Field test of A-GPS on the SUPL platform and evaluation of hosted mapping services at TeliaSonera

Abstract: There have been a number of methods proposed for increasing the precision of mobile positioning systems. One of the latest methods is Assisted GPS, A-GPS, on the Secure User Plane for Location, SUPL, platform, which seems to be a very interesting alternative from TeliaSoneras perspective, thanks to minimal infrastructural investment costs. According to theory and lab testing A-GPS has the potential of providing a very good customer value in relation to the investment needed. There is, however, a great need to see the performance when used in real user environments and with real user equipment. This is the basis for the choice of field testing as the method used in this thesis. The result from the field tests conducted in this thesis shows that the performance of A-GPS is very good in outdoor environments, but when used in indoor environments, poor signal strength in combination with multipath and fading becomes a problem with low accuracy and long response times as a result. Using a hosted mapping service, in combination with A-GPS, provides the possibilities of launching location based services even outside the home network. TeliaSonera had already found such a hosted mapping service that matched their compatibility, and reliability, requirements. This thesis investigates this hosted mapping service further and finds that the quality of the cartographic presentation of the map information is very poor. The conclusion is that A-GPS performance, today, is limited by the hardware and algorithms used. If these are further adapted to indoor conditions, A-GPS has the potential of providing the customer value promised by the theoretical performance. For a successful launch of A-GPS services there is a great need of better cartographic presentation of map information, than what is currently is provided by the investigated hosted mapping service.