mMode gets location services

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	mMode gets location services	By Jørgen Sundgot, Thursday 27 June 2002

AT&T Wireless' latest addition to its mMode service enables users to share information about their whereabouts derived through positioning services with others. Privacy begone?

One of the services that has been predicted as a killer app of future mobile networks is positioning. Whether just finding your own position or being able to track friends and family as well, hype has surrounded such concepts from their very introduction - and still does. Now, AT&T Wireless has introduced "Find Friends," which lets users of its recently launched mMode service locate friends, family members, colleagues, and others - with their consent - from their mobile phones.

A first in the United States wireless industry, acording to AT&T Wireless, "Find Friends" will give an AT&T Wireless customer the approximate geographical location - a street intersection, for example - of the mobile phone of someone he or she may want to contact. Once the friend is located, the customer can elect to call that person, send a text message, or arrange a meeting. If the two choose to meet, "Find Friends" provides the customer with a directory of nearby restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and bookstores. The customer then chooses where and when to meet, and sends a meeting request to the friend, who can RSVP and get directions to the meeting place.

AT&T Wireless mentioned several potential applications for the "Find Friends" service, including, among others young adults finding their friends and arrange a meeting at the local mall, college buddies locating nearby players for a "pick up" game of basketball, business persons locating the nearest systems technician and arrange for him or her to service their computer, or family members checking if Dad is still near the grocery store picking up dinner or on his way home.

To use "Find Friends," customers must first create a list of other AT&T Wireless mMode customers they want to locate. This can occur only if each person has granted explicit permission to be included in on a friend's list. "Customer privacy was a key consideration as we developed this application. We have a comprehensive privacy policy, and our customers' information - including their geographical location - is theirs to share with whom they want," said Andre Dahan, president of AT&T Wireless' mobile multimedia services unit.

Users have complete control of "Find Friends" at all times. They can take themselves off someone's list, choose not to be locatable for some period of time, or turn off their phone.

"Buddy lists are wildly popular with today's instant messaging communities," said Dahan. "Customers control whom they allow on their lists, and the same kind of customer control characterizes 'Find Friends.' Of course, the breakthrough of 'Find Friends' is that customers can be on the move when using it - they aren't tethered to a desk."

The new "Find Friends" application is available as part of AT&T Wireless' mMode service for no additional cost beyond standard mMode usage fees. mMode is available now in dozens of cities where AT&T Wireless has upgraded to its GSM/GPRS network including: Chicago; Dallas; Detroit; Indianapolis; Cleveland; Seattle; Las Vegas; Phoenix; San Diego; Portland, Ore.; Kansas City, Mo.; Miami/Fort Lauderdale; Orlando, Fla.; Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla; and West Palm Beach, Fla. Additional cities will be added throughout the year.