Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Asia
    Posts
    161

    traciking hosting companies in UK and Canada

    I am looking for the zipcodes along with the longitude and latitude information in Canada and UK to provide web hosting search by radius for companies located in these 2 countries. Wasn't able find these data so far. Anybody has clue where get these data records?

    Cristiano
    HostPulse.com - Hosting Directory & Tips
    Cheap Web Hosting
    ASP Hosting
    Domain Hosting

  2. #2

    Re: traciking hosting companies in UK and Canada

    Originally posted by 25hosts
    I am looking for the zipcodes along with the longitude and latitude information in Canada and UK to provide web hosting search by radius for companies located in these 2 countries. Wasn't able find these data so far. Anybody has clue where get these data records?

    Cristiano
    Reason 1 for not finding anything - Canada doesnt have ZipCodes. We got Postal Codes.

    Reason 2 for not finding anything - I am pretty certain Hosts dont supply information on their longitude and latitude. I could e wrong, BUT I doubt it.

    Now, on to my question. What in the world would you want the longitudes and latitudes of hosting companies for exactly anyways? I mean isnt saying;

    We're located in Vancouver or Toronto MUCH easier?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Sheffield, South Yorks
    Posts
    3,627
    For UK, you'd need to buy Postzon data from RoyalMail to get lat/long data for a specific postcode, then you'd need to do the calculations relating to the distance etc. yourself, not too difficult, just completed a similar system for someone for locating shops within X miles.
    Karl Austin :: KDAWS.com
    The Agency Hosting Specialist :: 0800 5429 764
    Partner with us and free-up more time for income generating tasks

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Edmonton, Canada
    Posts
    380
    To locate Canadian postal codes check out this link http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pcl/bin/default-e.asp

    Unlike the USA, we do not use Postal Codes like the USA uses Zip Codes. Postal Codes can be assigned to a building, a city block, a neighborhood or a city. Even post office boxes in the same building can have a different postal code from others in the same location.
    Glen Millar
    Tyger Hosting Services
    http://www.tygerhosting.com
    Affordable Direct Admin Linux Hosting Since 2003

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    188
    I'm curious, what location are you plotting, the office or the data centre for a host? And what benefit do you see in knowing the geographical location of a host?
    I'd prefer to know who they peer with and what bandwidth they have.

    Anyway I might be able to help you out with the UK post codes, email me if you're still in need.
    Rob Johnston | LucidUK.com | Rob@LucidUK.com
    Who is Rob? boobear.co.uk
    MSN: msn@luciduk.com | AIM: rob at lucid

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Asia
    Posts
    161
    Hi KDAWebServices,

    Thanks for providing me the information. You truly understand what I am trying to do. Yes, calculating the distance between A and B. I have programmed this and it is applicable for searching thousand of hosts in the U.S. already and it is very useful.

    Let say you are staying in Florida and in the zipcode area 33142.

    You want to find a host that is within 100 miles from 33142. This can be done. A search and simple calculation lists all hosting companies within the 100 miles radius. Why a web user wants to do that? Many reasons. To find a host near him/her so that upload and development time is faster. Perhaps get a hosts near his/her client. Perhaps developing a portal site for the district, and finding a host nearest to the district/city serves the purpose.

    I am trying to do the same thing for Canada and U.K, but since you said Canada has a different postcode system, and am still researching. I was browsing http://www.zipinfo.com/ and I got some basic information.

    The term Zipcode/Postal Code/Postcode are the same and used differently in countries

    KDAWebServices, how does the Canadian system determine an area if it is not based on Post Code. Area code ? Province code ?
    Thanks for sharing. I am staying Asia. We use "Postcode", but the application for finding an area is the same as "zipcode".

    G2 Hosting, a hosting company don't need to provide the longitude or latitude. Every zipcode in the U.S. has a longitude and latitude that will match the address.

    Have a nice day.

    Cristiano
    HostPulse.com - Hosting Directory & Tips
    Cheap Web Hosting
    ASP Hosting
    Domain Hosting

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    188
    I guess I'm being a little blinkered, the UK is small enough for distances not to be a problem. Most people on dial-ups use non-geographical numbers here now and so finding a local host isn't going to do a great deal to benefit them.

    I found the link I was looking for so no need to email me. Check out http://www.good-stuff.co.uk/useful/postcode.php There's plenty more if you google for it.
    Rob Johnston | LucidUK.com | Rob@LucidUK.com
    Who is Rob? boobear.co.uk
    MSN: msn@luciduk.com | AIM: rob at lucid

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Edmonton, Canada
    Posts
    380
    A programmer in the USA tried to do the same thing he was able to easily do for centers in the USA (as it is a zip code for the whole city and thus easier to do) whereas in Canada there is a Postal code for even individual buildings. Just for the city of Edmonton, Alberta there is over 21,120 postal codes just for that one city. (Numbers based on the latest Canadian Postal Code Directory)

    If you just do the major cities in Canada...and not any of the smaller cities, towns, villages or rural areas you are looking at over 750,000 individual postal codes.

    A daunting task indeed. And the reason he gave up his similar project as using Postal Codes in Canada is not a good way to judge distance as it simply takes too long to do all the initial calculations.

    Oh....there are over 3,000,000 postal codes in Canada and the directory with all Canadian postal codes listed is 4" think and all type is only 6 PT. type.
    Glen Millar
    Tyger Hosting Services
    http://www.tygerhosting.com
    Affordable Direct Admin Linux Hosting Since 2003

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Asia
    Posts
    161
    Hi Itec Host,

    Thank you for advice. Yes, I understand the postal code in Canada is very different. I am looking at other methods to provide useful searching tools for web users to find web hosting services. If Postal code is not unique identifier for longitute and latitude, what is the nearest key code to getting an estimate longitude and latitude position from an mailing adress ?

    Cristiano
    HostPulse.com - Hosting Directory & Tips
    Cheap Web Hosting
    ASP Hosting
    Domain Hosting

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •