:: Location Information

As networks make the transition to IP based platforms, a range of issues emerge that overlap and intersect.  Communications Alliance’s activities on VoIP identified Location Information as one of the key issues requiring attention.

As well, the DCITA report “Examination of Policy and Regulation Relating to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Services” recommended “Industry should be encouraged to find a technical solution to the issue of location information reliability in IP services”.

The presence or absence, and accuracy, of location information can affect areas as diverse as emergency call handling, billing, and value added location based services.

Therefore Communications Alliance established a Working Group to scope the long term options that can facilitate the consistent use of location information on IP networks.  Membership of the group included world class experts who are involved in activities within the IETF and related national activities in Australia, North America and Europe on IP based location information, including emergency services applications.

The group looked at the way that the information for location of an end user or device is defined, requested and conveyed.  It met in late 2006 and early 2007 and has published its findings in a report, available from http://commsalliance.com.au/projects/voip .

Key features of the report are the identification of:
- the primary option for location information format, namely the IETF’s Presence Information Data Format
  – Location Object (PIDF LO), defined in RFC 4119.
- potential barriers to adoption, such as:
  (i)   the lack of incentive for an ISP to support a Location Information Server (LIS) 
        – this can be addressed by extending the LIS application to non-voice services
        and creating a commercial benefit from maintaining the LIS e.g. payment per
        request for location information.
  (ii)   privacy concerns - although these can be addressed by defining the level of
         precision provided.
  (iii)   the maturity of international standards – improving all the time
  (vi)   the (in)accuracy of databases, essential for translating customer records into
         location information

The next step is to take the information from the report and plan the best way to support location based services.  This will bring together a diverse range of people with their different perspectives on location information.  For example, they may have a signalling/protocol perspective, an emergency call handling perspective or a location based service perspective.  All inputs are important, so your participation is welcome – contact Communications Alliance for more information or to participate in the activity..

James Duck
Project Manager, Communications Alliance