MTN has introduced a new service that allows its subscribers to find the closest fast-food restaurant, petrol station or any type of points of interest (POI) in their vicinity.
 
MTN Compass is location based and can be accessed by dialling *120*555# from any MTN phone, or by visiting  www.mtn.co.za or www.mtncompass.co.za via phone or PC browser. 

Once the number is dialed, POI categories will be displayed on screen. The categories include weather, movies, sport, food, ATM and shopping amongst others. A quick test of the service supplied good results, with MTN also providing the option of displaying a map and turn-by-turn directions to your selection. All this without the need for a GPS in your phone. 

Compass is available to all MTN customers (contract, TopUp or Pay-As-You-Go). There is no monthly subscription fee to utilise the service, as customers will be charged a service fee (21c per 20 seconds) and content cost (R1) only.
 
“To use this service, all you need to do is to select a Point of Interest category, which will then present you with a sub-menu, such as McDonald’s, if you selected ‘Food’ as the POI,” explains Serame Taukobong, chief marketing officer of MTN SA. “You will then be presented with information on the McDonald’s outlet that is closest to your current location, including the physical address and a contact number. If this is the information that you are looking for, a request can be made for the details to be sent as an SMS directly to your cell phone. The SMS will also include a web link that will enable you to access an online map on your cell phone, which will provide street-by-street directions from your current location to the selected point of interest.”