If it works as they say it does, this could be huge- BlueSky positioning together with Telemap have devised a solution to bring GPS location functionality and services to any GSM device by way of simply inserting a special SIM card.
Here’s how it works; BlueSky has developed an A-GPS embedded SIM card that incorporates a breakthrough proprietary in-SIM GPS antenna. This alone brings full GPS-functionality to any legacy device, as long as it supports GSM technology. In other words, dropping in BlueSky’s new SIM card into any old GSM feature-phone will instantly make it location-aware, allowing for any new-age location-based service to work as it does on newer full-function smartphones.
The second piece of the puzzle is its integration with Telemap, who has found a way to exploit BlueSky’s in-SIM technology to offer what it believes is a unique pedestrian navigation facility capable of guiding users through pedestrian-only areas such as parks, squares, passages and staircases whilst tracking user’s progress as they walk, for example. In addition, Telmap can provide standard in-vehicle navigation with 3D moving maps; turn-by-turn directions with street names using text-to-speech recognition along with traffic and speed camera information. Together, the two companies have created a fully-functioning SatNav system that can easily be dropped in any legacy feature phone.
The possibilities are endless with BlueSky’s new A-GPS SIM card, with Telemap being only the first of many to utilize the breakthrough. The real value will be for GSM mobile operators, who can now begin to utilize SIM cards with GPS antennas built-in to turn legacy devices running on their network into fully-functioning, location-aware handsets- opening up the possibility for them to incorporate their own in-house LBS and location-based advertising solutions. “This SIM centric solution gives value chain control to mobile operators and opens up wider opportunities for their marketing teams to create location based services,” said Velipekka Kuoppala, VP for Sales & Marketing with BlueSky Positioning.
Whether or not the solution works as well as its intended to is yet to be known, but if so, it will represent one of the largest breakthroughs in mobile location we’ve seen in a long time. This is definitely one to keep your eyes on.
