Airborne Opportunities

FCC push to finalize E911 capabilities spurs location-based product development

Location-based services (LBS) vendors are readying LBS tools for businesses and consumers based on enhanced 911 (E911) emergency location technology, despite lengthy E911 implementation delays.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been pressuring wireless carriers to expedite E911 capabilities using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite data to locate mobile device users within 100 meters to help rescue workers find victims, especially since the Sept. 11th attacks. However, wireless carriers couldn't meet an October 2001 E911 deadline, derailing the plans of LBS vendors hoping to quickly cash in on E911 technology with ancillary products and services.

The Cahners In-Stat Group estimated that LBS will not be available until later in 2002, but that such technology could increase revenues from $37 million in 2001 to more than $13 billion in 2005. International Data Corp. estimated 2005 revenues will be closer to $20 billion, fueled by 559 million subscribers.

Wireless carriers will be looking for ways to offset high E911 implementation costs through LBS, according to Cahners. LBS could range from helping consumers find nearby retail outlets to providing transportation companies with in-dash, location-based BI, such as weather data and road and route information.

For example, Maptuit Corp. recently partnered with IBM to set up an e-geo porting center in Colorado to deliver location-based, e-logistics services such as address finders and travel route calculators for consumers and transportation companies.

"The e-geo industry ... has strong potential for continued growth," said Stephane Boisvert, an executive in IBM's Net Generation finance program.

In related alliances, MapInfo Corp. teamed with Alcatel, a French optical network provider, to integrate MapInfo's Location Management Platform with Alcatel's Intelligent Mobile Location Server to offer services such as E911, location-sensitive billing, and commercial LBS. Geographical information systems, or GIS, leaders ESRI and Autodesk have also announced LBS initiatives.

In October 2001 Sprint and Samsung Telecommunications jointly released the Sprint PCS SPH-N300, a GPS-enabled wireless phone that will work with forthcoming E911 and LBS technology. CustomWeather Inc. also announced an agreement to supply personalized weather content for InfoMove Inc.'s in-vehicle LBS products.

Intel joined the LBS movement with its recently launched Telematics Design Center for developers building wireless voice and data products and services for vehicles and in-dash automobile systems using Intel StrongARM and forthcoming XScale-based processors. LBS newcomer Airbiquity Inc. also recently registered patents for mobile geospatial-IP addressing via GPS and for its new IP-LOC8R GPS accessory, which has been picked up by wireless concierge and security providers, including I-Planet Wireless LLC and SkyCop.

After overcoming implementation hurdles, E911 and LBS still face privacy and standardization issues.

— Claudia Willen

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