Re: Mobile Location Based Service user privacy (commercial issue)

> Now I use a people finding application as an example to show that if the
> Mobile Network Operator wants to control the user privacy profile for
every
> application, it becomes quite complicated. This is always my concern. Do
you
> have any idea about the general practice of MNOs regarding this, now and
> perhaps in future UMTS?

Presently, DoCoMo offers a number of location based services for example
Ima-DoCo (requires PHS handsets) and DoCo-Navi (uses GPS and i-mode
terminals). These first generation location based services ensure some
degree of user privacy by using a password based authentication mechanism.

UMTS has quite decent support for user privacy. Please see the latest
release of 3GPP TS 23.271 for more details.

> Following is my example of the People Tracking Application provided and
> operated by an ASP. By subscribing to this service, people can locate
others
> whom they have the authorization to locate.
> There are User A, B, C, D, etc. Each of them has a user profile in ASP
side.
>
>
> User Profile (People Tracking) in ASP:
> User A -- B, C can track me (User A), time, date, conditions etc.
> User B -- C, D can track me (User B), time, date, conditions etc.
> User C -- A, D can track me (User C), time, date, conditions etc.
> User D ....
> .....
>
> The user profile in ASP is required since ASP operates the Application and
> it wants to send request to Network Operator only if the location request
is
> valid and with authorization.
> Also, as you mentioned, the Network Operator will maintain the same
Profile
> at its own side. Also, it is the arrangement of UMTS.
>
> So, we have anothe user profile in Network Operator.
> User Profile (People Tracking) in Network Operator (it is the same one as
> User Profile in ASP)
> User A -- B, C can track me (User A), time, date, conditions etc.
> User B -- C, D can track me (User B), time, date, conditions etc.
> User C -- A, D can track me (User C), time, date, conditions etc.
> User D ....
> .....
>
> One question then arises. Where shall the user change his profile since
> there are two identical user profiles at different places, one in ASP and
> another in Network Operator? Anyway, a solution could be that once one
user
> profile has been changed, the other has to be informed and updated to make
> them match. Then we have another problem. The two user profiles have to
talk
> and interface to each other.

The user will always make changes to the subscription profile that is
maintained by the MNO. I really don't think the MNO will agree to
transferring the user's entire/partial subscription information to the ASP
because subscription information itself is quite confidential.

> It seems that DLP (DoCoMo Location Platform) for PDC and mopera for PHS is
> the only box that 3rd party application/content provider has to deal with,
> which simpify the whole structure.
> So far, the NTT DoCoMo LBS seems to be content focused other than
> application (ASP) focused. That is user requst some information and the
> content provider will send the information upon request.
>
> Do you know if DLP or mopera has the full user profile for Location Based
> Service?

I consider DLP as part of the MNO. Subscribers to location information
services can access DLP via standard interface and use it to locate
different entities. You can envision DLP playing the role of the Gateway
Mobile Location Center (GMLC) in UMTS/GPRS network.

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Shahid Shoaib                                  +1-408-451-4740 Direct
DoCoMo USA Labs Inc.                  +1-408-573-1090 Fax
shahid@dcl.docomo-usa.com           http://www.docomo-usa.com