mobloc8

Here’s a tragic story from the Chicago Tribune about a motorbike rider who died because his mobile phone calls to 911 couldn’t be traced: Biker Dies When Cell Calls Can’t Be Traced.

Unfortunately, the technical aspects of the article are quite poorly researched. For example, the article claims that in order to be located, “a cell phone user’s telephone also has to have more recent, compatible technology”. I guess they’re referring to A-GPS here, but there are plenty of other ways to locate a phone accurately enough to enable a successful search and rescue. Technologies like E-OTD, TA/NMR, and U-TDOA all work fine with older phones.

The article is correct, though, in highlighting how slow some network operators have been in rolling out their E-911 systems. As McHenry County Commissioner Mary Lou Zierer says, “You don’t realize the importance until something like this happens, where a gentleman probably could have been saved if we could have pinpointed him.”

TruePosition today announced a hosted solution for wireless location, designed to help rural carriers meet the FCC’s E911 Phase II requirements.

This type of hosted solution is great for smaller wireless carriers, as it helps them avoid the upfront capital cost of mobile location infrastructure. It also removes the ongoing burden of maintenance and operation of the equipment.

This particular service seems to rely primarily on the network-based U-TDOA (Uplink Time Difference Of Arrival) location technology.

Source.