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Facts about GPS phones

It does not help you much if you can tell some-one over the cell phone that you are in trouble, but you can not explain where you are. This is rapidly changing with cell phones with incorporated GPS receiver, called GPS phones. These two techniques are so complementary to each other, that they should always go together. �Where are you?� is the most asked question over cell phones.

With a GPS phone you can tell your exact location and with the right service of the phone operator you can even project your position on a map in your friend�s cell phone. The service will tell you where you could meet and by which route to get there. This exists today (early March 2004).

Satellite phone + GSM + GPS

The Thuraya Hughes 7101 can be used as a Satellite only, GSM 900 only, or auto switching between the two, subject to the type of airtime package chosen. Satellite coverage for North and Central Africa, Middle East, India, Central Asia and Europe. You can use your SIM card in this GPS phone, which offers voice, data, fax and GPS location determination. You can store 25 GPS positions and transmit GPS locations via SMS.

GPS receiver + dual-band GSM (900/1800 MHz) + Organizer + WAP 1.2.1 MiniBrowser

We are talking about the Garmin NavTalk GSM for Europe and South Africa. It is the only dual-band phone that offers GPS mapping with automatic routing and voice-prompted turn-by-turn guidance. Comes with MapSource City Select on CD-ROM. POIs can be downloaded via the GSM. Your locations can be transmitted on a one-time basis, user-initiated, or continual updates through SMS. You have the ability to request location transmission from another NavTalk GSM. Transfer of waypoints is easy, using SMS. 5 Routes with up to 50 points per route can be saved as well as 500 waypoints with name and graphic symbol. The track log can contain 4000 points. There is a standard MCX-type connector for an optional external antenna and a RS-232 interface with NMEA 0183, RTCM 104 DGPS and proprietary Garmin data formats. The 132 x 160 pixel screen can display 10 lines of text. The GSM is unlocked. You only have to put in your own SIM card.

Dual-band GSM (900/1800 MHz) + GPS receiver + Organizer + Emergency Button

Here we are talking about the Benefon Esc! NT2002 for Europe. The GSM can be equipped with an optional cross-country antenna. The device is splash-proof (IPX4) and its casing is reinforced with stainless steel. Features predictive T9 text input for fast and easy text messages and notes. The Esc! tracks other users of Benefon Esc!, locates them on the map and can even guide you to them. The system connects to the Genimap Mobile Maps service for easy downloading of maps using any PC with web browser. Road maps, city maps, nautical charts and topographical maps from around Europe. The Emergency Button sends up to five SOS messages with your location and opens a voice connection to a predefined emergency number. The 100 x 160 pixel screen can display 15 rows of text. External NMEA 0183 interface. The external active GPS antenna comes from SiRF. Emergency 112 call is possible without SIM card or while phone is locked. Can be saved to the phone: 50 calendar and 6 notepad entries, 300 waypoints, 30 routes with each 30 waypoints, and 30 friends on a Friend Find list.

Important addendum for Benefon products Esc!, Track One and Track Pro

These products are sold in the USA as Dual Band 900/1900MHz devices by Airo Wireless Media Inc. Every US Benefon Esc! comes packaged with the software program Spitfire, which allows you to download any geo-referenced map to the Esc! and even create your own geo-referenced maps from any BMP, JPEG, TIFF, etc. file. The Spitfire Mapping Tool can be purchased from spitfire.barshop.co.uk.

With any Benefon handset, a T-Mobile calling plan with Text messaging and a subscription to the Airo Finder Service from Airo Wireless you can know where your Benefon handsets are at all times. Airo Finder is a web-based application for locating Benefon GPS mobile phones worldwide. Whether you are a parent who wants to keep track of your kids or a manager of a small fleet of vehicles, you can control risk, secure assets and protect people more easily and efficiently with Airo Finder. Airo Finder can:
-Locate an unlimited number of phones at any time, anywhere in the world, using GPS data and view them on one MapQuest map.
-View dates and times of most recent phone locations.
-Remotely view speed and battery life of each phone.
-Capture last 50 locations or 30 days of locations all on one map.
-Keep track of your friends�/children�s/parents� Benefon phones.

Virtual Wave is the distributor for Benefon in Canada.

