A location-based service (LBS) is an information and entertainment service, accessible with mobile devices through the mobile network and utilizing the ability to make use of the geographical position of the mobile device. LBS services can be used in a variety of contexts, such as health, work, personal life, etc. LBS services include services to identify a location of a person or object, such as discovering the nearest banking cash machine or the whereabouts of a friend or employee. LBS services include parcel tracking and vehicle tracking services. LBS can include mobile commerce when taking the form of coupons or advertising directed at customers based on their current location. They include personalized weather services and even location-based games. They are an example of telecommunication convergence. (Wikipedia, 2009)
Current wireless location based services are growing much slower than expected. One of the major problems is the inefficiency of geographic coordinates such as longitude/latitude and UTM. These coordinates require more than 20 characters at a resolution of meters that are difficult for people to remember and communicate. They are also difficult to be displayed on and input into small wireless devices. All these make geographic coordinates nearly useless to general consumers.
This technology has two barriers to overcome before it liberates great power. The first barrier is vast public awareness. If people don’t know the technology and its advantages, they will not use any features brought by the technology, and all these services will not have any advantages because of the introduction of the technology. The second barrier is wide availability of Universal Addresses. If people don’t know their Universal Addresses, they still can’t benefit from the advantages of the technology either. To overcome these two barriers, it requires great influence and comprehensive services that most small or medium size companies are not able to accomplish. Therefore, only large companies with large influence in the society and providing mass communication services can achieve the goal. An ideal candidate is a large telecommunication company which provides both wireless location based services and telephone catalogs for fixed phones.( Shen, 2003)
References :
1. Wikipedia, 2009, " Location Base Service"
2. Shen, 2003," Problem and Solution , "Wireless Location Base Service"
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