Glossary of Terms

WiFi Positioning

WiFi positioning consists of recording the location of detected WiFi access points into a database. When the database is later queried by a device in the vicinity of previously detected access points, the position of the device may then be estimated. WiFi positioning augments GNSS positioning in areas where a GNSS receiver may not hear sufficient numbers of satellites to establish a fix. It is a useful technology for certain Location-Based Services, including indoors, but not an absolute replacement of GNSS due to lower accuracy and inconsistent coverage. Cellular positioning consists of recording the location of detected cellular towers into a database. When the database is later queried by a device in the vicinity of previously detected towers, the position of the device may then be estimated. Cellular positioning augments GNSS positioning in areas where a GNSS receiver may not hear sufficient numbers of satellites to establish a fix. It is a useful technology for certain Location-Based Services, including indoors, but not an absolute replacement of GNSS due to lower accuracy and inconsistent coverage. The accuracy of WiFi positioning may range from 30-250m and is especially dense in urban areas, but sparse elsewhere. Some vendors often refer WiFi positioning as hybrid positioning but in most cases, it is nothing more than an alternative to GNSS. True hybrid positioning actively uses information from multiple positioning technologies to render a position that is better than each technology on its own.