(Benefon: www.benefon.com, USA: www.airowireless.com, Canada: www.virtualwave.com)

Rugged Nextel phones + GPS receiver

The Motorola i305 and i530 are wrapped in a tough rubber over mold shell and are certified to Military Standard 810F for dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, low pressure, solar radiation, blowing rain, humidity, salt fog, sleet, and snow. They are designed for workers and outdoor enthusiasts who need feature-rich wireless communications in many types of environmental conditions. The built-in GPS function supports non-Java location-enhanced services such as Nextel�s Mobile Locator, a Web-based application for locating handsets used by field employees for day-to-day business activities and services and enables account administrators to easily view the location of their field employees in real-time, using the applications� advanced map display. A laptop or PDA connected to the phone can also access the phone�s GPS circuitry and location information appears on the phone�s display. With a street-routing program on your pocketPC or Palm you always find your way anywhere and in the same time in the office they know exactly where you are, thanks to Mobile Locator. The i305 is a standard one-piece handset, while the i530 is a clamshell handset.

Benefon dual-band (900/1800 MHz) safety/security phones + GPS receiver

The Track One NT2.0 is a personal safety phone with an alarm button for activating emergency protocol and transferring user location to alarm centre. Can be easily integrated to 24 hour alarm monitoring centre. Personal safety applications range from elderly care to VIP protection or lone worker protection.

The Track Pro NT2.0 is a professional security device. Field workers can report on tasks with the status message function and receive job dispatches with location, saving time and money. Alarm button activates a predefined emergency protocol.

Both devices have an external NMEA 0183 interface, so you can connect to a PC, PPC or Palm and use the integrated GPS receiver to feed a street-routing program or moving topo map program. Both have a connector for an external active GPS antenna and the GSM antenna can be switched for a cross-country antenna. Both devices also have assisted GPS support (SMS point-to-point) and the position co-ordinates are displayed on the screen. Both use the Benefon Mobile Phone Telematics Protocol (MPTP), a sophisticated set of Telematic commands and both have Remote configuration.

Most differences between the two are situated in the Telematics Features. The Track One has Location update commands. The Track Pro has Location commands, position, history. Area tracking commands. Navigation & Route function. Mobile group function (requires third party application). Emergency and Status commands.

Nextel Java phones + GPS receiver

We are talking about the Motorola phones i88s, i58sr and i730. These phones have Voice Activation, enabling you to dial phone numbers and activate product features using only the sound of your voice through the Speakerphone. Digital Two-Way Radio feature (PTT) allows instant connection with an individual or an entire team. Caller ID displays the phone number of an incoming caller and the name if it is stored in the phonebook.

These phones are used by TeleNav for voice-prompted turn-by-turn routing and for TeleNavtrack, a car tracking and fleet management solution. Global Tracking Solutions use them for the same kind of solution.

uLocate (see our GPS Locators page) support these Motorola phones on the Nextel network and all Benefon models on the T-Mobile, AT&T, and Cingular networks. Additional phones and carriers will be supported as they become GPS compatible.

The free AccuTracking software turns your Motorola iDEN i58sr/i88s/i710/i730/i830 cell phone carried by Nextel (US) into a GPS tracking device. The free online GPS cell phone tracking service provided by AccuTracking.com lets you see locations, speed, and headings of your mobile clients, family members or valuable assets.

Also available on the Nextel network is Networks in Motion�s AtlasTrack, an easy-to-use and extremely powerful wireless phone tracking application that works with Map Messenger. GPS phones supported are the Nextel i88s and i58sr.
These two phones are also used for Air-Track�s Cloudberry Internet-based vehicle reporting and tracking system software as well as for the Diplomat PLS tracking service from DCS.

WorkTrack from Aligo offers a real-time job, time and location management of your mobile workforce on the Nextel network.

Vettro Mobile Service Contractor enables instant access over cell phones to detailed job-critical information and is suitable for small and medium-sized plumbing and HVAC businesses.

TeleType GPS Phone Tracker for Nextel Phones

The Nextel PhoneTracker uses a Nextel GPS phone with a public IP, reserved for data transmissions, so it is secure, fast and reliable. The service is beneficial for tracking entire fleets of vehicles, but can as well be used to track one single phone. Comes with street maps of the entire US on a CD ROM. Program and maps can be installed on a PC, a laptop or a pocketPC with Internet access. So, even on the road, you can track every Nextel GPS phone in your fleet. Supported Java phones are the Nextel models i58sr, i88s, i530 and i730.

