Cell phone tracking

[Johno02]

As I really have no concerns about being spied upon, I make sure that both my and DWs cell phones have GPS tracking turned on and enabled at all times. When we are traveling, we realize that if anything happens, no one, especially family or friends, would even know where we are, or be able to locate us. With the tracking on, and the mobile locate enabled, our family can find the most recent location of our phones, and hopefully, us. The added benefit is that I can locate my phone if it is lost or stolen, and can disable or clear all data on it if needed.

[JohnG3]

Gruffy wrote:
If you travel, cell coverage is a problem. I'm looking for a system that will work world wide. I'm thinking "dog tracker" but I may have to have the wife "chipped" ;).

I'll post my results after I test it.

Would that be after you got out of the hospital?

[Gruffy]

tatest wrote:
If you want to be tracked, get a Spot that uses GPS for tracking and satellite communication.

If you don't want to be tracked, turn the phone off. Any phone that is on and communicating with a tower can be tracked to the tower and a quadrant or octant. Phones deployed in the U.S. since the 911 law was passed in the early 2000s have to have a primitive GPS receiver (CDMA) or ability to be located by multiple towers (GSM).

A smart phone with WiFi on can more precisely (than GPS) locate itself in urban environment by reference to locations of nearby WiFi hot spots (Apple, Google etc maintain hotspot location databases). You have a choice, most phones, whether to report this location information to an application. When your FaceBook app on the phone says "you have a friend nearby" and they are in the same room or a few feet away on the street, location services got that from WiFi.

But if there is no cell service (almost half the area of the U.S. now that we have shut down analog) and no WiFi hotspots in the database, nobody has a clue where your phone is, because even if the GPS knows, the phone can't tell anybody.

Spot won't work .... the DW has started to wander .... I have to track her down in 3 countries. Cell based tracking is mucho $$$$

[tatest]

Bumpyroad wrote:
that article says that when the cell site simulator is turned on, it simulates a cell tower, forcing cellphones in the area to register with it. the phone need not be in use. (don't know if that last statement means it does not need to be turned on or just doesn't have to be in use?)
bumpy

When the phone is turned on it is constantly seeking and communicating with towers. Otherwise you could receive no calls. SMS (the original basis of text services) uses the empty space in this traffic to handle short messages.

There is no "forcing" involved in registration. To register is the normal and necessary function of the phone. If anything looks to the phone like a cell tower, a message will be exchanged to check it out. See if the signal is usable, is the service on your network or roaming, etc.

Without constant cell site registration, a cell phone would be as useless as landline phone unplugged from the landline.

[tatest]

If you want to be tracked, get a Spot that uses GPS for tracking and satellite communication.

If you don't want to be tracked, turn the phone off. Any phone that is on and communicating with a tower can be tracked to the tower and a quadrant or octant. Phones deployed in the U.S. since the 911 law was passed in the early 2000s have to have a primitive GPS receiver (CDMA) or ability to be located by multiple towers (GSM).

A smart phone with WiFi on can more precisely (than GPS) locate itself in urban environment by reference to locations of nearby WiFi hot spots (Apple, Google etc maintain hotspot location databases). You have a choice, most phones, whether to report this location information to an application. When your FaceBook app on the phone says "you have a friend nearby" and they are in the same room or a few feet away on the street, location services got that from WiFi.

But if there is no cell service (almost half the area of the U.S. now that we have shut down analog) and no WiFi hotspots in the database, nobody has a clue where your phone is, because even if the GPS knows, the phone can't tell anybody.

[Gruffy]

If you travel, cell coverage is a problem. I'm looking for a system that will work world wide. I'm thinking "dog tracker" but I may have to have the wife "chipped" ;).

I'll post my results after I test it.

[beemerphile1]

dahkota wrote:
One can also install the app "Life360." DH uses it so his mother can track where he is from home (you know how mothers are). He also has quite a few friends that travel as we do and all use it. It can also be used as a message service with other people that have the app.

https://www.life360.com/

I have an iPhone and the DW has an android. I installed LIFE 360 on both and it works pretty good. We were on vacation last week and it allowed us to keep track of each other. Of course a cell signal is required, something like Spot would be required otherwise.

[Bumpyroad]

Gruffy wrote:
It needs to be "on" ... you don't need to pull the battery, Now however, you may want to pull the "On Star" fuse.....

good, thanks. mine is off 99.97% of the time anyway. 🙂
but I have noticed black helicopters following me lately.
bumpy

[Gruffy]

It needs to be "on" ... you don't need to pull the battery, Now however, you may want to pull the "On Star" fuse.....

[Bumpyroad]

that article says that when the cell site simulator is turned on, it simulates a cell tower, forcing cellphones in the area to register with it. the phone need not be in use. (don't know if that last statement means it does not need to be turned on or just doesn't have to be in use?)
bumpy

[Gruffy]

In part ... for all the naysayers out there who think they are safe....

"The tracking system, called FootPath Technology, works through a series of antennas positioned throughout the shopping center that capture the unique identification number assigned to each phone (similar to a computer's IP address), and tracks its movement throughout the stores.

The system can't take photos or collect data on what shoppers have purchased. And it doesn't collect any personal details associated with the ID, like the user's name or phone number. That information is fiercely protected by mobile carriers, and often can be legally obtained only through a court order"

[Gruffy]

noplace2 wrote:

msgtord wrote:
Every cell phone is capable of being tracked.

Absolutely untrue. Use a basic without bells and whistles and you can only be "tracked" to your last call. In our case that might be a month and a few thousand miles ago.

Wrong again .... the cell pings the towers a few times every few minutes and reports its DNS number to the switch.

Remember the Malasian Air flight, they tracked it via the engine reporting software, even though it was not supposed to be in use. Highly inaccurate, but it did ping a satellite. The cell pings towers so the switching system can route it's calls, even if you don't make one.

[Bumpyroad]

interesting article in todays baltimore sun, watching the phone. discusses "sting ray" etc. cell site simulator that states the phone need not be in use.
bumpy

[TARDIS_TIME_TRA]

I have read all of the inputs to your question on phone location apps. We have find my friend on our phones, as do some of you. What do you do when you have no signal at all. We just finished a trip 97 days on the road from Virginia to the Arctic Circle and back home. One of our safety items we carry at all times is “SPOT” Satellite GPS Messenger. We send out a Spot message each night to family & friends (Limited to 10 email accounts) giving them our exact location latitude & longitude and a short message letting them know we are all right. If they do not here from us in 2 or 3 days they know we are in trouble or something has happened. The device can also send out a help signal, need assistance, or an SOS. For life-threatening or other critical situations, it alerts the GEOS International Emergency Rescue Coordination Center (IERCC). GEOS notifies the appropriate emergency responder based on your location and personal information which may include police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard and others. Locations show up on Google Maps, pin pointing your exact location. No cell towers needed, the satellite is always there & reliable. We send out the spot message every night even if we are in the same location for more than one night. It gives us peace of mind and keeps our loved ones apprized of our location. I highly recommend this device for safety reasons… Dave & Holly Fox “The Tardis Time Travelers”

[W4RLR]

noplace2 wrote:

msgtord wrote:
Every cell phone is capable of being tracked.

Absolutely untrue. Use a basic without bells and whistles and you can only be "tracked" to your last call. In our case that might be a month and a few thousand miles ago.

Wrong. As long as someone has your phone's unique EIN, and your phone is on, you CAN be tracked to the nearest cell phone tower the phone "pings" for a connection.