Rome and Tokyo, 6th February, 2006 --- NEC Corporation
today announced that it has been collaborating on joint field
trials for SUPL-based Assisted GPS location services with WIND,
Italy’s leading mobile operator.
Following two trials in May and September last year, the
companies are pleased to announce the successful attainment of the
high levels of performance and accuracy, required to offer the next
generation of location based services.
WIND successfully tested the accuracy and performance of the NEC
solution at 15 locations around Italy with varying environmental
conditions and topographies, both inside and outside, using A-GPS
enables mobile phones.
The NEC system on trial is a Secure User Plane for Location
(SUPL)-based system. SUPL is a standards-based interface, specified
by the Open Mobile Alliance ? that enables a mobile phone to
communicate with a location server in a network agnostic way,
reducing deployment costs and simplifying service roaming.
The NEC A-GPS over IP platform is a complete solution allowing
mobile operators to rapidly deploy various location-based services
(LBS) that benefit from higher location accuracy. The solution uses
A-GPS technology to enable highly accurate positioning of a mobile
device.
In A-GPS positioning, the service uses both an A-GPS chipset in
the handset and a position calculation engine at the mobile
operator or service provider, to determine the mobile device’s
location. An A-GPS chipset can be embedded within a mobile handset
with little impact on form factor or battery life, unlike
traditional GPS receivers in handheld devices.
NEC is a pioneer in A-GPS solutions and boasts a wealth of
experience in developing location-based service systems for not
only Japanese operators but also operators worldwide. NEC has made
a valuable contribution to consumer location-based services in some
of the world’s leading mobile carriers, proving its competence in
this field.
The system allows for positioning data management with high
levels of reliability and privacy control, incorporating
user-specified preferences. In conjunction with content delivery
servers and Internet gateways, the NEC A-GPS over IP Solution
enables diverse location based services. The solution supports
Mobile Location Protocol, a standard interface with ASP/CP, making
it easy for ASP and CP to develop a wide range of location service
choices.
The A-GPS technology offers positioning accuracy superior to
most other positioning techniques. Outdoors the NEC A-GPS over IP
Solution works in conjunction with GPS satellites to accomplish
highly accurate positioning.
In indoor applications, it automatically falls back on the
cell-based positioning technology as needed. Using these
technologies in combination realizes an optimum positioning
solution that minimizes ‘grey zones’ where positioning is not
available.
About NEC’s Enriched Mobile Life Solutions
NEC's solutions for a better mobile lifestyle underpin the rich
media delivery, voice and contextual service portfolios of leading
mobile network operators around the world. A quicker time to live
service, lower implementation risk and an annually evolving
integrated product line, mean our customers become our partners as
they rely on us to protect their market advantage.
NEC will exhibit its latest Mobile Solutions at this year’s 3GSM
World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, being held from February 13 ?
16, 2006, showcasing the products behind its leading position in
the global 3G and mobile internet market. At this year's 3GSM World
Congress, NEC will unveil a selection of integrated products and
services that show how NEC is adding value today to its customers
by providing end-to-end solutions.
NEC’s booth illustrates network evolution, service solutions,
customer value chain solutions, a product portfolio of network
infrastructure and value added services, mobile handsets and
semiconductor solutions.
For more information regarding NEC’s activities at 3GSM, please
visit http://www.nec-3gsm.com/
About WIND Telecomunicazioni S.p.A.
Established in 1997, WIND is the leading Italian operator
offering integrated fixed, internet and mobile telecommunications
solutions.
WIND manages Europe’s most extensive TLC network run by a
non-incumbent operator. WIND covers more than 98,9 percent of the
Italian population with its mobile network, offers fixed telephony
and internet services over the entire national territory and has a
more than 18,000 kilometres long fibre optic backbone.
WIND is the leading non incumbent operator on the Italian fixed
telephony market, runs Italy’s most successful internet Portal
(Italia On Line) and is the Italian largest Internet Service
Provider (ISP). WIND is also Italy’s 3rd largest mobile operator,
with a 16 percent market share gained in just three years from
launce of its mobile service.
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation is one of the world’s leading providers in
Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions
dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and
global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world’s top
patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the
key field of computer, networking and electronic devises, by
integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by
providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics
Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people
worldwide and had net sales of 4,855 billion yen (approx.
$45billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2005. For additional
information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.
More information on A-GPS over IP Solutions can be found at:
http://www.nec-mobilesolutions.com/