The Verizon Wireless commercial Location Based Services (LBS) platform provides the ability for developers to create applications that use the subscriber's location as part of the delivery of the service. These applications may be consumer focused, or enterprise focused. Consumer application types include navigation & traffic, LBS games, mobile marketing, and social networking. Enterprise applications include field force automation, real estate and custom solutions.

Verizon Wireless' commercial LBS platform is completely independent of our E-911 infrastructure. Our E-911 implementation uses the signaling channel in the determination of the device location, whereas our commercial services use TCP/IP over our 1xRTT data network. LBS utilizes the gpsOne functionality built into the Qualcomm chipset, along with two network elements, to acquire the location of the device.

Two new network elements were added to the Verizon Wireless network to implement the commercial LBS platform. The first network element is called the Position Determination Entity (PDE). It assists the device in acquiring its location. The second element is called the Location Proxy Server (LPS). It provides privacy management and control, as well as a common geo-services and geo-data platform. All consumer LBS applications must use the LPS for geo-services and geo-data. LBS uses two types of technology to determine location known as Assisted GPS (A-GPS) and Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT). To determine location using A-GPS the handset takes readings from closest GPS satellites with the help of the PDE on the network. Unlike A-GPS, AFLT does not use GPS satellites to determine location, the handset uses measurements of signals from nearby cellular base stations and reports the time/distance readings back through the network, which are then used to triangulate an approximate location of the handset.

The security of our customer's location information is of paramount importance. In addition to the requirements of confidentiality and storage and use of information, Verizon Wireless has certain policies and procedures that must be adhered to. Please keep this in mind as you develop your applications.

At this time, LBS is only being offered on BREW handsets. As such, please review the BREW program details by clicking on the BREW tab above.