Mobile Cell Locations

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ashleylie

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Topic # 61043 7-May-2010 16:15

Is there any information out there on cell phone locations? We are developing a system that relies upon being able to broadcast txt messages to all mobile phoes using GSM in select areas, i.e. Christchurch coastal - New Brighton to Sth Brighton. I have seen in older posts that the Min Econ Development had a database of all sites but I am unable to find this. Can anyone help?

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BDFL - Memuneh
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Reply # 327770 7-May-2010 16:19

I really hope you are not thinking of using the cell site as a "location" to send out spam SMS with unsolicited "offers" from "valued partners"...

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nickb800

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Reply # 327774 7-May-2010 16:23

This may be helpful for you, although possibly not in the form you're after
http://cid-21228dfc4e937fda.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Public/Cellsite%20Locations

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ashleylie

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Reply # 327777 7-May-2010 16:34

There's no way we are thinking of using this for spam - it will be for legitimate emergency only alerts from Civil Defence and/or Regional Councils.

freitasm

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Reply # 327778 7-May-2010 16:36

ashleylie: There's no way we are thinking of using this for spam - it will be for legitimate emergency only alerts from Civil Defence and/or Regional Councils.

And CD/RC will send this unsolicited or only to people that subscribe to those alerts?

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ashleylie

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Reply # 327781 7-May-2010 16:48

We have had discussions on this - the uptake on an opt in system is historically quite poor. The general feeling is IF there is an emergency and there is a way to notify many in a geographical area do we do this OR do we take the PC approach and only tell the less than 1% that subscribe!!!

freitasm

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Reply # 327783 7-May-2010 16:52

I think the SMS is the wrong way to go anyway. First SMS is a best effort service. With an overload of SMS due to an actual emergency situation you will end up with people not receiving the emergency message - or receive it too late for any real effect, and making it impossible to others to send messages between themselves because you have flooded the channel (no pun intended).

Also, not knowing where this message comes from automatically would make a lot of people put it in the "SPAM" or "RUBISH" or "HOAX" bin.

This is a waste of money in my view. And the Civil Defence could contact Gen-i for example to get some more information - I think they already have something in place for that.

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johnr

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Reply # 327798 7-May-2010 18:53

Bad idea doing it by SMS

freitasm

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Reply # 327800 7-May-2010 18:55

And John works for a telco...

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sbiddle

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Reply # 327837 7-May-2010 21:09

It's a terrible idea and doomed to fail, just like every eveery other council that has looked at the idea.

I also don't know why the location of sites would be of any interest to you - you can't phyically tell the location of the phone, only the operator can.

To broadcast messages to a geographic area you need to be using Cell Broadcast which is an entirely different technology that's not used by any of the operators in NZ other than VF to transmit their CellID on channel 050.

If you do want the location of every cellsite in NZ it's on the RSM website - but the data is totally worthless for you.

Search4u

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Reply # 327840 7-May-2010 22:00

I think having a system like this is a great idea and would certainly give me reassurance that if there was a warning of any kind I would automatically be contacted. I don't listen to the radio all day like some people so how else would I know anything was up. It would be so immediate. Top marks for thinking this up.
Don't listen to the naysayers, plenty of people have succeeded when others said it couldn't be done.
I have seen a site promoting what you're after in Britain and the idea is run successfully in some parts of the states.

BrentR

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Reply # 327847 7-May-2010 22:27

It's not that they're being naysayers for the point of being grumpy, negative old men, more for the fact that SMS is a best effort technology, there's no guarantee that it will get through, less so if everyone is trying to call/text to make people aware of what may be happening (in the case of New Brighton I would assume a tsunami)

There are better and more reliable systems available such as localised sirens etc.

sbiddle

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Reply # 327884 8-May-2010 07:39

Search4u: I think having a system like this is a great idea and would certainly give me reassurance that if there was a warning of any kind I would automatically be contacted. I don't listen to the radio all day like some people so how else would I know anything was up. It would be so immediate. Top marks for thinking this up.
Don't listen to the naysayers, plenty of people have succeeded when others said it couldn't be done.
I have seen a site promoting what you're after in Britain and the idea is run successfully in some parts of the states.

The idea is great. The problem is that implimenting a system using SMS is a totally flawed model. Such a system deployed by Horizons has already failed twice in NZ during emergencies. While it's great for alerts it should in no way ever be considered a replacement for other systems such as emergency sirens. It relies on people firstly signing up to a system which still means the majority of mobile users within a designated area will be totally unaware of an event because they will never bother signing up.

freitasm

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Reply # 327887 8-May-2010 08:08

Note the OP said their plan is to send UNSOLICITED messages - to people who had not signed up for it. It's worts because it would overload the system preventing other communications to happen.

That's why the idea is flawed.

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Search4u

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Reply # 327888 8-May-2010 08:12

I don't think this should in any way be seen as a replacement but a complimentary system. Logically by combining all systems your improve penetration of the message. None are perfect standalones.

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Reply # 327889 8-May-2010 08:21

Search4u: I don't think this should in any way be seen as a replacement but a complimentary system. Logically by combining all systems your improve penetration of the message. None are perfect standalones.

Except it can't work in the way the OP wants. You can't easily send SMS messages to all phones in a geographic area, this is why the Cell Broadcast technology exists and what it's designed to be used for. This is totally different technology however and relies on people configuring their phones which is the downside.

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