Cookie categories used on this site
We group cookies into three categories so you can make clear choices. Essential cookies are always active because the site cannot operate reliably without them. Analytics and marketing cookies are optional. They are only activated after you choose to allow them through the cookie banner or the preferences panel.
1) Essential cookies
Purpose: core site functionality, security, session management, and storing your cookie choice. These cookies do not require consent because they are necessary to deliver the service you request when you browse the site.
- session_id: keeps basic session state during navigation.
- csrf_token: helps protect forms from unauthorized requests.
- cookie_consent_status: remembers your cookie preferences.
Session duration, or up to 12 months for preference storage.
2) Analytics cookies
Purpose: measuring traffic, understanding aggregated behavior, and improving performance. Tools: Google Analytics 4. These cookies require consent and are only activated after you accept analytics cookies.
- _ga and _ga_XXXXXXX: distinguish users and sessions for aggregated reporting.
- _gid: supports session-based usage statistics.
- _gat: may be used to throttle request rate.
Up to 14 months (typical GA4 settings).
3) Marketing / advertising cookies
Purpose: remarketing, personalized ad delivery, and conversion tracking. These cookies require consent and are only activated after you accept marketing cookies. When enabled, they may be used with advertising platforms such as Google Ads and Meta.
- Show relevant ads to people who previously visited the website.
- Measure which ads lead to actions such as form submissions or contact requests.
- Limit repeated ad delivery and support aggregated reporting.
Up to 540 days (common Google Ads defaults).
Retention and storage
Cookie retention depends on the cookie type. Some are session cookies, which are removed when you close your browser. Others are persistent cookies, which remain for a set period or until you delete them. We store your cookie preference choice locally so the banner does not reappear on every visit. Preference storage is designed to last up to 12 months, after which you may be prompted again.
You can also control cookies directly through browser settings. Most browsers allow you to delete cookies and block third-party cookies. If you block all cookies, some site features may not work properly, including keeping your cookie choices between sessions.
Managing cookie preferences
You can manage preferences at any time by selecting the "Manage cookie preferences" link in the website footer, or by using the button at the top of this page. When you open the preferences panel, you can toggle Analytics cookies and Marketing cookies independently. Essential cookies remain enabled because they are required for security and basic site operation.
If you turn off Analytics or Marketing cookies, we stop loading those tags going forward. Some cookies already stored by third parties may remain until they expire or you delete them via browser settings. For the broadest control, update preferences here and also clear cookies in your browser.
Third-party cookies and related technologies
When Analytics or Marketing cookies are enabled, some data may be processed by third-party providers that deliver analytics and advertising services. These providers may set their own cookies or receive signals such as page views and conversion events. We do not enable these technologies unless you provide consent through the banner or preferences panel.
For a complete explanation of advertising and analytics disclosures, including opt-out resources, please review our Privacy Policy. The Privacy Policy describes how consent works, what tracking technologies may be used, and how to withdraw consent.
Google Analytics 4 can help us understand aggregated usage patterns such as pages visited and time on site. It is only loaded when analytics consent is enabled.
Marketing tags can support conversion measurement and remarketing on platforms such as Google Ads and Meta. They are only loaded when marketing consent is enabled.
Questions
If you have questions about cookies, consent choices, or how to update your preferences, you can contact Northern Signal Systems using the contact page. Please avoid sending sensitive information in a message. We respond to requests using the email address you provide.