A location information server stores and transmits location information for devices connected to it, which is important for emergency services and law enforcement. It is particularly useful for handling emergency calls using VoIP technology, and for tracking users’ locations for law enforcement purposes. Internet providers have policies to protect users’ privacy.
A location information server is a node within a network that stores and transmits location information for devices connected to it. Location services may be needed for a variety of reasons, ranging from routing emergency calls to sending location data in response to a law enforcement order. In many countries, network service providers are required to use a location information server as part of their design. Such nodes can also provide important internal functionality and therefore can be used even when not required by law.
An important application of this technology is in handling calls to emergency services using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology. Normally, when people call for help from a landline phone, the phone company knows where to route the call because it knows where the subscriber lives. A San Francisco resident who dials 911 will access a dispatch center in San Francisco, not Los Angeles, for example.
When people use VoIP to make emergency calls, their locations are usually unknown. The telephone company doesn’t know where to route the call, and valuable time can be lost as the caller provides location information to an operator who can route the call to the right place. The location information server comes into play here by tracing a wired or wireless network to approximate the source of the call and route it appropriately. Accuracy levels vary, but can at least determine the closest network node or wireless transmitter, getting closer to the location of the caller.
This technology can also be useful for tracking users’ locations for law enforcement purposes such as hacking or abuse investigations. Your Internet provider can transfer location information server data for the benefit of investigators, who can use it to track down people involved in a case. This information may also be important for routing purposes; networks need to deliver information to people as quickly and efficiently as possible, and knowing where they are can help the network decide how to route packets of information.
Location data can be sensitive. Internet providers have their own internal location information server management policies to protect the privacy of their users. For example, they cannot hand over data without a warrant and take precautions to ensure that only emergency services have access to informational data. Users can choose to broadcast their location themselves if they want people to know where they are, or if they want to connect to systems like games that require them to share location data.
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