Ask your neighbour using IMS...idea #30 (pt.2)

Calling people based on their proximity to others, should that be useful, is not pie-in-the-sky. It is an application that could "easily" be built using the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) in the 3G core network.

The IMS is a part of the evolution of 3G systems and is essentially a platform that allows cellular telephony functions to be integrated with Internet services. It has a variety of components, including SIP-based session control for media connections. It also includes an interface to the Open Services Architecture (OSA) capabilities of the 3G network, which would include the Mobile Location Centre (MLC).

An application could be written to receive the request "call people I know near Joe", where Joe has a unique identifier in the network (a Public User Identity - PUI). The application does a look-up on Joe's location. It then looks at the caller's list of contacts and their locations. This list is maintained in the network (possibly in a presence server). A media or Instant Messaging connection can then be routed to the user(s) in Joe's vicinity. Voila!

This is a simplified description, but essentially correct and possible.

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