When do vehicles need satellite tracking?
Every tracker gets its position from GPS satellites, even in the desert. The issue is sending that position: most trackers send their data over the mobile network, so when a vehicle leaves coverage, nothing gets through.
The tool helps with one decision: what to do about the time your vehicles spend outside coverage. You answer seven questions about routes, how long the gaps last and what must reach you at once, and get a score out of 100, a recommendation and the reasons behind it.
The Memory and messages tab works out how many records a device stores during a gap, whether its memory is big enough, and how many satellite messages your vehicles will send each month.
Cellular vs store-and-forward vs satellite tracking
| Option and score | How it works | What it does not give you |
|---|---|---|
| Cellular tracking (under 20) | The device sends position and events over the mobile network every few seconds or minutes. | Nothing significant while vehicles stay in coverage. |
| Store-and-forward (20 to 49) | The device keeps records in its memory during a gap and sends them in order when coverage returns, so the trip history is complete. | No position and no alarms while the vehicle is out of coverage. |
| Hybrid: cellular plus satellite (50 and above) | A cellular tracker for daily use, plus a satellite device or a hybrid unit that sends position at intervals and emergency alarms when there is no coverage. | Satellite messages cost more, so they usually carry position and alarms only, not all the data. |
How does the tool choose the right connection?
Each answer carries points. The points are added up, divided by the sum of maximum points and turned into a score out of 100. The table shows the default weights. Safee set them by judgment, not from a study, and the site admin can edit them.
| Factor | Maximum points | Why it raises the score |
|---|---|---|
| Time out of coverage | 35 | The longer the gap, the more data waits and the longer you do not know where the vehicle is. |
| What must arrive at once | 35 | An alarm or position that cannot wait only gets through by satellite when there is no network. |
| Routes | 15 | Desert roads, remote sites and the sea make gaps more likely. Each route adds 0 to 8 points, capped at 15. |
| Traveling alone | 15 | A driver traveling alone has nobody to call for help if the vehicle breaks down or they are hurt. |
The client requirement, the data type and the share of vehicles carry no points. They drive the rules, the notes and the next steps.
Rules that override the score
- Any time out of coverage: the recommendation is at least store-and-forward, so no trip data is lost.
- Data that must arrive at once: if you need emergency alarms or position while out of coverage, the recommendation is hybrid tracking.
- Client or safety policy requirement: the recommendation is hybrid tracking. Check the current requirement in the contract or policy: device type, send interval and who receives the alarm.
- No time out of coverage: the recommendation is cellular tracking whatever the score.
How to size device memory and satellite messages
- Memory size is listed in the device datasheet as a number of records. If it is smaller than your longest gap, the device may overwrite old records or stop logging, depending on its settings. Ask the provider how their device behaves.
- The logging interval sets how detailed the stored track is. A shorter interval gives a more precise track and fills the memory faster.
- Satellite messages are priced by the provider, per message or as a monthly data bundle. Enter the price from your quote to get the cost.
Worked example: vehicles crossing desert roads
- A company runs vehicles on highways and desert roads that spend 1 to 4 hours a day outside coverage. It does not need data at once during the gap, and some trips have a single driver.
- Points: routes 7 (highways 2 + desert 5) + time out of coverage 20 + what must arrive at once 0 + traveling alone 8 = 35 out of 100, so the recommendation is store-and-forward.
- If the company needed the panic button alarm to arrive at once, 20 points would be added for a score of 55, and the recommendation would be hybrid tracking by both the rule and the score.
- Memory and messages: 10 vehicles, 3-hour gaps, 20 days a month and a 30-second logging interval: 3 × 3600 ÷ 30 = 360 records per gap. A 10,000-record memory covers 10,000 × 30 ÷ 3600 = 83 hours. If vehicles send their position by satellite every 30 minutes: 20 × 3 × 60 ÷ 30 = 120 messages, plus 5 alarms and requests makes 125 per vehicle and 1,250 messages a month for the fleet.
Common mistakes when choosing a tracker for remote areas
- Buying satellite devices for the whole fleet. Fit them to the vehicles that actually leave coverage.
- Sending all data by satellite. Send position and alarms only, and let the rest wait for the mobile network.
- Ignoring memory size. A device with small memory can lose part of a long trip without anyone noticing.
- Not deciding who receives the emergency alarm. Write in the journey management plan who gets the alarm, what they do and within how many minutes.
- Relying on coverage maps alone. Test the actual route; coverage varies by operator and terrain.
Assumptions and limits of the tool
The tool supports a decision; it does not replace testing the route or getting provider quotes. The weights and bands are set by Safee and the site admin can edit them. The figures in the memory and messages tab are examples to replace with your own and your device datasheet. The tool does not state satellite message prices because they vary by provider and plan.