A reference signal periodically transmitted by a base station in a wireless network can have certain proprietary properties to help prevent detection and utilization of the signal for unauthorized positioning of mobile devices. More specifically, a network node can obscure and introduce time-variation in mapping between positioning signals and a corresponding physical base stations. The network node may also introduce time variations in fields of a base station almanac (BSA) provided to subscribing user equipments (UEs). The information transmitted to the subscribing UEs may be encrypted.