Polaris Wireless Discusses Privacy and Reliability in its OmniLocate Platform

Polaris Wireless, which supplies high-accuracy, software-based wireless location solutions, highlighted the carrier-grade reliability and privacy safeguards of its OmniLocate universal location platform.



OmniLocate is a universal wireless location platform, providing location capabilities across 2G (GSM/CDMA), 3G (UMTS/WCDMA), and LTE air interfaces, as well as indoor technologies such as Wi-Fi, DAS, and Femtocells.
It is used by network operators and government agencies to enable public safety, surveillance, and other location-based services.



The company stated that "it has always been the policy of Polaris Wireless to protect user location information behind the security of the mobile operator's wireless network. The OmniLocate solution does not now, and has never, enabled location information to be retained within the mobile device, where it is subject to hacking and other potential compromise."



Polaris issued the statement to address recent industry speculation following the revelation that Apple and Google have tracked user location information, and those companies' subsequent appearance (alongside Facebook) last month at a hearing of the Senate Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance Subcommittee focusing on "industry practices with respect to online mobile data collection and usage." Media and consumer advocacy groups have expressed concerns that the practice of storing mobile subscriber location information within a file residing on the device jeopardizes subscriber privacy and exposes this information to hacking.



"Because OmniLocate is network-based and does not rely on any device-generated location method, all sensitive subscriber location information resides in the wireless operator network, where it is protected by carrier-grade security using standards-based technology," said Jan Johansson, Polaris Wireless director of product management. "Polaris Wireless has worked diligently to gain the trust of our customers in the telecommunications industry and in government, and boasts a 100% security record for subscriber mobile location information we produce."http://www.polariswireless.com