Bluetooth hotspot

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Bluetooth hotspot is a radio cell based on Bluetooth technology. Depending on the usage scenario, a Bluetooth hotspot can take on various functions. The radio system can enable wireless access to a network such as the Internet or a company LAN , or it can act as a "transmitting station" to send data to mobile devices with a Bluetooth interface.

Purposes

Bluetooth hotspots and the like are used. a. in companies that want to give employees access to company data via mobile devices. Bluetooth hotspots are often used in mobile marketing to transfer so-called mobile content such as videos, podcasts, apps, presentations or business cards to cell phones. Another use of Bluetooth hotspots is the provision of context-related visitor information at conferences and trade fairs.

The Bluetooth wireless technology offers a range of 10 to 20 meters, depending on the transmission power and environmental conditions. In contrast to transmission via cellular networks, data transmission is possible here at greater speed, without data transfer costs and without knowing the telephone numbers of the receiving devices. With the next generation of Bluetooth, range and speed will increase.

Forms of communication with Bluetooth hotspots

Due to the specific properties of the Bluetooth standard, the following forms of communication with Bluetooth hotspots have emerged:

Push
The Bluetooth hotspot constantly offers content for download to all Bluetooth devices in its transmission range, which can be assigned to a certain device class (PDA, mobile phone, laptop, etc.). If a device is found with an activated and visibly switched Bluetooth interface, an attempt is made to send it one or more content, whereby a message to this effect usually appears on the device first ("Do you want to download content X from sender Y?"). The OBEX protocol is used for this. Since this process takes place without prior request, it is called a push procedure.
Pull
A characteristic of the pull is the fact that a user must first send an explicit request to the sender. This can take the form of a business card, a text or picture message via Bluetooth. The prerequisite is that the user has previously found the hotspot via the Bluetooth menu of his device.
Application based
Communication with the hotspot is controlled by an application installed on the end device, such as B. a Java program. Depending on the application, communication can be completely initiated and controlled by the user. The prerequisite is that the user must first install the program on their device.
SMS via bluetooth
In this case, the Bluetooth interface is used for initial contact. After coupling with the hotspot, the hotspot initiates the automatic sending of an SMS to a server of the provider. In the next step, the user receives the content offered by SMS or MMS. With this method, the provider also knows the mobile phone number of the user. The prerequisite here is prior coupling with the hotspot.

privacy

Communication with the mobile phone is a sensitive area, especially with regard to security, costs and the problem of spam. Bluetooth hotspots in public spaces should therefore always have at least the following properties:

  1. A clearly visible identification point that clearly describes the functionality and the content offered.
  2. The sender designation (Bluetooth name) must enable a clear assignment to the visual manifestation (see point 1).
  3. Only content that can be correctly displayed on the receiving device is sent.
  4. If the receipt of a content is refused, no attempt is made again to send this content to this user.
  5. No attempt is made to combine Bluetooth addresses with other personal data (name, phone number, whereabouts, ...) and to save them.
  6. The content to be sent is in a comprehensible context to the environment.

The currently most common form of hotspot communication is the push method. The main question here is whether the unsolicited message that content is available for download can be classified as undesirable nuisance. In the article Legal Admissibility of Advertising via Bluetooth , the authors come to the conclusion:

“Implied consent cannot currently be seen in the fact that the cell phone is both visible and active for the hotspot. [...] An unreasonable annoyance is the request whether the offered content should be downloaded from the HotSpot. The fact that a message appears on the mobile phone already encroaches on privacy. [...] However, the so-called "touch-in" is to be regarded as sufficient within the scope of the prior consent. This means that a user will only be contacted if they hold their mobile phone close to a certain point, [...]. "

- Sassenberg / Berger : Communication & Law, October 2007

The SMS via Bluetooth method and generally all methods that require a coupling (pairing) are to be classified as very dubious for security reasons, since the hotspot and thus the provider are granted very extensive rights on the user device, such as. B. reading out the address list or sending SMS. To make matters worse, most users are unfamiliar with these coupling properties. The Bluetooth SIG warns of pairing in public spaces:

"It is always advisable to pair products in areas with relative privacy. Avoid pairing your Bluetooth enabled devices in public. "

- Bluetooth SIG : Security Q&A online article

literature

  • Sassenberg / Berger: Legal admissibility of advertising via Bluetooth , Kommunikation & Recht, October 2007, page 499ff

Web links