QuecLocator 
Application Note 
  GSM/GPRS Module Series 
  Rev. QuecLocator_Application_Note_V3.3 
Date: 2013-06-08 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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                                                                          QuecLocator  Application  Note 
 
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                                                                          QuecLocator  Application  Note 
 
About the document 
   
History   
Revision   
Date 
Author 
Description 
2013-03-11 
Kim JIN 
Initial 
2013-03-23 
Kim JIN 
Modified return values of AT+QCELLLOC.   
2013-05-14 
Kim JIN 
2013-06-07 
Kim JIN 
Modified the application scope for QuecLocator 
function.     
Modified the functional description of 
QuecLocator. 
3.0 
3.1 
3.2 
3.3 
 
 
   
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                                                                          QuecLocator  Application  Note 
 
Contents   
 
About the document ................................................................................................................................... 2 
1 
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 4 
2  Cellular Location .................................................................................................................................. 5 
3  Commands Description ....................................................................................................................... 7 
3.1.  AT+QCELLLOC    Get Current Location ..................................................................................... 7 
4  Appendix A Reference ......................................................................................................................... 9 
 
   
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                                                                          QuecLocator  Application  Note 
 
1  Introduction   
   
QuecLocator  is  the  abbreviation  of  Quectel’s  cellular  positioning  technology,  which  can  enhance  and 
complement  stand-alone  GNSS  performance  in  conjunction  with  information  from  mobile  network  cells 
particularly in challenging signal environments, such as urban canyon, indoors, in enclosed park houses 
or when GNSS jamming signals are present. 
 
This  document  gives  you  a  detailed  introduction  to  QuecLocator  and  describes  how  to  enable  this 
functionality via AT Command.   
   
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2  Cellular  Location   
 
Global  Navigation  Satellite  System  (GNSS)  has  been  widely  used  because  of  its  accurate  and  stable 
positioning capability. But it is not always possible in the challenging signal environments, such as when 
GNSS receiver works indoors, in urban canyon, under the elevated bridge or GNSS signal is influenced 
by jamming.   
 
Wireless  cells  are  widely  available  in  urban  and  rural  environments,  which  can  enable  QuecLocator 
service to estimate the position on the basis of surrounding mobile network information. The QuecLocator, 
combined  with  the  technology  of  cellular  location,  can  be  supported  where  GSM  network  coverage  is 
available. 
 
 
 
QuecLocator allows Quectel wireless modules to provide positioning service only with cell base station. 
QuecLocator  can  works  alone  with  no  need  for  a  GNSS  receiver.  So  if  GNSS  signals  are  blocked  or 
influenced by jamming, (such as within tunnels, buildings or metallic containers,) Quectel modules with 
QuecLocator technology can also provide rough location information. 
 
 
   
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Benefits of QuecLocator 
 
The advantages of using QuecLocator are the following: 
 
Indoor positioning: GNSS signal is not available indoors or in other enclosed places. QuecLocator 
can provide position information in these situations. 
  For  some  specific  application,  an  estimated  position  is  enough.  Then  a  GNSS  module  can  be 
retrenched.   
  Convenient to use: QuecLocator can be used wherever the base station service is available. With the 
cells’ information, the current location can be easily displayed via QuecLocator. 
  Broad application scope: QuecLocator is based on the  density of network cells. It can work where 
GNSS  is  not  available.  When  a  GNSS  jamming  device  is  used,  QuecLocator  can  also  offer  the 
location service. 
   
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3  Commands  Description   
 
3.1. AT+QCELLLOC    Get Current Location 
 
This AT command is used to get the current location through QuecLocator.   
AT+QCELLLOC    Get Current Location 
Test Command     
AT+QCELLLOC=? 
Response 
+QCELLLOC: 1 
 
OK 
Write Command 
Response   
AT+QCELLLOC= 
+QCELLLOC: , 
 
OK 
 
else response 
ERROR 
 
Reference 
Parameter 
 
Location method. 
1  Get current location by the cell’s information. 
  
The longitude of the location information. This value should be accurate to six after the 
decimal point, and the range is <-180.000000 to 180.000000>. 
The latitude of the location information. This value should be accurate to six after the   
decimal point, and the range is <-90.000000 to 90.000000>. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTE 
There will be around 200 bytes of upstream data every time using this function to get location. And the 
received data from server are around 200 bytes. 
 
   
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