How to configure the report rate on a GPS Tracker

Device quarantined, fair use policy quota exceeded - why do I see this message?

Summary.

Something isn’t quite right — your device is sending an excessive amount of data. To protect system performance, we have temporarily quarantined your device.

At 00:00 UTC (midnight), the daily quota resets and we will resume saving your device's data.


Warning
You need to investigate why your device is sending an unusually high volume of data as soon as possible..

Fair Use Quota

Daily quotas depend on your selected plan, but a typical fair use limit is 8,640 messages per day — equivalent to reporting every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, even when ignition is off.

Idea
Tip: Make sure you haven’t selected a Low Report Rate plan intended for battery-powered or backup devices that report only once per day.



Potential Consequences Without Intervention

  • Data costs may skyrocket due to excessive SIM card usage.

  • Reports and trip data may load slowly due to the increased volume of data processed.

  • Unreliable device data  will cause unreliable historical reports & trips

  • Data sent after quarentine will not be saved causing skips and gaps in data

  • Device will go offline until midnight 00:00 UTC



Causes Of Excessive Report Rate

  • Device installation issues (e.g. loose wiring) may be the root cause.

  • The device could be faulty.

  • Incorrect configuration can cause data inconsistencies.

  • Firmware bugs may cause repeated message transmission.

What Does Quarantine Mean?

Quarantine is an early intervention that gives you time to investigate and correct the issue before further problems arise. It helps prevent unnoticed faults from creating long-term issues.




How to diagnose 

  1. Go to the Telemetry page:
    Navigate to Asset Info > Info > Telemetry to see what your device is sending.


The most common issues we see are:
  1. Configuration Issues: reporting rate every few seconds while ignition or motion status on and off
  2. Hardware Issues: repeated events (i.e. Tow, Ignition on/off, impact event etc) which are not expected


1. Configuration Issues

The most common cause is poor configuration — such as setting a device to report every 5 seconds regardless of ignition or motion status.
InfoMyth: "High-frequency updates = better data"
Reality: This results in higher data costs, slower performance, and unnecessary platform load.

✅ Better Approach: Report Based on Events

Instead of sending fixed intervals, configure your tracker to report when something meaningful happens. Example:

Compare Two Configurations

Tracker 1
Reports every 10 seconds (ignition on or off)

❌ Wastes data
❌ Skips corners during trips
❌ Higher SIM usage

Tracker 2
Reports whichever condition is met first:

  • Heading change ≥ 20°

  • Speed change ≥ 10 km/h

  • Every 500 meters

  • Every 30 seconds (ignition on)

  • Every 60 minutes (ignition off)

    ✅ Adaptive reporting
    ✅ Lower cost
    ✅ More relevant data


A trip replay of the 2 configurations illustrates the issue:

Tracker 1: Skips corners
Tracker 1 Trip replay with corner skipping

Tracker 2: Increases reporting around corners, reduces in straight-line driving
Tracker 2 Trip replay with no corner skipping


Warning
If you're using budget hardware, your configuration options may be limited. Please check with your device manufacturer.



    2 Hardware Issues

    Devices sending a large number of repeated events could have one or more hardware problems.

    👀 What to Look For:

    • Go to Asset Info > Info > Telemetry

    • Look for repeating events, such as:

      • Impact events (caused by loose tracker installation & over-sensitive configuration setting)

      • Ignition on/off events (could indicate a loose wire)

      • Tow or motion on detection events (possibly caused by wind & over-sensitive configuration setting)

    🧰 How to Fix:

    • Check installation: ensure the device is securely mounted

    • Lower sensitivity settings via GPRS command

    • Confirm wiring is secure

    • Update to the latest firmware if available

    • If we have recently integrated your device ask us to ensure the integration is correct (rare, but a tracker may resend messages if it doesn't receive acknowledgment)



    Next Steps

    Step 1: Inspect Telemetry

    • Visit Asset Info > Info > Telemetry

    • Look for:

      • High report rate of position reports (see Step 2)

      • Excessive/repeating events (see Step 3)


    Step 2: Adjust Device Configuration

    If your device supports it (Teltonika etc), use smarter conditions instead of fixed intervals.

    Ignition ON / Motion ON (Active):
    Idea
    Min Period: 60 sec  
    Angle Change: 25°  
    Distance Tracking: 1000 m  
    Speed Delta: 50 km/h  
    Sending Period: 60 sec

    Ignition OFF / Motion OFF (Sleep):
    Idea
    Min Period: 3600 sec  
    Sending Period: 3600 sec

    Contact your device manufacturer for guidance on applying these settings, ask for the SMS/GPRS configuration commands.


    Step 3: Check Installation & Hardware

    • Loose wires? Faulty device? Over-sensitive configuration?

    • Test other devices with the same model/firmware to rule out broader issues


    Step 4: Contact Support

    Still unsure? Our support team is here to help. We can walk you through the best configuration for your device and usage scenario.



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