GPS Tracking ROI

Spacenet Inc. is working with Verizon Business to deploy a custom satellite network for the U.S. Postal Service. The satellite network will provide high performance broadband communications for over 5,000 Postal Service sites in the continental U.S., Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. In addition, the satellite network will support on-demand back-up communications for a number of larger USPS facilities, as well as portable communications for the US Postal Inspection Service fleet of more than 20 incident response vehicles…. Read more about a cellular company who recognizes that cellular isn’t always the answer here.

Day after day I sift through news releases on the order of this one and click on “delete”, because I see them as just another flawed cellular boondoggle.  Communications in general and GPS tracking in particular can not always be done satisfactorily via cellular networks … CDMA, GSM, GPRS, 3D, etc.

“Dumb” cell companies and “anything for a buck” GPS tracking providers will, at time, try to convince clients that the cellular networks are ubiquitous and services based on cellular technology only will serve everyone, but this just ain’t necessarily so.

One of the real strengths of the United States which many citizens take for granted is the “Post office” … more accurately the United States Postal Service.  Unlike certain business who have the luxury of “cherry picking” regarding which customers they serve, the USPS is required to offer service to all Americans .. and this requires serving areas which the “in crowd” refers to as “flyover country”.  Just because you live in New Mexico or Montana or rural Mississippi doesn’t mean you are any less a citizen or that you are required to accept less than adequate service.

The cellular network, however is a business, pure and simple.  It’s economically not feasible to put up enough cellular nodes to insure adequate coverage of every square mile in the US.  Instead of trying to make a “one size fits all” solution work in areas where it can’t work, Verizon has used their head and partnered with a satellite data provider so that they can actually serve the customer rather than offer up excuses.  My hat is off to them.

If you are thinking about GPS tracking … and you should be .. remember that cellular-based service may serve you excellently in areas where cell coverage is acceptable … but it will not and likely never will serve everywhere … don’t buy a cell-based GPS tracking system without testing it where all your vehicles travel.  It’s false economy to ignore the laws of physics and geography.