Apr 16, 2019
Apr 23, 2019
Introducing Location Services in Summit
OptConnect is happy to announce Location Services is now available in OptConnect’s free Summit management platform. The approximate location on the majority of OptConnect branded devices is available immediately to all Summit users.
Location Services uses the identifiers of nearby cell towers to determine where an OptConnect device is located. In areas with several nearby towers, the location can be determined within a city block and in areas with few towers within a mile or so.
OptConnect’s Location Services shows not only the position on a map but also an approximate street address that can be easily cross-referenced with customers’ internal records.
In OptConnect Summit you will see one more button under the device detail. In the upper left corner just below the Summit logo under the blue Approximate Device Location header will be button labeled “Show Map”.
In many cases, this “Approximate Address” will provide an actual street address and sometimes it will only provide a City State and Zip.
By clicking on the “Show Map” button it will provide an estimated area of where the device is. It will also provide the range accuracy in miles. It does provide an area that should be in the center of location radius but is not necessarily EXACTLY where the device is, but an approximate location.
In the upper left corner will be a “+” and “–“ symbol to zoom in or zoom out. It will also allow the user to scroll up, down, right or left on the map.
Location Services uses Cell ID or CID (unique sector of a base transceiver station) to determine the approximate device location. These are the transmitting/receiving antennas on a cell tower or the actual steel tower structure.
Some cell towers have as few as 3 cell IDs, however, most usually range from 8-10. Because each individual CID is pointing in a different direction, it provides not only the direction from the tower but also the approximate distance from the tower.
Location Services does not use GPS to determine the location of the device. The good news is that unlike many GPS systems, it will work inside buildings or underground. It also does not use “Triangulation”, this term refers to using 3 points of reference to determine a location.
The location accuracy will be more precise where there are numerous cell towers, like in urban or highly populated areas. The location information will be more inexact in rural locations, which are generally served by fewer cell towers.
This new tool from OptConnect will help you locate devices on your account even if your techs or installers are forgetful with documenting which device was placed where. This will help you manage your company’s portfolio and give you peace of mind.
We pride ourselves on Summit being a robust platform and we feel that this additional feature will only help to make it a truly all-in-one platform.
To learn more about Summit and Location Services, give one of our connectivity experts a call at 1.877.678.3343.
Where to Find Location Services
In OptConnect Summit you will see one more button under the device detail. In the upper left corner just below the Summit logo under the blue Approximate Device Location header will be button labeled “Show Map”.
In many cases, this “Approximate Address” will provide an actual street address and sometimes it will only provide a City State and Zip.
By clicking on the “Show Map” button it will provide an estimated area of where the device is. It will also provide the range accuracy in miles. It does provide an area that should be in the center of location radius but is not necessarily EXACTLY where the device is, but an approximate location.
In the upper left corner will be a “+” and “–“ symbol to zoom in or zoom out. It will also allow the user to scroll up, down, right or left on the map.
How Location Services Works
Location Services uses Cell ID or CID (unique sector of a base transceiver station) to determine the approximate device location. These are the transmitting/receiving antennas on a cell tower or the actual steel tower structure.
Some cell towers have as few as 3 cell IDs, however, most usually range from 8-10. Because each individual CID is pointing in a different direction, it provides not only the direction from the tower but also the approximate distance from the tower.
Location Services does not use GPS to determine the location of the device. The good news is that unlike many GPS systems, it will work inside buildings or underground. It also does not use “Triangulation”, this term refers to using 3 points of reference to determine a location.
The location accuracy will be more precise where there are numerous cell towers, like in urban or highly populated areas. The location information will be more inexact in rural locations, which are generally served by fewer cell towers.
Always Innovating
This new tool from OptConnect will help you locate devices on your account even if your techs or installers are forgetful with documenting which device was placed where. This will help you manage your company’s portfolio and give you peace of mind.
We pride ourselves on Summit being a robust platform and we feel that this additional feature will only help to make it a truly all-in-one platform.
To learn more about Summit and Location Services, give one of our connectivity experts a call at 1.877.678.3343.
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