Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


ashleylie

7 posts

Wannabe Geek


#61043 7-May-2010 16:15
Send private message

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?

View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic
 1 | 2 | 3
freitasm
BDFL - Memuneh
79254 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator
ID Verified
Trusted
Geekzone
Lifetime subscriber

  #327770 7-May-2010 16:19
Send private message

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"...





Please support Geekzone by subscribing, or using one of our referral links: Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies | Hatch | GoodSyncBackblaze backup




nickb800
2715 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #327774 7-May-2010 16:23
Send private message

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

ashleylie

7 posts

Wannabe Geek


  #327777 7-May-2010 16:34
Send private message

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
BDFL - Memuneh
79254 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator
ID Verified
Trusted
Geekzone
Lifetime subscriber

  #327778 7-May-2010 16:36
Send private message

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?





Please support Geekzone by subscribing, or using one of our referral links: Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies | Hatch | GoodSyncBackblaze backup


ashleylie

7 posts

Wannabe Geek


  #327781 7-May-2010 16:48
Send private message

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
BDFL - Memuneh
79254 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator
ID Verified
Trusted
Geekzone
Lifetime subscriber

  #327783 7-May-2010 16:52
Send private message

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.





Please support Geekzone by subscribing, or using one of our referral links: Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies | Hatch | GoodSyncBackblaze backup


johnr
19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user


  #327798 7-May-2010 18:53
Send private message

Bad idea doing it by SMS

 
 
 

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.
freitasm
BDFL - Memuneh
79254 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator
ID Verified
Trusted
Geekzone
Lifetime subscriber

  #327800 7-May-2010 18:55
Send private message

And John works for a telco...




Please support Geekzone by subscribing, or using one of our referral links: Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies | Hatch | GoodSyncBackblaze backup


sbiddle
30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod
Trusted
Biddle Corp
Lifetime subscriber

  #327837 7-May-2010 21:09
Send private message

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
2 posts

Wannabe Geek


  #327840 7-May-2010 22:00
Send private message

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
1315 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #327847 7-May-2010 22:27
Send private message

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
30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod
Trusted
Biddle Corp
Lifetime subscriber

  #327884 8-May-2010 07:39
Send private message

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
BDFL - Memuneh
79254 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator
ID Verified
Trusted
Geekzone
Lifetime subscriber

  #327887 8-May-2010 08:08
Send private message

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.





Please support Geekzone by subscribing, or using one of our referral links: Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies | Hatch | GoodSyncBackblaze backup


Search4u
2 posts

Wannabe Geek


  #327888 8-May-2010 08:12
Send private message

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.

sbiddle
30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod
Trusted
Biddle Corp
Lifetime subscriber

  #327889 8-May-2010 08:21
Send private message

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.

 1 | 2 | 3
View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic





News and reviews »

Air New Zealand Starts AI adoption with OpenAI
Posted 24-Jul-2025 16:00


eero Pro 7 Review
Posted 23-Jul-2025 12:07


BeeStation Plus Review
Posted 21-Jul-2025 14:21


eero Unveils New Wi-Fi 7 Products in New Zealand
Posted 21-Jul-2025 00:01


WiZ Introduces HDMI Sync Box and other Light Devices
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:32


RedShield Enhances DDoS and Bot Attack Protection
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:26


Seagate Ships 30TB Drives
Posted 17-Jul-2025 11:24


Oclean AirPump A10 Water Flosser Review
Posted 13-Jul-2025 11:05


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Brings New Edge-To-Edge FlexWindow
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Epson Launches New AM-C550Z WorkForce Enterprise printer
Posted 9-Jul-2025 18:22


Samsung Releases Smart Monitor M9
Posted 9-Jul-2025 17:46


Nearly Half of Older Kiwis Still Write their Passwords on Paper
Posted 9-Jul-2025 08:42


D-Link 4G+ Cat6 Wi-Fi 6 DWR-933M Mobile Hotspot Review
Posted 1-Jul-2025 11:34


Oppo A5 Series Launches With New Levels of Durability
Posted 30-Jun-2025 10:15









Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.



Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.