GPS phones on the MIKE network from Telus Mobility (Canada)

Trackem.ca, a uLocate partner, offers a service that allows you to locate, track and monitor the movement of your family, employees or even yourself, using GPS phones. Locations are updated every two minutes and information can be retrieved anytime on your phone or at your desktop PC. Locations are displayed on a Mapquest display. Geofences can be used with this service. Supported phones are the Motorola models i58sr and i730 only.

These two phones are also used by AVL Track for fleet management and commercial tracking. The service is available in English and Fran�ais through an English and a French website(www.avltrack.com).

The free AccuTracking software turns your Motorola iDEN i58sr/i88s/i710/i730/i830 cell phone carried by Telus (Canada) into a GPS tracking device. The free online GPS cell phone tracking service provided by AccuTracking.com lets you see locations, speed, and headings of your mobile clients, family members or valuable assets.

Bell Mobility�s Roadside Assistance (Canada + US)

Road Assistance is offered for the following phones: Audiovox 8500 & 8600, Kyocera 3245 & 7135, LG Lm250, Nokia 3586i and Samsung A460, A500, A600 & N400.

The bilingual services of AVL Track are also available on the A-GPS assisted network of Bell Mobility.

3G phones on Three(3) + GPS receiver

These are the Third Generation phones that we have been waiting for. Not for the Video Calling or the Voice Recorder, but for the Locate Services. On request, your 3 mobile phone can work out where you are in Britain and then display your location on a clear, easy to read map using a high resolution screen. NB:�3� is the name of the mobile network operator.

Even better, type in a destination address such as a postcode and �A to B� will give you a straightforward map and direction on how to walk there. In the future this will be expanded to include car journeys by road as well.

Using the same real-time location technology as �A to B�, �Find� has three options, all of which display a clear map of your location and what you want to find. �My Nearest� can find your nearest banks, cash machines, shops, restaurants and petrol stations amongst others. �Business Finder� can find the location of any of 2m businesses from the Thompson Directory and �Quick Map� allows you to map any address in Britain.

Examples of these 3G phones are the NEC models e313 and e616 as well as the Motorola models A835, A920 and A925. The latter two have 208 x 320 pixels screens with 65,536 colors. This comes close to our pocketPCs. Just for comparison: the Garmin GPSmap60C has a 160 x 240 pixels screen at 256 colors. We have to admit that for maps 256 colors are largely sufficient.

World's First A-GPS Navigation System for 3G

The 3GEO mobile navigational system turns a customer's handset into a perfect travel companion by allowing quick and exact location searches. Maps available on the screen allow customers to find what ever they are searching for. This world first, using A-GPS or Assisted Global Positioning System technology, is now available in Austria, Denmark, UK and Sweden, and will become a key feature of 3 services in other worldwide 3 markets later. 3Mobile allows people to not only look at the detailed local maps, but also pinpoint the nearest restaurant, bank, office-anything they are looking for. 3 also offers other useful functions. For example, with 3GEO, customers can speed up the arrival of a roadside towing service from the OAMTC, access up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions, accidents, road construction and parking. 3 customers are able to determine their position automatically through two different methods. Firstly through "approximate positioning", which offers precise results of up to about 15-30 meters and this also operates inside buildings. Secondly and more accurate is the "Exact Positioning" method, enabled by A-GPS. This precise location is derived through a number of steps that are hidden from the customer. The first step is the handset receives an approximate position, derived from approximate network position combined with NASA assistance data. Then the final accurate position is derived from data received from a number of satellites. This exact position is then delivered over the 3G network in real-time, to allow the delivery of position sensitive customer information back to the customers handset.

Nokia and GPS

Apparently Nokia has chosen to add GPS functionality to their phones by means of add-on modules. The LAM-1 turns the Nokia 9210 and 9210i into a navigator, helping you find places, get location information, and use route directions easily. The module comes with 2 CDs, containing TomTom CityMaps and RoutePlanner, as well as an extra external GPS antenna. RoutePlanner covers both Western and Eastern Europe and CityMaps covers more than 100,000 cities in western Europe. The unit is compatible with Mobile Location Services (MLS) applications.

