| General LBS Questions |
|
|
| LBS Application Questions |
|
|
|
| General LBS Questions |
| |
|
What is LBS?
|
|
LBS is an acronym for Location Based Services.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
What are Location Based Services?
|
|
Location Based Services (LBS) encompass a range of services enabled when a mobile device is aware of its
location, or when a wireless network is aware of the location of mobile devices operating on it.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
How are Location Based Services delivered?
|
|
Location based services may be provided though downloadable software applications (e.g., BREW), via WAP 2.0, SMS
and MMS messaging, and other mechanisms. At the present time, Verizon Wireless' platform supports only BREW LBS
applications.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Are LBS applications available on all Verizon Wireless phones?
|
|
No. The technology used by Verizon Wireless has been enabled in certain newer BREW-enabled handsets. This list
of handsets continues to grow, and most of the newer phones support LBS. At the present time, LBS is not
available on PDAs (Windows Mobile, Palm, RIM).
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Are LBS and E-911 the same thing?
|
|
No. From the network perspective, the Verizon Wireless commercial LBS implementation is completely independent
of the E-911 infrastructure. At the device level, however, the same gpsOne chipset is used. On the E-911
infrastructure, communications occur over the SS7 signaling network, and the only time a device's location can
be obtained is when the subscriber dials 9-1-1. For the commercial LBS service, the communication occurs via
TCP/IP over the 1xRTT or EV-DO data network.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Is there an actual GPS chip in the phone?
|
|
The technology selected by Verizon Wireless to enable LBS includes Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers
embedded in the mobile devices, together with new network elements that assist with location determination,
mediate access to common geo-services and data, and enforce subscriber permissions related to privacy. This
technology is referred to as Assisted GPS, or aGPS.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
How is the device's location determined?
|
|
The device's location may be determined via a device-initiated application, wherein the subscriber invokes a
location aware application from their mobile phone, or they may be network-initiated, meaning that an entity
outside of the Verizon Wireless network attempts to locate a Verizon Wireless subscriber's device.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Where will LBS services work?
|
|
Because the Verizon Wireless LBS platform uses assisted GPS, wherein the cellular network aids the device
in locating itself, LBS services will only work on the Verizon Wireless Enhanced Services network. LBS will not
operate in a roaming environment.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Can the device be found if it is indoors?
|
|
Yes. If the device does not have visibility to the GPS satellites, it will revert to network triangulation to
acquire its location.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
What is MS-Assisted mode of operation?
|
|
In MS-Assisted mode, the network elements calculate the location of the device. This mode is suitable for
one-shot fixes, wherein the location does not need to be updated frequently.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
What is MS-Based mode of operation?
|
|
In MS-Based mode, the network provides the satellite information to the device, based on a rough estimate of
where the device is located, and the device acquires the GPS signals from the satellites and calculates its
location. After the initial fix, the device operates like an autonomous GPS receiver, until the satellite
information must be refreshed, at which time the device goes back to the network to update the satellite
information. MS-Based mode is appropriate for applications that require the device location to be updated
rapidly, such as a navigation application.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Can my application use both MS-Assisted and MS-Based mode?
|
|
Yes. The mode is application dependent, and different features of the same application can use a different mode.
For example, in a navigation application, if the user is looking for the nearest restaurant, the location may be
acquired via MS-Assisted mode. However, when driving to the restaurant, the location must be updated regularly,
so MS-Based mode is more appropriate.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Can the GPS work in autonomous mode?
|
|
No, the GPS receiver requires the assistance of the network elements to acquire its initial location fix.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Can any phone be located today?
|
|
No, other than if when the user dials 9-1-1. If the user never downloads an LBS application, nobody other than
the 9-1-1 community will ever have access to the phone's location.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Does the user have control over how and when their location is used?
|
|
Yes. There are several layers of protection built in. First, on the device, the user must change the Location
setting from "911 Only" to "Location On". Then, the user must download an LBS application. The first time that
application is run, the user can set up their privacy settings, wherein they define how (Always Allow, Always
Ask, Always Deny) and when (days of the week, times of the day) the application can acquire the location. Then,
each time the application is run, the location request is authenticated by the network.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Can the user change their privacy settings?
|
|
Yes. They can do so in two ways. First, via downloading a free BREW application called "Location Management".
Second, by visiting the Location Management website at https://www.vzwlocationmanagement.com/llspp.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Is the subscriber location information secure?
|
|
Verizon Wireless has taken many steps to ensure that the subscriber's location is secure. Each LBS application
is treated as untrusted, meaning that the application must be authenticated prior to being allowed to
acquire the location of the device. In addition, third party application developers must provide to Verizon
Wireless a plan for how they ensure that the customer's location is kept secure. And they must sign a contract
that states that they will ensure the customer's location is kept secure.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
| LBS Application Questions |
| |
|
How do I submit an LBS application for consideration?
|
|
Application developers should register their application on the Zon at www.vzwdevelopers.com.
Click on the LBS tab.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Am I guaranteed that my application will launch on the Verizon Wireless
network?
|
|
No. Verizon Wireless will evaluate the application based on its merits, the business case, the application's
security of the subscriber's location information, and how well the application aligns with Verizon Wireless'
goals and business objectives. In addition, all LBS applications must pass several levels of testing prior to
being considered for launch.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
If my application is accepted, what is the process to get it launched?
|
|
The LBS Developers program is very similar to the BREW Developer's program, with the exception that there are a
few additional testing milestones that must be met. Review the BREW Developer's program as a starting point.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
How do I get my credentials to begin development with the test environment?
|
|
Review the BREW Content Guidelines on the Zon, and submit the application. If the application is accepted, you
will be provided with credentials.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
How do I get access to the BREW LBS extensions?
|
|
If your application is accepted, you will be provided with the BREW extensions.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
Is technical support available?
|
|
Yes. Our partner Autodesk will provide technical support to application developers who have been accepted in to
the developer's program.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
|
What can I do to ensure that my application is accepted, and to ensure a smooth
certification process?
|
|
First and foremost, think security. The protection of the customer's location is of paramount importance. Ensure
that your application protects the customer's location data. If the customer's location is stored on your
servers, ensure that there is no way that this information can be acquired by anyone other than people
authorized by the customer (for example, a buddy finder application would share the user's location only with
those buddies specifically allowed by the user), and cannot be hacked into by a third party.
|
|
Secondly, think ease of use. The simpler the application is to use, the easier it will be to test, and the more
likely it will be to launch.
|
|
Third, think uniqueness. Verizon Wireless will likely not launch a number of similar applications. Make sure
your application does something different.
|
|
Back To Top
|
|
