Folks, While it is true that the handset makers need to start providing the capability to locate handsets at least for the US the ANSI standards group is running behind on setting up the standards that the different pieces of ground equipment use to communicate with each other. Last I checked with the Lucent (Bell Labs) standards folks, they are hoping for a draft for voting in September or there abouts. After the standard is accepted the vendors need to build the piece part wireless intelligent network operations support systems, then the wireless operators need to buy them, and install them. So it will be awhile in the US yet. (GSM is ahead of us there). There are some out there systems now, but they don't have the resolution that emergency services desire. When a handset is on, the newer systems will be able to provide location, velocity, and elliptical estimation of error. Depending on the phone technology (CDMA, TDMA, AMPS/NAMPS, GSM) there are different ways of locating it, some of which involve GPS circuitry in the handset others which use triangulation off the cell towers. The feds are requiring the capability for emergency services, but of course the phone companies are more interested in new revenue producing services (like having a single nationwide number that you can dial on your cell phone and the call would be routed to the physically closest Domino's pizza or Motel 6 -- how did we ever live without it...).
Of course once you have the service, putting a cell phone on a rocket would give a whole new meaning to "phone home"... -Tom Williams _______________________________________________ ERPS-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list