The Xpress-on GPS Shell is for the Nokia 5140 and offers stand-alone GPS and map-based Travel Guide Service applications. Features include a Trip Computer, 100 waypoints or 30 routes, Route guidance, Tracking and return track. Up-to-date maps can be obtained online via the phone�s network. Waypoints can be sent to others via SMS. A one-year subscription to a regional map package is included with the Nokia Xpress-on GPS shell.

Sprint PCS phones with a GPS chip

The following PCS phones all have a GPS chip incorporated and are all �E911 Emergency Location Capable�. From Sanyo the VM4500, RL-7300, RL2600 and RL2000. From Samsung the VGA1000, the A600 and the VI660. From Toshiba the VM4050 and from Nokia the 3588i and the new PM-6225. We could not find out what else the users of these devices could do with the GPS chip, besides eventually being rescued in case of an emergency, which alone is enough reason wanting to have these phones.

Universal E-911 Solution

It is no secret that most emergency calls with cell phones still do not result in a precise localization of the caller. The reason is the complexity of the chosen technical solutions and therefore the enormous expenses, related to the nation-wide implementation. Many lives will still get lost, due to late arrival of rescuers, before all counties and all public safety answering points (PSAPs) will be ready. And then, only the USA will be ready. With the exception of Japan and South Korea, all other countries in the world are even much father away from a satisfactory solution.

Tendler Cellular has created the FoneFinder, a chip set which is integrated into a cell phone along with a GPS receiver. The FoneFinder chip sets are due to be available in Audiovox and Nokia cell phones and integrated into hands free cradle kits for Motorola flip phones. The moment that you push the emergency button on your phone, the phone sends out a synthetic voice message: 3 times "Mayday", the co-ordinates of your position and your phone number over the voice channel. In the mean time it sends out your position and phone number through DTMF(Dual Tone Multi-Frequency) tones, also over the voice channel.
This will work anywhere in the world. The network technology has no importance, be it CDMA, TDMA, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, 3G, 4G or whatever.

As emergency calls are always recorded, the operator can always listen back the message, if (s)he was not fast enough to write it all down at once. A very small investment for a PSAP of $125 for a DTMF decoder and $100 for a mapping program will make that your position will automatically be indicated on a map of the PSAP coverage area, together with time of call and calling telephone number. With this system your chances to be found fast in case of an emergency increase enormously.

Japan and GPS phones

The Japanese mobile market is led by NTT DoCoMo with its popular i-mode service. Vodafone(formerly J-Phone) found success with its picture-messaging service. KDDI is currently the number 2 behind DoCoMo and ahead of Vodafone. In October 2001 DoCoMo introduced its 3G service FOMA, based on a standard, called W-CDMA. KDDI launched its 3G service, based on the CDMA 2000 1X standard, invented by Qualcomm, in April 2002.

Under the brand �AU� KDDI offers actually more than 15 GPS phones. DoCoMo offers only one GPS phone and Vodafone doesn�t sell any GPS phone.

July 22, 2002. KDDI launched GPS MAP, a new location management service that took advantage of KDDI�s third-generation CDMA2000 1X GPS KEITAI to provide corporate customers with a way to improve transport management, sales and marketing activities. GPS MAP allows users to see in real time the location of all personnel or vehicles with compatible handsets.

In December 2003, AU introduced their NAVI-Walk service and to-day KDDI offers one of the most successful location based services worldwide. Called EZnavigation, the service uses Qualcomm�s gpsOne technology and allows users to take advantage of the latest emergency services, child finder services, detailed maps with directions, and many other location applications, both consumer and enterprise-oriented. To date KDDI has offered 130 unique applications taking advantage of gpsOne position location information.

More than a GPS phone and bigger too

The Gotive H41 Wireless Enterprise Communicator has integrated onboard GSM/GPRS (Dual Band 900/1800MHz) for voice, SMS and Data transfer, as well as a GPS chip for Localization and Navigation plus BCR for Bar Code Reading. The device has a finger operable QWERTY touch screen keyboard and programmable Action Keys. The 1/2VGA 640 x 240 pixels screen (153 x 58mm) can be read indoors and outdoors.

