Software developer
Zhongyuan
Zhongyuan brings the engineering: turning ideas into a working app, building the data pipeline and refining how everything fits together.
Zhongyuan & Kevin · Made in Canada
The app we
wished existed.
One software developer. One wireless enthusiast. A shared interest in Canada’s cellular networks, and an idea for a tool that would suit the way we wanted to explore them.
Two perspectives. One project.
Wireless enthusiast
Kevin
Kevin brings deep telecommunications knowledge and extensive practical experience, along with the perspective of someone who actually uses these tools to understand networks.
A tool that felt right for us.
Kevin enjoys exploring cellular networks and has tried a range of apps and platforms. He had not found one he was completely satisfied with. That gave us a starting point: bring together the information and interactions we wanted in a tool of our own.
Why don’t we build it?
The question that started North Towers.From a conversation to a project.
When we talked about the idea, our backgrounds fitted together naturally. Zhongyuan could build the software; Kevin could bring his telecommunications knowledge and practical experience. We decided to combine those strengths and turn the idea into an app.
That became North Towers: an app for people who love studying networks, and for anyone who is simply curious about Canada’s cell sites. It should be approachable at first glance, with enough depth to follow a site through its bands, Cells and source records.
Zhongyuan & Kevin
Weeks of building.
And refining.
Over several weeks, both of us worked at close to a full-time pace. Software engineering and telecommunications knowledge met in a tight loop: investigate, implement, test, discuss and revise.
2Developers
197+Documented QA reviews
406+Documented revisions
90+Confirmed uploaded TestFlight builds
Better data comes before a prettier map.
The most demanding work was correcting and interpreting the data. A polished interface could not fix an inconsistent frequency or an ambiguous equipment identifier. We had to work through those issues, cross-check the available information and keep the original records accessible.
Some problems can be corrected with reliable evidence. Others can only be flagged, and some need an operator to confirm the actual installation. Knowing when to leave a value unknown matters just as much as knowing how to repair it.
The map is only the visible part.
Behind it are tests for frequency and Cell interpretation, corrected and original data, database downloads and installation, filters, favourites and map interactions. We also inspect actual app screens: light and dark appearances, different languages, portrait and landscape, and the moments when panels open, close or move. A clean screenshot is not enough if the underlying record is wrong.
The reason we keep going
Feedback should
lead somewhere.
We cannot promise a perfect database or an instant answer to every problem. We can take feedback seriously, investigate what we can verify and be honest about what remains unknown. That is the kind of tool Kevin wanted to use — and the kind we want to keep building together.
North Towers is ad-free and free forever. Its map, data and analysis features are open to everyone. Optional support helps us continue; it does not decide who gets access to the data.
North Towers is still in its early days. With users’ feedback, knowledge and help, our goal is to make it an essential app for every telecommunications enthusiast.
We are committed to continuing development of Android and Web apps, so that our corrected and refined data can be available across platforms and shared with everyone.
Zhongyuan & Kevin · Made in Canada