As wireless carriers continue to explore new revenue opportunities in an evolving market, services that rely on network-based location tracking are seen as a huge opportunity. “We see a range of new Location Information Services (LIS) emerging around insurance, banking, analytics, M2M/MRM, advertising, hospitality and IVR supported by always-on, cloud-based location across all device types,” ABI analyst Patrick Connolly noted in a recent report. “Additionally, the US, EMEA, Latin American, and Asian carriers are showing strong signs of adoption in 2013, working with a mixture of local and international partners.” Though not all uses of location tracking technology among carriers have been well received, ABI notes that successful proximity-based advertising campaigns are already underway. The firm sees annual revenue from carrier location-based services growing to more than $300 million within the next five years.

Zach Epstein has worked in and around ICT for more than 15 years, first in marketing and business development with two private telcos, then as a writer and editor covering business news, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Zach’s work has been quoted by countless top news publications in the US and around the world. He was also recently named one of the world's top-10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes, as well as one of Inc. Magazine's top-30 Internet of Things experts.