D11.6: Survey on Mobile Identity

The legal framework for LBS in Europe LOCALISATION OF THIRD PARTIES’ MOBILE PHONE: OOTAY

In 2005, the first C2C (client to client) location based service, called Ootay, emerged in Belgium. This service allows the identification of the base station to which the user’s mobile phone is connected, using a Cell-ID system. The accuracy is thus variable depending on the density of base stations: in city areas, the average accuracy is from 100 to 300 meters, although in rural areas it can go to as much as 30 kilometers. The person who makes the request receives a map where the mobile phone, whose localisation was asked, is actually located.

This service situates itself in the emerging market of “child locating” which was expected to yield 220M€ in 2006 for Europe. Nowadays, children have gained important autonomy because of changes in society (parents who both work, trips for holidays, sports, etc.). But this service allows not only the localisation of children but also of elderly people, friends or even one’s own mobile phone. This service is expected to have important applications with regard to the localisation of elderly people, especially Alzheimer or dementia patients.  

The company in charge of its development has implemented a series of security measures in order to prevent fraud and unwanted localisation. First, the verification of the identity of the requesters is based on a process of authentication through their mobile phones. Then, a request of localisation is sent to the third party with a random delay in order to prevent mobile phone theft. The third party should agree by a “validation” SMS for the localisation to take place. After the localisation, a SMS is sent to the localised person in order to remind him the contact details of the person who made the request. Moreover, the third party can deactivate the possibility of being localised by sending an SMS with the text “stop”. All the software architecture is secured (firewalls, routers filters, etc.)