The Basics

What is Whereis® Mobile?

Whereis® Mobile allows you to access your favourite Whereis® functionality from your phone. Whether you simply want to find a map, get turn-by-turn directions for your next trip, locate a range of nearby services or even find your (Telstra) friends, Whereis® Mobile has it all for you.

What is Whereis® Everyone?

Enjoy the convenience and peace of mind of knowing where your family, friends or colleagues are - and even your mobile if it's misplaced - with Whereis Everyone. Simply invite someone with a Telstra mobile service to share their location with you and you can view where they are by going online or from your mobile. You can also safeguard your privacy with a range of security setting and take advantage of SMS and email alerts telling you where people are. Go to http://whereis.com/everyone for more details.

Which mobile operators does Whereis® Mobile support?

Whereis® Mobile currently works on all internet-enabled mobile phones across the following major operators in Australia - Telstra, Vodafone, Three, Hutchison, Virgin and Optus.

Which mobile devices does Whereis® Mobile work on?

A large number of devices are known to support Whereis® Mobile. The primary requirement is that the mobile is internet-enabled. Please refer to your owner's manual if you are not sure if you can access the mobile internet.

How do I get Whereis® on my mobile?

To get started with Whereis® Mobile click here to enter your mobile number online or you can SMS the word 'Whereis' to 0428 11 64 64.

You'll receive a return SMS which includes the Whereis® Mobile download URL. Simply click on the link and you're ready to search Whereis® Mobile

You can also type http://mobile.whereis.com into your mobile browser

Don't forget to bookmark Whereis® Mobile inside your browser - so you can find it easily next time you use want to use it.

What is positioning information?

If you are a Telstra customer you will have an option to allow your phone to be approximately located, thereby providing an even easier user experience. You can do this by setting your preferences to 'always' or 'once'. Whereis® Mobile can then locate your handset and use your location to help find things nearby. This will save you having to enter your address.

How much does it cost me to use Whereis® Mobile?

Data retrieval charges do not apply for Telstra Next G customers browsing Whereis® Mobile however retrieval charges may apply for other users. These charges are made by your Carrier - you will need to refer to your mobile phone plan or contact your service provider for more information.

Additional charges apply to the use of Whereis® Everyone. You can choose to pay 50c per search, or a monthly subscription of $2.95 for unlimited searches (our reasonable use policy applies). Each alert costs 30c. Go to http://whereis.com/everyone for full details.

How can I use Whereis® Mobile?

Finding What's Nearby?

"What's Nearby" allows you to find a business or service near your current or chosen location.

The categories you can choose from are:
* - Going Out
* - Shops
* - Services
* - Accommodation

Once you have found what you're looking for, you can display the location on a map and get directions to it.

Where does Whereis® source this information?

Whereis® Mobile content comes from an extensive Sensis database. The information is cross matched against your nominated location.

Why doesn't Whereis® Mobile list every point of interest near me?

Whereis® Mobile gets its content from the Yellow™directory, the Citysearch® site and a range of other third party collated databases. The business or point of interest must be listed within these databases.

How do I get directions?

You can get directions between two locations by entering the START and END locations, then select the type of directions you would like. e.g. walking, driving, driving (no tolls). You can also specify the location of a Stop-Off point along the way.

Step by step directions will be returned and you will be able to view the route on an overview map. When using Whereis® Maps, Nearby or Everyone, you will be given an option to 'Get Directions'. Selecting this option will return directions from your specified location to the location of the result you just found (eg. a florist, or a bar). Note: walking directions are only available for a journey that is less than 10 km distance.

How do I get a map?

Selecting the 'Get a Map' function allows you to view your current or a specified location on a map.

How do I find a friend?

If you are a Telstra customer, you can access Whereis® Everyone. This allows you to connect and share your approximate location with your friends, alerts you when your friends are nearby and find places to meet. Click on 'Find your Friends' and register now to get started.

How does Whereis® use my current location?

Provided you are a Telstra customer (and you have provided permission for us to obtain your approximate location), Whereis® will automatically use your approximate location to enable an even easier user-experience, by minimising the amount of text input via your handset's keypad.

How can I move around a map?

To navigate your way around the map, use the map controls underneath the map:

* - Zoom in or out, by clicking on either the + or - magnifying glass buttons. The text 'Zoom: 3/9' will tell you what zoom level you are at.
* - Move the map North, South, West or East by clicking on the corresponding letter (e.g. click on N to see more of the map to the north).

You can return to the original map that was displayed by clicking the original map link

I found the business listing I want. Can I get in touch with them directly?

Each business listing includes a number which you can click on and initiate a call directly to that business. The call will be charged at your standard rate.

Can I save places of interest to quickly access at another time?

Yes, you can save all your favourite places to 'My Places', so you can access them easily next time you use Whereis® Mobile. You will find your first three 'My Places' on the home page. At any time you can also select from 'My Places' instead of entering an address. There is a link to My Places in the footer and you can edit your list anytime.

Troubleshooting

Why can't I use the Mobile Web on my phone?

You should first check that your mobile is able to access the Mobile Web. Contact your service provider if you're unsure. If you have any problems accessing mobile internet services on your internet-enabled phone please contact your mobile service provider.

How do I give feedback on my experience using Whereis® Mobile?

You can tell us what you think about Whereis® Mobile or any improvements we could make by emailing wirelessinfo@sensis.com.au

I have sent a text message to receive Whereis® Mobile. Why has nothing come back?

We respond to all requests, however sometimes there can be a delay across the mobile network. Please note that for security reasons only one request can be made per day.

Why do I keep getting error messages when using Whereis® Mobile?

All error messages will contain details about the error. Errors may be caused by gaps in mobile reception, so it's always worth trying to use the service again at a later point.

If the problems continue, please let us know by emailing wirelessinfo@sensis.com.au