Location Server Supports Cell Phone Tracking

MapPoint Location Server (MLS), a new ASP.NET-based middleware product, is designed to simplify development of applications that track the geographical position of cell phones and display those locations on maps. Available exclusively as a free add-on for companies with a subscription to the MapPoint Web service, MLS will be of interest to organizations that need to know where mobile personnel are or allow mobile personnel to identify their present location or locate their nearest coworker. However, thus far only two cellular carriers support MLS connections.

Regulations Enable New Applications

Cell phones communicate with base stations, each of which provides coverage in a roughly circular area called a “cell.” Cells usually overlap, allowing for continuous calling as users move from one to another. Each time a cell phone enters a cell, it registers its presence with base stations controlling that cell, even if the phone is not making a call. Cell phone carriers can typically determine a given cellular phone’s location to within the area of coverage of a single cell, a radius of about one to ten kilometers. If the user is within range of three base stations, however, the phone’s location can be triangulated to within 100 meters without using global positioning system (GPS) technology.