Mobile Location-Based Services - don’t forget the Telcos »

TechCrunch recently posted on a Juniper report on “Mobile Location Based Services"  This report taps on the potential for this new wave of powerful apps – like letting your phone geotag the video you just took and posting it to Facebook with a Google Maps link;  one-button dial to a nearby restaurant discovered through your social network; or dynamically billing for high-value media content via the operator.  

Companies like Google, Foursquare, and Nokia are mentioned as on the forefront of many of these services.

But don't forget the Telcos - they have rich location based services with network data and a huge customer base.  Exposing APIs and working with third party content and service providers is critical for telcos and network operators. 

But Telco APIs can be complex.  Our view is that the Telcos that focus on making these APIs as simple and accessible as those from consumer Web players can be winners in MLBS.  We talk about these and other issues in detail in our new Telco 2.0 Whitepaper.