Wireless Emergency Calling Drives Initial
Infrastructure
As true as it was in 1999 when I went to work for LBS (Location-based
Services) middleware industry leader, SignalSoft (now a division of
Openwave), location remains a strategic asset to mobile network
operators. Shrewd service providers have begun to seriously deploy LBS
applications with an emphasis on personal and enterprise applications
such as navigation and remote work force management.
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2006 The Definitive Guide to LBS Applications. (Click for
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One of the main differences between 1999 and 2007 is that today all
network operators have deployed mobile positioning infrastructure
including Control Plane middleware such as Mobile Positioning Center
(MPC) and Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) equipment for CDMA and
GSM networks respectively. These middleware components, whose
deployment was driven by the mandate for phase II of wireless 9-1-1
calling by the Federal Communications Commission in the United States,
provide a control point function between the Positioning Determination
Equipment (PDE) and the client applications such as emergency calling
and commercial LBS applications. While the PDE, Time Division of
Arrival (TDOA) and Assisted GPS (A-GPS) are deployed in the wireless
carriers' networks, the MPC and GMLC are either deployed there or at
their vendors' datacenter, which includes the likes of Intrado and TCS.
Commercial LBS Drives User Plane Infrastructure
While the control plane infrastructure was initially put in place for
wireless 9-1-1, the original vision was for its use in commercial LBS
as well. But the reality was somewhat different. Due to concerns over
network reliability and potential disruption to the emergency calling
network, most operators were hesitant to use the same infrastructure
for commercial LBS services. In addition, Control Plane positioning
assets also use critical and costly network resources including SS7
signaling and intelligent network elements. Some carriers would
consider using an overlay Control Plane for commercial LBS, while
others would not even consider it due to the uncertain payback. The
industry clearly needed an alternative. That alternative was declared
the User Plane and would use a client-server method of positioning
rather than relying on centralized control, expensive network equipment
and software, and signaling between the Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
and the Service Control Point (SCP).
Rather than relying on intelligence, signaling and control within the
wireless carriers' core networks, the User Plane infrastructure is
based on client software within the wireless device, communication over
Internet Protocol (IP), and control and service logic at comparatively
much less expensive servers rather than at the SCP. One of the unique
attributes of the client-based positioning model is the ability of the
client to have intelligence, to be self-aware of its position, and to
be able to autonomously report position events. This can support a wide
array of LBS applications that depend on leveraging a GIS context such
as "geo-fencing" (determining through GIS whether a target wireless
device has entered or left a given geographic area or "geo-fence").
While many non-standard, proprietary client software products and
servers are available from many LBS applications providers, most
industry proponents of commercial LBS applications agree that
proliferation of standards-based User Plane infrastructure will drive
massive deployment and adoption of commercial LBS. One such standard is
referred to as Secure User Plane (SUPL).
Another key component of the overall User Plane infrastructure is the
availability of GPS in the mobile device. Whereas U.S.-based GSM
carriers T-Mobile and AT&T initially deployed T-DOA (time
difference of arrival) for phase II of 9-1-1, they now have aggressive
plans for GPS deployment.
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2005 Mobile Positioning and Location Management. (Click for
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The combination of standards-based clients, server-based control and
service logic, and GPS will most certainly usher in the advent of much
more cost effective and nimble deployment of LBS applications. However,
it will most likely not be enough to ensure a robust ecosystem that
addresses the concerns of carriers, application providers and LBS users.
The Need for Mobile Positioning Mediation
There is something missing from the client-server model of the User
Plane. There is a need for mediation. The type of mediation needed is
Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) as well as privacy
management and user control. The Control Plane infrastructure was built
with certain AAA and privacy management functions, but was arguably
never flexible enough for robust commercial LBS offerings. In contrast
to the more expensive Control Plane, the User Plane lends itself to
more flexible and inexpensive methods to manage positioning requests.
