BSNL comes up with location-based services in Patna
The BSNL, India has launched location-based cell broadcast services through which vital information and message can be given to all CellOne (post-paid mobile phone) subscribers in a particular or entire service area.
Cell broadcast services can be utilised to provide vital information to CellOne users about any disaster, disaster management measures or any other important information.
The location-based services include fleet management to enable subscribers to know the whereabouts of their vehicles, friends and information relating to whereabouts of users, traffic alert service, city sightseeing, emergency service, public safety, navigation, information regarding weather etc.
CEASA
Welcome to CEASa Nederland
Civil Emergency Alert Services Association is a not-for-profit public safety initiative based in Europe with authorized chapters worldwide. It develops internationally required trust protocols, standards, regulations, and governance for the deployment of the proposed Cell Broadcast public warning system known as Cell@lert™. CEASa sets stringent criteria for authentication of the message, authorization of the sender, and selection of receivers of emergency messages.
The membership of CEASa, which includes individual members, trade group members and sponsors, consists of those parties who wish to see mobile devices used for the purpose of public warning, and those who will be part of the technology chain who will make it possible. There is a growing number of nation states with their own CEASA branches, setting the best practices for each sovereign state, in conjunction with governmental institutes and network operators. All parties are welcome to join.
CEASa is a citizens action initiative. Originally formed in the US, the international branch creates a harmonized international channel-coding scheme, which enables international and cross-border use of Cell Broadcast in a multilingual environment. It also coordinates the allocation of channels for international purposes such as maritime alerts. There are active initiatives taking place in the US, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany. Groups are also operating successful cell broadcast initiatives in Holland, South Korea, and Finland.
Networks such as mobile phone companies provide the infrastructure over which messages flow to citizens at risk. These networks will require assurance that only genuine bona fide sources will have access to their customers and that security systems provided by cell broadcast coordinating companies such as Backstream will prevent unauthorized access such as spamming.
User groups such as governmental agencies and citizens groups will want to make sure that any messages are pertinent, proportional and authorized. Accordingly a system of Trust Protocols sets out the Memoranda of Understanding between them.
Backstream is an example of an operating company which will supply the Cell Broadcast Broker (Message Creator and Dispatcher, MCD, is the intellectual property of Backstream), which authenticates users and provides the user-friendly maps and GUI which authorized officials use to input messages.
Who can receive a Cell Broadcast message?
Any one with a cell broadcast enabled mobile will be able to receive cell broadcast messages. It is possible to set up the mobile to only receive certain types of messages, e.g. weather alerts, terrorist threats, missing children etc.
What do I need to do to receive messages?
Identify your cell phone model to determine whether you need only select a feature on your phone or whether you should bring your phone to a Cell@lert authorized dealer.
How many people can receive messages?
There is no limit to how many people can receive a message; any cell broadcast enabled cellular phone within the cell broadcast area will receive the message.
Is Cell Broadcasting the same as Text Messaging?
No. SMS text messages have to be directed to specific cellular phone numbers. With cell broadcasting every cell broadcast-enabled phone in the specified geographical area receives the message. With SMS there is a significant network load when large numbers of messages are being sent, as each phone has to be addressed individually. The network loading with cell broadcasting is roughly equivalent to a SINGLE SMS message no matter how many phones are in the broadcast area.
What does it cost?
Nothing to the user.
How long does it take to send a message?
A message can be created, the geographical area defined and the broadcast started in a matter of a couple of minutes. People within the broadcast area will receive the message almost immediately. If required the message can be set to broadcast for a set time (e.g. 10 minutes) so that phones newly entering the area will also receive the message. Phones will only receive the message once.
Who is allowed to send messages?
Only properly authorized people will be able to start an emergency notification message. These will be people such as police personnel, city authorities, government agencies etc
ICB
The Cell Broadcast is the technology that enables an operator to broadcast a text information to the coverage area of an arbitrarily selected set of base stations. The technology makes it possible to separate information depending on domain subject and develop different channels to provide the simultaneous and independent messages broadcasting. The message is broadcasted at the preset time periods and may be received by any subscriber in the indicated region, if the subscriber has activated the corresponding CB channel on the mobile handset. By these reasons Cell Broadcast seems to resemble the information sources quite popular with modern consumers, such as radio and teletext.
The Cell Broadcast significant advantages over traditional transport systems are:
1. Geographical (territorial) broadcasting localization to the accuracy of the Cell ID: the message may be delivered to subscriber in the given region.
2. High-speed message delivery level: interaction with subscribers is maintained in the mode close to real-time operation mode.
3. Low-level broadcasting resource consumption for an operator: signal channels are not utilized, thus SMS centre load diminishes.
4. Domain subject channels development: the subscriber, who tunes the mobile to a specific channel, receives exactly the messages on the topic of their choice only, e.g. weather forecasts, or traffic jams reports.
5. Inexpensive contact with the subscriber: a content provider and an advertiser get an opportunity to offer their services using both inexpensive and efficient medium.
Interactive Cell Broadcast (ICB) has all the exceptional advantages of Cell Broadcast, yet at the same time is free of its major drawbacks — feedback absence and complicated cellular terminal setting. Nowadays ICB is taking the new efficient media resource, attractive for all of the members of mobile content market as well as advertising market.
i-Cell® (Interactive Cell Broadcast Centre) is designed to create, deliver and promote interactive services.
ICB key features:
Efficient usage of operator network resources for the bulk delivery of online massages to subscribers:
* Point-to-Area broadcasting technology
* Broadcasting termination and resumption depending on the operators' networking resources load
ICB advantages:
* Messages broadcasting to the accuracy of a BTS sector: rising the probability of subscriber's request in response to the online message, stipulated by the delivery of up-to-date content in the right place and at the right time
* Media-planning function support for messages delivery to subscribers:
* Schedule similar to TV or radio schedule
* Anycalendarplanninghorizon
Project cell broadcast Mais Info: http://cellbroadcast.postbus51.nl/index.cfm