Global Positioning System Reference
In-Depth Information
2.1.4
Commoditization and Diversification
The digital networked economy (DNE) is supported by ICT, which continues to
grow and develop. Its costs are falling and its problems relating to trust and
security are getting fixed. Whereness, which is part of ICT, is therefore becoming
more affordable and it can also help improve trust and security.
Web services are a cheap and convenient way to bring Whereness services to
people without the need for special software. Businesses, for example, can geotag
information on Web-based maps, and noncommercial information commons are
also emerging where people share geographical information. As Whereness
becomes widespread these systems will have dynamic content showing the current
positions of moving (tagged) objects.
As established ICT players suffer increasing competition in their traditional
offerings they will be motivated to move into new, more profitable areas such as
digital rights management, trust services, and Whereness.
The scope of the Internet will widen as more devices and appliances become
networked. This increases the scope for using networked devices to provide
location references, in particular indoors. Wireless hotspots will increase in
number and new radio systems will be used (e.g., WiMax and ZigBee).
The main business areas that can offer or exploit Whereness are:
•
Global Navigational Satellite Services (GNSS);
•
Cellular mobile radio operators;
•
Wireless hotspot operators;
•
Groupware providers;
RFID
2
in supply chain management;
•
•
Facilities management;
•
Intelligent transportation systems (ITS);
•
Video surveillance operators;
•
Mapmakers and geographical information systems (GIS);
•
Telcos, Internet service providers (ISP), and Contact Centers;
•
Multimedia content owners and gaming operators.
Multiband satellite navigation chips will be included in many user devices
and will be supplemented by cellular and hotspot positioning services. Corporate
group software will extend the simple diary and calendar functions into real-time
positioning services. Existing tag systems using RFID may become part of more
general consumer and business ICT and play an important part in Whereness.
Video surveillance and mobile camera technology can also extend its functionaly.
Some ICT businesses will move into Whereness (as other more traditional areas
2
Radio frequency identification (RFID) is explained in Chapter 6.