GPS Radios

Not exactly GPS phones, but anyway GPS devices that allow for communication with others. In lots of situations this is so important that we absolutely wanted to give these devices a place here. First we have the Garmin RINO series. RINO stands for �Radio Integrated with Navigation for the Outdoors�. The RINO 110, 120 and 130 are GPS-enabled handhelds that integrate radio functionality to provide two-way communications. They are waterproof, can send communications up to 5 miles, using GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) and can �beam� your exact location to another RINO user within a 2 miles range, using FRS (Family Radio Service). Canadian versions use only the FRS channels.

All three models have a 12 channel, WAAS-enabled, GPS receiver and 22 communication channels: 1-14 FRS, 15-22 GMRS with 38 sub-audible squelch codes per transmission channel for semi-private radio communications and External voice activation (VOX). The RINO 110 has a built-in worldwide city point database, with 1MB of internal memory for downloading additional points-of-interest data from a MapSource Points of Interest CD.

The RINO 120 has also a voice scrambler and a vibration mode for silent calls as well as a built-in base map consisting of American road and highway detail, along with 8MB of internal memory for additional road, lake, marine, and points-of-interest data that can be downloaded from MapSource MetroGuide, Fishing Hot Spots, Topo or BlueChart CDs.

The new RINO 130 has everything the 120 has plus a built-in electronic compass, barometric sensor, weather receiver for seven NOAA weather channels, and 24MB of internal memory. And it has a polling feature, which allows a user to manually request GPS location information from other RINO units. The 130 offers a detailed base map of North and South America, displaying cities, highways, railways, rivers and lakes, and borders.

The Audiovox GMRGPS is a FRS/GMRS Transceiver with 15 channels (8 GMRS, 7 FRS) and 38 privacy codes. The incorporated GPS receiver allows you to set waypoints, navigate to your destination and track yourself along a route. A swivel belt clip and VOX feature allow hands-free operation of the transceiver. The unit is NOT waterproof as are the RINOs. Your position can be transmitted to another GMR-GPS unit, thereby allowing another party to know your exact position, your intended route, and how long it will take you to arrive at your destination.

An update with new GPS phones

In October 2008 we have created a new page new GPS phones with information about new GPS phones.

Some Background information about Wireless

GSM originally stood for Groupe Sp�ciale Mobile, but now it stands for Global System for Mobile communications.
GPRS = General Packet Radio Services
EDGE = Enhanced Data rates for GSM and TDMA Evolution
WCDMA = Wideband Code Division Multiple Access
SIM = Subscriber Identity Card
SMS = Short Message Service
MMS = Multimedia Messaging Service
PDC = Personal Digital Cellular

In a mobile system, users can be separated from each other in one of three ways:
FDMA = Frequency Division Multiple Access, used by the first generation (1G) analog systems.
TDMA = Time Division Multiple Access, used by the mobile systems GSM and TDMA(IS-136).
CDMA = Code Division Multiple Access, used by the majority of third generation (3G) systems, as well as cdmaOne.

cdmaOne (IS-95) is a CDMA-based solution, introduced by Qualcomm in the mid 1990�s

There are three main branches of the 3G (third generation) standard: WCDMA, CDMA2000 and EDGE.

GSM is by far the biggest 2G (second generation) system with more than 1 billion subscribers (March 2004). Packet data is introduced into GSM systems by using GPRS, an overlay technology that is added on top of existing GSM systems.

In other words, the GSM part still handles voice, and handsets are capable of supporting both functions. Key features of GPSR are:
Always online. Removes the dial-up process, making applications only one click away.
An upgrade to existing networks (GSM and TDMA). Operators do not have to replace their equipment. GPRS is added on top of the existing infrastructure.
An integral part of EDGE and WCDMA. GPRS is the packet data core network for these 3G systems.

EDGE is a cost-efficient way of migrating to full-blown 3G services.

WCDMA or UMTS, as it is called in Europe, is an upgrade to GPRS/EDGE on the core network side, and it also introduces a completely new radio interface.

UMTS = Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

In TDMA (IS-136) packet data is already introduced in the form of CDPD.

