While many innovative LBS (Location Based Services) applications such as friend finders and location-based search will be launched by carriers in the next few years, personal navigation will remain the most important LBS category providing high value and clear benefits to end users.
But according to ABI Research principal analyst Dominique Bonte, "Enterprise LBS applications for asset and vehicle tracking and work force management will become an important revenue generator for carriers in the future as companies will increasingly deploy mobile solutions to reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve customer service. As the reliability and performance of mobile enterprise solutions improves and the concerns about maintenance costs, data protection and integrity are addressed, corporations will increasingly adopt mobile solutions and LBS applications in their daily activities."
An important opportunity exists for providers of location-based platforms such as Mobile Location Centers (MLCs). Ericsson, Telecommunications Systems (TCS) and Nokia Siemens Networks will be able to grow their LBS infrastructure business lines as carriers globally deploy LBS solutions.
The US has been the leading region for LBS deployments by carriers due to the E911 emergency calling regulation which has resulted in the ubiquitous availability of GPS-based CDMA handsets, but it is expected that Europe and Asia-Pacific will catch up as GSM handsets with built-in GPS receivers become widely available.
Carriers may not be the only players to benefit from this trend, as independent application and software providers are starting to offer carrier-independent LBS solutions, potentially relegating carriers to a role as mere bandwidth providers. Carriers will need to offer cross-network interoperability and open up their networks, says Bonte, in order to address this threat.
ABI Research's recently updated Location Aware Services Market Data product provides detailed forecasts for LBS subscribers, LBS revenues and MLC licensing revenues as well as listings of publicly announced commercial LBS deployments by wireless carriers, as well as MLC deployments by platform vendors.
It forms part of the firm's Location Aware Services Research Service, which also includes Research Reports, Research Briefs, other Market Data products, an Online Database, ABI Insights, ABI Vendor Matrices, and analyst inquiry support.
ABI Research is a leading market research firm focused on the impact of emerging technologies on global consumer and business markets. Utilizing a unique blend of market intelligence, primary research, and expert assessment from its worldwide team of industry analysts, ABI Research assists hundreds of clients each year with their strategic growth initiatives. For information, visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.