Overview of the technology

When a telephone is connected to the One 2 One network, a connection is made to the nearest available uncongested cell site. A call will first go to the cell site that has the strongest signal (ie the nearest site). If this site is fully utilised, the call is automatically switched to the next one, and so on, until a cell with sufficient capacity to deal with the call is located.

Cell site information is only generated when a user originates calls and when the particular telephone is operational on the 0ne 2 One network.

Cell sites have radii varying between less than 1km to over 30 km and therefore information about the specific cell site would only give a general indication of the place from where calls were made. A majority of cell sites are sectored to allow a call to be tracked down to a directional bearing of 120 degrees.

While cell site information can give a general impression of the area or region from which calls are made, it is not possible to pinpoint accurately the whereabouts of an individual.

It will shortly be possible for the One 2 One network to determine, within an accuracy of 550m, the distance between the user and the cell site that has made the connection. This is achieved by measuring the time taken for the signal to travel between the handset and the cell site. When this data is compared with information about the particular cell sector that has been activated, the user’s location can be determined more precisely – generally to within 225m of their specific location.

This location reading can be presented to users in a variety of ways, depending on the degree of granularity that is required. A user may wish to activate location-based services that need a precise location (“where’s my nearest bank”). Or, a user may wish to activate services that require more general information (“what’s the weather”). 

Likely services

Buddy locator

Recent research[1] reveals that in the UK, people aged 15 – 24 are the heaviest users of SMS text messaging services.  In Scandinavia, this age group is also keen to subscribe to services that allow them to reveal their current location to their friends.  This location may also be pre-set as “home”, “work” or “school”.

Similar principles could be applied to small businesses with mobile workforces. Road safety levels might be improved if drivers were able to reveal their location without having to use their mobile telephone. 

In situ

Many occasional visitors and tourists are interested in a service that will allow them to find the location of a nearby cashpoint machine, bar or restaurant. Others wish to know what films are being presented at their local cinema.

Visitors to a shopping complex wish to know what special offers are available within the immediate area.

General services

Many subscribers wish to access local road traffic information or regional weather forecasts. Suppliers who may only need general, rather than specific, information about the subscriber’s actual location can provide these services.

Technical problems that have to be overcome

Consumer choice

Need to offer customers a choice as to which services they want to be visible for, and which they do not.

Need to offer customers different degrees of granularity, so that they can choose the level of detail they wish their location to be presented as (eg, a specific area or a city).

Need to offer these choices in a user-friendly manner

Software

Need for all services to be accessible by SMS text message, WAP, & the Internet.

Need to ensure adequate security for the data that is retained. Information about the user is processed – this person may not be the registered subscriber of that telephone. One 2 One does not require “pre-pay” subscribers to register or otherwise identify themselves before telephone services are made available to them.

Need to ensure sufficient safeguards for “pull” and “push” services.

Ø       “Pull” services are offered where the user makes a specific request for information based on their present location. (For example, they may wish to know about the special offers in the shopping complex that they are currently in.)

Ø       “Push “ services are offered where the user makes a specific request for information that may not yet be available.  (For example, they may wish to be advised of the special offers available in a shopping complex that they may visit at a later time, and they wish such information to be sent to them each time they visit that shopping complex.)

Martin Hoskins
Data Protection Manager
One 2 One

September 2001