Keeping up with 4G networks and LBS

Do you have LBS applications and is there a chance they will ever run on a 4G network? If the answer is yes to both (and I hope it is), then you need to start adding location capabilities to your apps so they continue to work properly when connected via 4G. Some of this is already taken care of. For example, if using a Sprint 3G/4G device and their location services, you will receive location data from Clearwire (the 4G provider) when on 4G.

Not all situations work this easily, however. Consider this case. You have customers using a location-aware app on a laptop embedded with Wimax. You app needs to know location to about a half mile accuracy. If you do not change your app to use a 4G location service, your customers can only get IP-based location- which is often only good enough to tell you what city you are in and likely NOT meeting the requirements of your application. As more and more people use 4G, this will become a real problem for you, especially as people start calling your care line. The solution? Integrate 4G location services now. It is not hard and will be worth the investment. See http://developer.clear.com/projects/activity/location-based-serv/ for how to do this.

In the future, 4G location will be available the way wi-fi and 3G location are today, but that will take awhile as 4G networks are and will continue to be built out over the next several years. In the meantime, don't be left behind.