Govt wants to make cellphone tracking easier

NEW DELHI, INDIA: As the Location-Based Services (LBS) under Value-Added Services (VAS) is poised to be one of the major thrust areas in the National Telecom Policy (NTP)- 2011, the Union Ministry of Communications and IT is looking at empowering the VAS providers with information on location of handsets. This service, if approved, can facilitate tracking of non-GPS enabled phones.

The location-based information of non-GPS enabled handset devices are being accessed by only security agencies through cellphone towers, if need arises.

This service has a capability to track all non-GPS enabled cellphones by simply keying the mobile number onto the Web application.

There are various VAS providers who offer location-based services that include information on the nearest eating joint, hospital and other local services. This information is provided whenever the user types the name of the location on a mobile application on his cellphone or sends a text to a given number.

There is a content enabling provision in NTP 2011, which lays down the guidelines for VAS service providers for providing all kind of content over mobile devices. However, the telecom ministry is evaluating the security concerns and privacy issues, and looking at extent of information to be provided to the public.