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Breakthrough GPS Location Technology
Index
- Overview
- Components of GPS Systems
- Benefits to Business
- GPS Functionality
- Software Classifications
- Breakthrough Developments
- Future Quest AVL Solutions
- Request for Information or Quotation
New Developments in GPS Technology
One of the most exciting developments to hit the location industry is the emergence of cellular phones with built-in GPS satellite location technology. Driven by the FCC’s E911 mandate that carriers must be able to locate a cellular phone from which a 911 call is placed, manufacturers have started to integrate GPS receivers directly into cellular phones. Over 30% of 911 calls within the United States now originate from a wireless phone.
Aside from satisfying the FCC mandate, the GPS capability opens the door for many personal and commercial applications. A broad range of location based services are emerging as an opportunistic market jumps to take advantage of the ability to pinpoint user location. Although most wireless carriers are now offering GPS capable phones, there are some important differences that customers should be aware of. Just having a GPS capable phone does not guarantee the user that a quality tracking application or other location based service will be available. Those GPS coordinates may only be usable by the carrier. Many of these new, innovative services require that the phone has additional capabilities, such as a Java or Pocket PC operating system, in order to take advantage of its GPS capability.
 In this respect, iDEN cellular carriers, such as Nextel, Telus Mobility (Mike®) and Southern Linc, have a significant market lead, thanks to Motorola's i88, i58, i730 and i830 model iDEN phones, which incorporate both GPS and Java capability. These phones incorporate SiRF’s high sensitivity technology, which is optimized for location acquisition in low signal environments, such as densely wooded areas, urban canyons or even some indoor environments. The built-in java operating system makes innovative and cost-effective location based applications available.
For example, commercial fleet operators can load a java application onto their GPS capable phone such as iTRAKjava™ or PhoneLink™, and subscribe to a full-featured AVL solution that allows them to track the location of their fleet on a real-time basis. For more information on iDEN GPS-capable phones, click here.
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