A location-based service (or LBS) in a cellular telephone network is a service provided to the subscriber based on her current geographic location. This position can be known by user entry or a GPS receiver that she carries with her, but most often the term implies the use of a function built into the cell network that uses triangulation between the known geographic coordinates of the base stations through which the communication takes place. One implication is that knowledge of the coordinates is owned and controlled by the network operator, and not by the end user herself.

Examples of location based services might include finding the closest Italian restaurant. The ability of the restaurant to send an invitation to bypassers has also been mentioned, even though this might be regarded as unsolicited commercial email or spamming.

These services were launched in the late 1990s, and the development in this area seems (as of 2004) to be driven more by technical ability than by user need.

Linked technology also allows someone to identify the location of a mobile phone user to within a few yards or metres. This is especially useful when dialing an emergency telephone number, such as enhanced 9-1-1 in North America, so that the operator can dispatch emergency police or firefighting services to the correct location. In the U.S. the FCC requires all new phones have this capability, and that the user be able to easily turn it off for all non-emergency uses.

External links

• UK Verilocation service (http://www.verilocation.com/HowItWorks.aspx)
• CellSpotting.com, A Global cell id based service (http://www.cellspotting.com)
• uLocate.com, US service thar uses GPS in phones (http://www.ulocate.com)