Localization of mobile terminals, based on a hybrid satellite-assisted and network-based techniques

Position location of mobile terminals is one of the key and vital services for enhanced network performance. A variety of services may be offered when position location is deployed, such as emergency-call assistance, fleet management, location-based value added and multimedia services, navigation, stolen vehicle monitoring, improved network management and differential billing. Players in this area, nowadays and worldwide, are trying to integrate positioning techniques that will fulfill related FCC- and ETSI- localization recommendations, yet without exaggerating the network costs. Major European manufacturers have already developed positioning methods, yet none of them have been adopted in a cellular networking environment. In this contribution a novel technique is presented and its performance and compliance with the related standards is evaluated.