However, it is important to note that LBS application providers will
not necessarily voluntarily implement robust management controls but
rather simple privacy mechanisms.
The need for AAA is driven by the concern over what entity (LBS
application and/or company) is attempting to position a mobile device.
There is a need to authenticate the request as genuine and authorized,
and account for the number of positioning requests for auditing,
billing, clearing and settlement purposes. The accounting portion is
not absolutely required currently by wireless carriers that care more
about driving wireless data adoption and usage than directly monetizing
mobile positioning requests. But authentication and authorization is
critical from a network security perspective and as a foundation for
end-user privacy. As LBS applications become increasingly
commonplace due to the proliferation of the User Plane, end-users will
demand the ability to manage preferences and privacy in terms of what
entity may position them, when, for what application, etc. Long-term,
as wireless carriers begin to realize that positioning is a strategic
asset that can and must be monetized in its own right, they will demand
the accounting function as well. They will also demand third-party
mediation.
It is not enough for the LBS application providers to provide the User
Plane infrastructure and also police themselves. Keep in mind that, due
to the User Plane and its use of IP communications, an LBS application
provider could literally run its business out of the proverbial garage!
Will the wireless carriers want to vet each one of these LBS
application providers? Certainly not! Before User Plane-based LBS
applications can reach critical mass, wireless carriers will require an
independent third-party(s) to provide the Mobile Positioning Mediation
(MPM) function.
The MPM function that I envision would be placed between the mobile
device positioning client and the User Plane server, mediating requests
for position from the server to the client as well as mediating
requests for autonomous push of position information from the client to
the server. The MPM would be operated by a neutral third party on an
Application Service Provider (ASP) basis, and managed on behalf of both
LBS subscribers and the LBS application providers to provide preference
and privacy controls to end users. The ASP solution would also vet LBS
application providers in advance, providing necessary background checks
and procedures to ensure authentication and authorization processing is
effective and efficient. Finally, the ASP would also provide an
accounting function consisting of recording events, rating events, and
clearing and settling payments between payer (LBS application provider)
and payee (the wireless carrier).
Many Methods of Positioning Demands Centralized Management
Another requirement for driving the widespread adoption and usage of
commercial LBS will be centralized positioning management. There are
many emerging non-traditional methods of positioning wireless devices
including Wi-Fi, WiMAX, RFID and others. Many of these methods will be
used for non-cellular devices such as laptops and PDA's, while others
will be included in cell phones in the future. Couple these methods
with more traditional cellular positioning methods such as TDOA, GPS,
cell ID, timing advance, radio fingerprinting, etc. and you have many
procedures, protocols, formats, etc. to manage. There will be a need
for an intermediary entity to aggregate, manage, and distribute
position information to all authenticated and authorized entities. This
positioning management function is functionally separate from the MPM
and can be managed by multiple entities but could be physically
co-located with it and/or run by the same neutral third party.
Summary and Recommendations
The intent of this article is not to scare wireless carriers or
end-users, or place undue burden on the many LBS application developers
and service providers. Quite the contrary, the purpose of this article
is to alert the ecosystem to an issue that will most likely be critical
to the long-term success of the entire LBS value chain for commercial
LBS applications.
Wireless carriers should continue to deploy pre-standard solutions,
work with wireless device providers to roll out standards-based
clients, and work with LBS application providers to deploy well-chosen
services. However, wireless carriers should limit their deployments to
strategic partners while working with industry leading service bureaus
and (Managed Communications Service) providers, the most likely
entities to provide the MPM and mobile positioning management functions
on an ASP basis on behalf of the carriers and the LBS application
providers.
Some of these MCS providers are the same companies that offer both
Control Plane and User Plane solutions today. While many of the AAA and
privacy features are built into the various vendors' User Plane
infrastructure, there are arguments for and against these same
companies offering privacy and preference management, clearing and
settlement functions along with core client-server operation, but I
will leave that to another article.
Ed. note: Detailed
reports
on this and other related topics are available.
