BLE Beacon Formats and Protocols: iBeacon, Eddystone and AltBeacon
A current comparison of iBeacon, Eddystone and AltBeacon, including legacy status, receiving software, identifier design and migration risk.
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Real peopleReal placesPractical technology
Independent UK technology guide
Make proximity technology work in real places.
Practical guidance to Bluetooth beacons, NFC, QR, indoor navigation, privacy, pilots and long-term operation.
Measured environmentsPrivacy by designPilot before scale
Technology is the easy part. Placement, interference, consent, maintenance and visitor behaviour decide whether it works.
BluetoothNFCQRIndoor navigation
Knowledge areas
Start with the decision you need to make.
Each area combines practical planning, limitations, evidence and the operational work that continues after launch.
35 published guides
Bluetooth Beacons
How BLE beacons broadcast, how signal behaviour changes indoors, and how to plan placement and maintenance without promising impossible precision.
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35 published guides
Proximity Marketing
Relevant messages in physical spaces, with clear choices, sensible frequency and measurement that does not overstate attribution.
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35 published guides
NFC and QR
App-free interactions, deliberate taps and scans, dynamic redirects, security checks and realistic technology comparisons.
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35 published guides
Indoor Navigation
Planning maps, zones, routes, accessibility and temporary wayfinding for museums, venues and events.
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34 published guides
Privacy and Analytics
Data mapping, lawful basis, transparency, minimisation, retention and honest measurement for UK proximity projects.
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34 published guides
Deployment and Operations
From site survey and pilot to installation records, procurement, maintenance and the decision not to deploy.
Explore the topic →A better deployment question
Not “How accurate is it?” but “What decision must it support?”
Indoor radio signals move with walls, people, devices and placement. Define the operational decision first, then measure whether the system supports it in the actual environment.
Explore beacon planning →01
Define the outcome
Start with the visitor or operational decision, not the hardware.
02
Measure the venue
Test signal behaviour, routes and edge cases in the real space.
03
Operate the system
Plan ownership, batteries, records, updates and deletion before scale.
Technology in real places
One technology, very different operating environments.
The right design depends on who is moving, what they need to decide and how the venue behaves on an ordinary day and under pressure.
Accessible journeys
Design routes around real people, not ideal conditions.
Accessible wayfinding joins digital guidance to lifts, level access, clear signage and a journey a visitor can complete independently.
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Events and venues
Guide busy arrivals without creating more noise.
Combine physical signs, staff support and digital routes so people can recover quickly when plans or entrances change.
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Operational visibility
Know where equipment is and who owns the process.
Asset location only becomes useful when identification, records, exceptions and maintenance are built into daily operations.
See practical guidance →Latest published guides
View all published guides →New practical reading
BLE Beacon Interference Troubleshooting
Practical guidance on BLE beacon interference troubleshooting, covering site testing, realistic thresholds and documented limits.
Read guideBeacon-Triggered Audio Guides
Practical guidance on beacon-triggered audio guides, covering objectives, dependencies, pilot evidence and ongoing ownership.
Read guideBeacons in Museums and Heritage Sites
Practical guidance on beacons in museums and heritage sites, covering visitor needs, venue constraints, measurement and ongoing operation.
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Beacons in Retail
Practical guidance on beacons in retail, covering visitor needs, venue constraints, measurement and ongoing operation.
Read guideBeacons in Transport Hubs
Practical guidance on beacons in transport hubs, covering selection, pilot evidence, ownership and ongoing operation.
Read guideBluetooth Beacon-Based Positioning
Practical guidance on bluetooth beacon-based positioning, covering objectives, dependencies, pilot evidence and ongoing ownership.
Read guideBluetooth Channel Sounding for Distance Measurement
Practical guidance on Bluetooth channel sounding for distance measurement, covering selection, pilot evidence, ownership and ongoing operation.
Read guideBluetooth Features and Standards Roadmap for Proximity Projects
Track useful Bluetooth capabilities without buying on version labels, and plan pilots, firmware support and migration around named features.
Read guideBluetooth Low Energy Broadcasting Explained
How Bluetooth Low Energy broadcasting works, including advertising packets, receiver behaviour, measured limits and operational choices.
Read guideBroadcast Channels and Congestion
Practical guidance on broadcast channels and congestion, covering site testing, realistic thresholds and documented limits.
Read guideCalibrating Beacons for Your Environment
Practical guidance on calibrating beacons for your environment, covering site testing, realistic thresholds and documented limits.
Read guideEditorial approach
Real limitations are part of the answer.
We do not promise exact indoor accuracy without a measured environment. We explain interference, calibration, maintenance, consent, data minimisation and the point at which another technology is the better choice.
Read our standards