CDPD = Cellular Digital Packet Data

CDPD is a cost-efficient add-on for TDMA operators, because only a small functional upgrade of the base stations is necessary. Being a packet data network, CDPD can run Internet Protocol (IP) applications and can act as an extension of the Internet, where users can be constantly connected (similar to GPRS). As a consequence, each CDPD mobile is assigned an IP address, and all user packets in a CDPD backbone network consist of IP packets.

Today, TDMA is mostly used in North America, by operators such as AT&T, Cellular One, and so on. Telefonica and others serve TDMA in South America.

The cdmaOne migration path towards 3G is more complicated, because air interface and core network evolutions are clearly separated. Most cdmaOne networks are implemented in the 800 and 1900MHz (PCS) bands and are most widespread in the US, Korea and Japan. In the US, operators include Sprint PCS and Verizon, and cdmaOne has experienced a rapid growth in recent years.

In Japan NTT DoCoMo introduced its own packet data add-on to PDC, P-PDC, on which iMode runs. Using a packet data extension (enabling Always Online) to its PDC network, a markup language (c-HTML), and lots of content partners, DoCoMo launched iMode in March 1999.

The above information comes from the very well written book with CD-ROM �GPRS and 3G Wireless Applications. The Ultimate Guide to Maximizing Mobile Internet Technologies� by Christoffer Andersson. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-41405-0. If you want the whole picture of past, present and future of wireless technologies, this book is a must-read.

Java-enabled mobile phones

Armed with Java applets, downloadable over the air, these phones themselves can do much of the computing work, necessary for moving graphics, games, and the like. A Java phone could be told how to make an image move rather than waiting for the network computer to send every frame, for instance.

iDEN?

First introduced in 1994, Motorola�s Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN) brought to the market next generation wireless solutions, designed for a variety of vertical market mobile business applications.

What is T9?

T9 is a Predictive Text Input for your mobile device. T9 makes it faster and easier to type on small mobile devices. Pre-loaded with thousands of words, emoticons, and punctuation, T9 predicts what you want to say as you type. If you type in a word T9 doesn�t recognize, it will learn it and recognize it the next time you enter that word, so it gets faster every time.

Push-to-talk (PTT)

The push-to-talk service lets you start talking to one or more persons immediately, without having to dial-up. The technology was popularized by Nextel Communications in the United States. In January 2004 a similar service for GSM phones in Europe was launched by Orange. Like traditional walkie-talkies, the service only works one way at a time, meaning users will be unable to interrupt one another as they can during a normal phone call.

Different technologies in use

While Japan and South Korea use their own technologies, North and South America use several different technologies. Some examples: AT&T and Cingular use TDMA, but AT&T also uses GSM. Up till now in the 1900MHz band, but they abandon this frequency and make the change to 850 MHz. Sprint and Verizon use CDMA and Nextel uses iDEN. T-mobile and Bellsouth Mobility use GSM 1900MHz. And the rest of the world use GSM, but at other frequencies.

International cell phone

An international cell phone operates on the GSM 900/1800MHz frequencies. This phone can be used in over 140 countries, spread over 4 continents.

World cell phone

A world cell phone operates on the GSM 900/1800/1900MHz frequencies. This phone will also operate in North and South America.
Other worldphones like the Motorola A840 and LG W800 work with both GSM and CDMA standards.

SIM card

A GSM phone needs a SIM card for its operation. It is the SIM card that determines your GSM cell phone number. And if a GSM phone is SIM card unlocked, it will function with any SIM card. If you put your SIM card in another unlocked GSM phone, no-one will notice anything.

CDMA phones don�t have a SIM card and must be individually programmed to work on specific CDMA networks.

On the other hand you can have several SIM cards. Also from operators in other countries. If you, for instance, use your world cell phone in the US with SIM card A, and you travel to Germany, you can buy another SIM card B from a German operator and put it into your cell phone. Your phone number will be changed, but you can call in Germany against the local tariff, without international roaming fees.

Up till now, no problem, as we only used our phones to phone. But what if you would like to use one of those rapidly becoming available other services, like GPS navigation in the city of Berlin. For that you need an �always online� contract with a local operator and maybe even one of few phone brands and models. Your �world phone� will not serve you any longer.

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