A method for refining multicast service areas based on location may include receiving, at a mobile device, location-based definitions of service subareas located within a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) service area. Different MBMS content may be associated with two or more service subareas. The method includes storing the received location-based definitions of the service subareas within the mobile device, generating a current position of the mobile device, identifying a service subarea from the plurality of service subareas that circumscribes the current position of the mobile device, and permitting, in response to the identifying, user access to MBMS content associated with the identified service subarea.