This problem is not solved yet. Location Based Services and GNSS applications in general do not only need position determination. They also need data communication. The volume of these data can be huge, if we consider detailed maps. And we all assume that there will be mobile phone operators that will deliver us these data quickly for a reasonable price.In my opinion, in the year 2012, this is not the case yet. I am a smartphone user myself, and in my experience the data speed rarely exceeds the speed of an old dial-in phone line. The cost is excessive and even unbearable abroad. In practice, I only switch on my data communication when I can freely use a Wifi network or when I desperately need a mobile data link. Mobile phone operators talk about 4th generation LTE and we don't even have decent UMTS yet. What has happened in the last 10 years? Let us say it is the economy. I refer to my previous blogs on satellite navigation and communication and Internet access as a utility.
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In Belgium, Mobile Vikings is a usable provider. 15 euro gets you 2GB (you also get 1000 sms and 60 minutes call credit with that). And the nicest thing is that in Europe they only charge 0.5 euro/MB for roaming. Granted, these prices are still higher than they should, but it's a start and it makes things usable. I now have WiFi turned OFF all the time :)
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