In today’s hyper-connected world of IoT, it has never been easier for businesses to make their global ambitions a reality but operating at this scale presents a host of new challenges. According to Statista, Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices will top 30 Billion by 2020. Businesses in transportation, logistics and supply chain segments are enticed by significant international expansion but the process and requirements for tracking and monitoring global assets can seem daunting and expensive.
Do we need new dedicated equipment or will the solution work with what we have? How reliable is the signal and what is the battery drain? How much does it cost to use and is it secure? These are just a handful of qualifying questions that decision-makers must answer before selecting a solution.
In this blog post, we will review a location solution called Global Site ID (GSID) that can help businesses achieve global visibility for monitoring and protecting assets.
What is GSID?
GSID is a LocationSmart service available via its cloud-based platform that delivers geolocation information to enhance fleet tracking, asset tracking, M2M/IoT and transportation and logistics applications. It enables businesses to locate any device capable of reporting cell site parameters (GSM, LTE, CDMA, WCDMA) or Wi-Fi access point details on a global scale. The service is available in over 200 countries and it allows businesses to identify the whereabouts of devices, even while roaming.
This level of visibility is paramount for a variety of use cases and it can help eliminate gaps in location reporting so that businesses know where their devices are anytime they are connected. Businesses transporting high-value assets often rely on GSID to ensure their assets are locatable throughout the transit lifecycle. Companies manufacturing industrial equipment, pharmaceuticals, ATMs, vending machines, security panels, ankle bracelets and many others depend on this type of service for complete visibility of their physical assets.
Speed to locate and reliable access to location information are critical factors when tracking important assets. GSID delivers sub-second location responses and it also provides the ability to find assets indoors or when GPS-solutions cannot get a fix. It can obtain location information quickly without the need to engage the GPS when that level of location accuracy is not required. The use of GSID technology helps preserve and extend the battery life of devices and is used when assets are warehoused, in transit or in the field. GSID is an excellent addition to a business’s multi-source approach to asset tracking and it can dramatically increase efficiency.
