How does Locate & Message work?

Connect Rocket's Locate & Message feature can be used to help communicate with and pin-point the location of a lost subject if they have a smart phone and are in an area with cellular network coverage.

The Locate & Message feature can be accessed in seconds, independent of Dispatch and Police services. User's can initiate a text message exchange from within the web application to a subject/bystander or can send a Locate request via text message.

In order to use Locate & Message, you need:

Access to a mobile phone that is linked to a Connect Rocket account, access to the Connect Rocket web application or the mobile app.
A subject (or bystander) with smart phone and the capacity to use it.
Adequate network coverage for sending text messages.

Best Practices

Where possible, speak with your subject before sending the location request to tell them what to expect.
Once you have established a location, have your subject close out all applications on their mobile device to conserve battery power.
Train with Locate so you remember how to use it and are familiar with the workflow on the subject's end.

Notes

If your subject does not have cellular coverage, Locate & Message will not work.
The Locate feature works with all smart phones with onboard GPS and a data plan and the capacity to send/receive text messages (SMS).
The Message feature works with all text message capable phones.
Connect Rocket will prompt the subject to leave their browser open while further attempts to refine location are made at preset intervals. This allows the phone time to better orient itself and refine the device's location.
Remember that Locate is only one way of finding a subject and it should be utilized in concert with other information that is available to you about a subject's location.