customers. The system works in exactly the same way as it does on mobile, except that the company has a bespoke web page as their interface.”

Each taxi driver using the Get Taxi system has a custom-made device that informs them about potential new fares. The unit’s been approved by the TfL Public Carriage Office, the body that licenses London's taxi and private hire services, and is portable for security. It also has its own SIM card, avoiding the need for drivers to use their own phones.

Neal told me the service exceeded expectations by acquiring its first 120 UK drivers in just three weeks. Those are now ‘on line’ and available to customers, with a further 800 drivers having joined the Get Taxi waiting list. Growth is expected to continue into 2012, with up to 3,000 drivers potentially using the Get Taxi system by this time next year.

We went on to talk more about the corporate taxi service, mobile payment options, the response from black cab drivers, the company’s background and the future of GetTaxi.

Before ending, I asked Neal what had tempted him to join Get Taxi.

“I know, as a very heavy user of taxis myself, just how poor the user experience can be. So I was immediately able to see from a user perspective the enormous opportunity this offers. From a personal perspective, I’m the son of three generations of licensed London taxi drivers, so I’ve got taxi driving in the veins to some extent. So you put together a love of the mobile industry, a good working knowledge of the taxi industry and of London, and you can see the appeal.”

You can listen to the full interview with Neal Fullman of Get Taxi on our website, via iTunes or by downloading the MP3 file.
Print
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Rate this article:
No rating

Categories: Applications, OpinionNumber of views: 37275

Tags: uk applications gettaxi taxi

Leave a comment

This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data.
Add comment

Opinion Articles

Is Android losing its impact for Google?

Mark Bridge writes:

Recent figures released by ABI Research have prompted the market intelligence company to ask whether Google is losing control of the Android ecosystem.

At first glance, Android dominated smartphone shipments for the final quarter of 2013. ABI Research says 77% of the 287 million smartphones shipped in Q4 2013 were running Android.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

It’s time to prepare for the upcoming surge in signaling traffic

Robin Kent writes:

After initially suffering from slow pick up by consumers, 4G has begun to accelerate, and is now well on the way to the forecasted one billion subscribers by 2017. In fact EE, owner of T-Mobile and Orange, recently announced the addition of 493,000 new 4G customers to its existing base of 1.2 million.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Mobile phone coverage: is this as good as it gets?

Mark Bridge writes:

A new report has highlighted the issue of poor mobile phone coverage in rural Sussex villages. BBC Sussex invited me onto their ‘Sussex Breakfast’ radio show to explain what could be done - and, as usual, I made enough notes for a lecture rather than a three-minute interview.

Here’s what I would have liked to have said if I’d been given a disproportionate amount of time to talk.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Last week at The Fonecast: 27th January 2014

Expecting the unexpected

Mark Bridge writes:

Great news for mobile phone users. Ofcom’s new rules preventing unexpected mid-contract price rises came into force last week, which means UK consumers can no longer be surprised by their subscription charge increasing while they’re still locked into a minimum-term deal.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Ofcom changes the rules for mobile phone contracts... and so does O2

Mark Bridge writes:

This week, new Ofcom rules came into force. They’re designed to avoid unexpected price rises during the minimum term of a mobile phone contract. Yes, just because you signed a fixed-term contract doesn’t mean the charges can’t increase. Networks said they needed this option in case of inflation or regulatory changes. Customers felt trapped.

Author: The Fonecast
7 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
First567810121314Last

Recent Podcasts

Reviewing our 2015 mobile industry predictions... and looking forward to 2016

Podcast - 15th January 2016

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge return to review their mobile industry predictions from last year. Which mergers, partnerships and developments did they forecast correctly... and which didn’t work out as planned?

Later in the programme, the team anticipates some of the topics that will be hitting the headlines during 2016.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Podcast from Mobile World Congress 2015

Podcast - 6th March 2015

Mark Bridge learns about the mobile technology trends at Mobile World Congress 2015 by chatting to James Rosewell of 51Degrees, Dr Kevin Curran from the IEEE and Chris Millington of Doro.

They talk about wearable devices, wireless charging, mobile operating systems and much more... including some of their favourite products from the exhibition.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Looking back at February: from security scares to multiple MVNOs

Podcast - 27th February 2015

We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Interview with Chris Millington of Doro about mobile retailing, wearables and technology for older consumers

Podcast - 24th February 2015

In today's programme Mark Bridge talks to Chris Millington, who's Managing Director for Doro UK and Ireland.

They discuss the state of mobile retailing in the UK, the future of wearable devices and - as you might expect - smartphones for seniors.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

A month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

Podcast - 30th January 2015

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
1234567810Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Twitter @TheFonecast RSS podcast feed
Find us on Facebook Subscribe free via iTunes

Archive Calendar

«November 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
28293031123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
2526272829301
2345678

Archive

Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement