GSM Vs. CDMA – GPS Tracking
15 Jul 2011What’s the difference between a GSM GPRS tracker and a CDMA tracker?
A GSM GPRS tracker is perhaps the most popular type of GPS data tracker available today. A GSM sim card is inserted into the GPS tracker which allows the device to transmit wireless data through a network (like ATT and T-Mobile) to a wireless access point or APN. The APN connects to the internet and transmits the data to a GPS service provider’s server, where tracking data is made available to the end user. Older sytle GPS trackers will only use SMS messages to send data over the network – this method of sending data is not only expensive, but can be unreliable. Newer GPS trackers, are able to use TCP/IP and UDP internet protocols to transmit data, which are much more efficient than SMS messages.
CDMA trackers, are a little different than a GPRS GSM tracker. Most CDMA gps trackers are equipped with the gpsOne Qualcomm chipset. When compared to GSM trackers, the gpsOne chipset does not appear to be as accurate as its counterpart. However, the gpsOne chipset is able to locate using Assisted GPS.
A-GPS equipped GPS trackers, in a nutshell can use fragmented GPS data along with data gps data stored on a network server, to better return position data. In some cases, typical GPS devices blocked by metal, with no clear view to the sky cannot return accurate location fixes. Whereas, a CDMA device with gpsOne, even though enclosed in metal, the CDMA device will be able to return a position fix.
CDMA devices typically are a little more expensive to use as a GPS tracker. Billing is done on a per locate or “ping” basis, which can add up if you need to perform a lot of locates on your gps tracker. Please contact us with any questions about GPS Tracking, our normal business hours are M-F from 7 am – 5 pm PST.
2 Responses to GSM Vs. CDMA – GPS Tracking
calvo
February 20th, 2013 at 3:53 am
On the text it says “this method of sending data is not only expensive, but can be unreliable.” may I know why is it expensive and unreliable?
George Karonis
February 20th, 2013 at 9:33 am
SMS messages are more expensive to send and are not a guaranteed way to send data. Have you ever sent someone a text message and they never received it? Or they received a text message hours later? First generation GPS trackers used SMS as a primary means of transmitting data. For example, if you were to do 10 second Live Tracking via sms messages 24/7 over a 30 day period, you would need to have sent over 200,00 sms messages – if you paid .03 cents per message – that would cost you over $6,000.00 a month.