Bluetooth broadcasting: How far can we go? An experimental study

Bluetooth is a wireless communication technology to build small networks of devices. It was designed as a cable replacement technology. Given its widespread adoption, especially in mobile devices, new uses are possible today. For instance, one can broadcast messages to nomadic users based on their location. In this paper, we perform an experimental evaluation of whether Bluetooth is indeed a suitable technology for spontaneous networking and broadcasting. The evaluation does not only consist of a review of current hardware and software, but also of a concrete implementation tested in a controlled indoor and in a not-controlled outdoor environment. The results of the experimentation show that, despite the intrinsic limitation of the original design, Bluetooth is indeed suitable for mobile location-based broadcasting.