Location Based Services: Too much hype?
By
Larry Loh
Friday, Jun 8 2001 11:15 AM
Telecom players and wireless firms who are pushing out Location Based Services (LBS) through existing platforms such as SMS and newer ones like GPRS should beware the hype surrounding it.
Singapore - Ovum Research reports mobile commerce is expected to generate more than $20 billion in revenue by 2006 and mobile usage to overtake that of personal computers by 2004. With such revenue potential at stake, numerous companies are making a bid at rolling out mobile location services (or LBS) within the next few years or even months.
However, keynote speakers at Mobile Internet Asia 2001 warned of the hype and euphorism built around Location Based Services, advising more caution and prudence with over-committing resources to it.
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Mobile Internet Asia 2001 is a strategy-driven event featuring high-level m-commerce case studies from telecom operators, financial institutions, and other mobile companies from Asia. It is organized by Worldwide Business Research and is being held in Singapore this year.
“There are numerous issues facing real-value to subscribers (of LBS) currently in the industry”, said Walid Sinno, director of Business Development (Asia) of Webraska Technologies, a mobile service enabler.
Speaking at one of the conference sessions, Sinno cited the “impossible expectations of Mobile Location Services” built up by subscribers and that there are numerous factors hindering a global LBS rollout.