Location related products are the next major class of value added services that mobile network operators can offer their customers. Not only will operators be able to offer entirely new services to customer s, but they will also be able to offer improvements on current services such as location-based prepaid or information services. The deployment of location based se rvices is being spurred by several factors:
Competition : The need to find new revenue enhancing and differentiating value added
services has been increasing and will continue to increase over time.
Regulation : The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the USA adopted a
ruling in June 1996 (Docket no. 94-102) that requires all mobile network operators to
provide location information on all calls to ?911?, the emergency services. The FCC
mandated that by 1
st
October 2001, all wireless 911 calls must be pinpointed within125
meters, 67% of the time. On December 24 1998, the FCC amended its ruling to allow
terminal based solutions as well as network based ones (CC Docket No. 94-102, Waivers
for Handset-Based Approaches).
There are a number of regulations that location based services must comply with, not least of all to protect the privacy of the user. Mobile Streams believes that it is essential to comply with all such regulations fully. However, such regulations are only the starting point for such services- there are possibilities for a high degree of innovation in this new market that should not be overlooked.
Technology : There have been continuous improvements in handset, network and
positioning technologies. For example, in 1999, Benefon, a Finnish GSM and NMT
terminal vendor launched the ESC! GSM/ GPS mapping phone.
Download your Reports for Cellular Positioning
Advertisement