Reply to: Mobile phones and positioning

[tim123]

I disagree.

Appears you can as long as they (one off) agree to letting you know their position.
.

If they have agreed, it wouldn't be a random phone, would it?

tim

[TheFaQQer]

Sounds like you think your girlfriend is cheating on you?

I'd want more accuracy than down to the nearest 2.5km if that were my suspicion!

[Bagpuss]

Sounds like you think your girlfriend is cheating on you?

[DaveB]

Yes, but there is no way that this information can/will be transmitted to a calling party.

tim

Not without a custom app on the phone at any rate. If you want it to work on any phone with no messing about for the phones owner then yes, cell location is the best you are going to get.

[_V_]

But until this time comes, you cannot text/call a random phone and have it tell you where it is. Even if the network knows this information, they will not tell you without a contract for such (and presumably a verified reason)

tim

I disagree.

Appears you can as long as they (one off) agree to letting you know their position.

http://www.traceamobile.co.uk/

http://www.followus.co.uk/home.html

http://www.mobilelocate.co.uk/index.htm

If I know your mobile number I can find you.

[tim123]

That will be for simple cell id location. The can see which cell the phone is conected to and know the effective range of that cell.

As I said earlier, if you can get the signal strength info from the phone you can be more accurate, especially if you can get it for neighbouring cells as well.

Yes, but there is no way that this information can/will be transmitted to a calling party.

tim

[tim123]

Let me be clear.

I'm talking about locating any person the UK, via me paying a subscription to a telecom or other provider, which gived me the real time cellular position of any mobile in the country be me receiving or sending that phone a text.

E.g. I send 01234 567890 a txt and using some (paid) service I can find out where that phone is or 01234 567890 sends me a txt and I can use the same (web?) service to locate that phone?

I think google has the answer:

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/ne...ml?newsId=2305

Networks and Phone manufacturers have been working on "location based services" for at least 5 years.

They have yet (as far as I can tell) come up with a killer app, that will provide income, to justify the cost of network upgrades to provide that service.

If you have such an idea, I am sure that they will want to talk with you (you better get a good lawyer!).

But until this time comes, you cannot text/call a random phone and have it tell you where it is. Even if the network knows this information, they will not tell you without a contract for such (and presumably a verified reason)

tim

[tim123]

Can you geo-locate a mobile phone by sending or receiving a txt from said phone?

I am thinking of a service that relies on knowing (roughly) where a person is by sending them or them sending me (a computer) a txt message. Is this enabled/possible in the UK?

TIA

Not without the co-operation of the phone and/or network.

tim

[DaveB]

Hmm - accuracy on o2 in the countryside: 900-2500 meters

That's some range!

That will be for simple cell id location. The can see which cell the phone is conected to and know the effective range of that cell.

As I said earlier, if you can get the signal strength info from the phone you can be more accurate, especially if you can get it for neighbouring cells as well.

[_V_]

Hmm - accuracy on o2 in the countryside: 900-2500 meters

That's some range!

I'm not talking about hitting them with a cruise missile, just knowing if they are in Lands End or John O Groats!

[_V_]

Oh, my stuff requires specific hardware/phones with a built in GPS device and extra software &/or modded OS.

So not really relevant to 99.99999999999% of the population of the UK then?

[Purple Dalek]

Let me be clear.

I'm talking about locating any person the UK, via me paying a subscription to a telecom or other provider, which gived me the real time cellular position of any mobile in the country be me receiving or sending that phone a text.

E.g. I send 01234 567890 a txt and using some (paid) service I can find out where that phone is or 01234 567890 sends me a txt and I can use the same (web?) service to locate that phone?

I think google has the answer:

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/ne...ml?newsId=2305

Oh, my stuff requires specific hardware/phones with a built in GPS device and extra software &/or modded OS.

[TheFaQQer]

http://www.childlocate.co.uk/

Hmm - accuracy on o2 in the countryside: 900-2500 meters

That's some range!

[DaveB]

Let me be clear.

I'm talking about locating any person the UK, via me paying a subscription to a telecom or other provider, which gived me the real time cellular position of any mobile in the country be me receiving or sending that phone a text.

E.g. I send 01234 567890 a txt and using some (paid) service I can find out where that phone is or 01234 567890 sends me a txt and I can use the same (web?) service to locate that phone?

I think google has the answer:

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/ne...ml?newsId=2305

Then your answer is yes, easily done and has been done. Phone companies will charge a sizable sum for doing it though.

[TheFaQQer]

Yes. I wrote such an application for a client. Specific to the phone models the clients customers use, etc.. Mainly HTC models, and phone units built into fleet vehicles. Depending on settings you can even interrogate the phone without the users being aware. Other fun features allow calling the phone without switching on the speaker, fleet users can switch the vehicles engine off remotely, enquire on speed, max speed, petrol consumption...

I believe that the Taliban have some similar technology.

A mate of mine is in Afghanistan at the moment, and wasn't even allowed to take his mobile with him out there because they can remotely scan for phones, and once they know there is one there, switch it on - from there, getting the position, or even ringing it and trying to listen to briefings etc. is possible.