A method of operating a communications device in a communications system, the method comprising: storing in memory, beacon transmitter information, said beacon transmitter information including for a first beacon transmitter, information indicating a location of the first beacon transmitter and a transmit power level of the first beacon transmitter; determining , based on a location of a wireless device, the information indicating the location of the first beacon transmitter, and the transmit power level of the first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal strength to be reported, said beacon signal strength to be reported being an expected received beacon signal strength of a first beacon signal at the location of said wireless device given the indicated location of said first beacon transmitter; communicating a message indicating receipt of the first beacon signal having the determined received beacon signal strength to the wireless device or a component in said wireless device which acts upon received beacon signal information even when the first beacon signal is not transmitted; and changing the stored beacon transmitter information to alter at least one of the location of the first beacon transmitter or the transmit power level of the first beacon transmitter based on at least one of a schedule, a location of an individual device associated with the first beacon transmitter, a location of a group of devices associated with the first beacon transmitter, a size of a geographic area occupied by said group associated with the first beacon transmitter, or a rate of motion of the group or individual device associated with the first beacon transmitter. storing in memory, beacon transmitter information, said beacon transmitter information including for a first beacon transmitter, information indicating a location of the first beacon transmitter and a transmit power level of the first beacon transmitter; determining , based on a location of a wireless device, the information indicating the location of the first beacon transmitter, and the transmit power level of the first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal strength to be reported, said beacon signal strength to be reported being an expected received beacon signal strength of a first beacon signal at the location of said wireless device given the indicated location of said first beacon transmitter; communicating a message indicating receipt of the first beacon signal having the determined received beacon signal strength to the wireless device or a component in said wireless device which acts upon received beacon signal information even when the first beacon signal is not transmitted; and changing the stored beacon transmitter information to alter at least one of the location of the first beacon transmitter or the transmit power level of the first beacon transmitter based on at least one of a schedule, a location of an individual device associated with the first beacon transmitter, a location of a group of devices associated with the first beacon transmitter, a size of a geographic area occupied by said group associated with the first beacon transmitter, or a rate of motion of the group or individual device associated with the first beacon transmitter. <EOS>