Understanding BigDataCloud's 'Confidence Value' for IP Geolocation Accuracy

BigDataCloud’s confidence value offers a smarter, more nuanced measure of how accurate and dependable IP geolocation results are—particularly for dynamically assigned IP addresses. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on a single point-location prediction, our method runs two parallel and independent processes to provide deeper certainty and context.

How It Works: Two Independent Processes for Greater Accuracy

1. Service-Area Estimation — Using our patented technology, we determine the likely geographic region—called the confidence area—in which a dynamic IP may be assigned. This reflects how ISPs allocate addresses in real time, offering a broader and more realistic geographic scope.
2. Field Evidence Verification — In parallel, we compare the estimation against real-world observations—actual locations where the IP address has been detected.

By combining and cross-validating these independent results, we generate a confidence value that is both quantifiable and trustworthy.

What the Confidence Levels Mean

• Low Confidence — One or both processes either didn’t produce a definite result or produced conflicting outcomes. This doesn’t necessarily mean the geolocation is wrong—it simply signals a need for caution.
• Medium Confidence — Both processes agree on the result, but one may be less precise. The alignment is supportive, though not exceptionally strong.
• High Confidence — Both processes independently produce accurate and highly consistent results. This represents the most reliable outcome.

Why Confidence Value Matters

• Enhanced data quality — The confidence value acts as a key indicator of IP geolocation reliability. Higher values generally mean better-quality data.
• Critical for key industries — In advertising, security, fraud prevention, and e-commerce, knowing how dependable your location data is can directly influence decision-making.
• Improved risk assessment — Understanding the likely confidence area helps you gauge potential error margins, especially where ISPs assign IPs across large or changing regions.

Summary Table