Cellid Geolocation

About this API

The Cellid Geolocation API is a powerful alternative for providing device geolocation when GPS is unavailable. By receiving information about the mobile communication base stations (Cell Towers) and WiFi access points that a device can currently scan, it utilizes a vast global database of base stations and WiFi hotspots to calculate the device's latitude and longitude coordinates and a radius indicating the location's accuracy. This positioning technology is particularly suitable for indoor environments, dense urban canyons, or any scene where GPS signals are blocked. For asset tracking, Internet of Things (IoT) device positioning, and applications providing basic location services, it is an efficient and low-power solution.

Key Features

• Multi-source Signal Positioning: Comprehensively utilizes cellular network information (such as Cell ID, LAC, MCC, MNC) and surrounding WiFi hotspot information (MAC address, signal strength) for positioning. The richer the signal source, the more accurate the positioning.
• Works in GPS-denied Environments: Specifically designed for devices and scenarios without a GPS module or where GPS signals are unavailable, providing reliable positioning capabilities.
• Global Database Support: Relies on a continuously updated, vast global database of base station and WiFi hotspot locations, ensuring wide applicability.
• Returns Location and Accuracy: The API not only returns the calculated latitude and longitude coordinates (lat, lon) but also provides a range (accuracy radius, in meters), allowing the application to understand the reliability of the current positioning result.
• Low Power Consumption: Compared to continuously running GPS, positioning by scanning cellular and WiFi signals consumes much less power, making it very suitable for battery-powered devices that require long battery life.

Use Cases

Scenario 1: Seamless Indoor and Outdoor Asset Tracking

Situation: A logistics company needs to track its high-value packages, which move between warehouses (indoor), in transit (outdoor), and at their destination (possibly indoor). Implementation: Each package is affixed with a low-power tracking tag that does not contain GPS but can periodically scan for surrounding cellular networks and WiFi signals. The tag sends this signal data to the cloud via NB-IoT or LTE-M networks. The cloud service calls the Cellid Geolocation API to convert the signal data into geographic location coordinates. Even if the package enters a large warehouse without GPS signals, the company can still roughly determine that the package has arrived at the warehouse area based on the returned base station and WiFi positioning results, achieving seamless tracking from outdoor to indoor.

Scenario 2: Provide Geographic Tagging for IoT Devices without GPS

Situation: A company has deployed thousands of smart trash cans in a city. These devices are cost-sensitive and not equipped with GPS modules, but they need to report their geographical location for management and maintenance. Implementation: After each smart trash can is installed, its built-in communication module reports the cellular network information it can scan (mcc, mnc, lac, cid) once. The company's IoT platform receives this information and calls this API for parsing, thereby obtaining the precise deployment location of the trash can and recording it in the system. This allows maintenance personnel to clearly see the location of each device on a map, which is convenient for route planning and on-site repairs.

Scenario 3: Improve the Positioning Start-up Speed of Mobile Applications in Complex Urban Environments

Situation: A map or navigation application wants to quickly display the user's approximate location the moment the user opens the app, instead of waiting for the slow cold start and satellite search process of GPS. Implementation: When the application starts, it can first obtain the device's current cellular network and WiFi information (there are corresponding system APIs on Android and iOS to obtain this). Then, the application immediately sends this information to the Cellid Geolocation API. The API will return an approximate location and accuracy range within a second. The application can first display this initial location on the map with a semi-transparent circle (representing the accuracy range), while continuing to perform more accurate GPS positioning in the background. Once the GPS positioning is successful, the marker on the map is updated to the precise location. This "hybrid positioning" strategy greatly improves the user's initial experience.

How it Works: Endpoints & Response

This API receives a JSON object containing cellular network and/or WiFi signal information through a POST request.

Endpoint Example: https://hub.juheapi.com/cell-location/v1/query

The request body needs to include key base station information, such as mcc (Mobile Country Code), mnc (Mobile Network Code), lac (Location Area Code), and cid (Cell ID). The API's response is a concise JSON object that directly provides the three core results: lon (longitude), lat (latitude), and range (accuracy radius, in meters). The address field provides a text description based on reverse geocoding of the coordinates, providing additional convenience for developers. This simple and direct design makes it extremely easy to convert non-GPS signals into usable geographic location information.