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.

[paulcardoza]

@noplace2

Sorry but you are dead wrong bud. If your phone is turned on, you can be tracked.

[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. A cell transmits it's DNS number every few minutes. It allows the switching system to know where to route the call. Big shopping centers track customers using the DNS numbers.

So, you arrive at the mall. Onstar transmits it's number, the cell phones are co-located in the parking lot. They know 2 people were in the car. The car is parked outside the garden center. One went to the market and spent a long time in produce, the other visited 3 shoe stores and spent 20 minutes longer in the last one.

All of this is fed into the mall information system.

[jnharley]

We have one smart phone and one dumb dumb phone. The smart phone (mine) is always with us. I have started using an app "Where Am I". It will find your current location with lat/long coordinates and a street address. It has the ability to send this information via text, email or Facebook. I have started using it to let family member know where we are. Also handy if you just need your current address.

[zigzagrv]

Hi Noel. Aside from cell phones, if your really concerned about getting lost/incapacitated,the DeLorme Inreach is a possibility. A bit pricey at $299, but should give you the peace of mind when traveling. I don't have one myself, but have often considered it.

Ron

[Johno02]

In the opinion of media and advertisers, If anywhere does not have cell or Onstar coverage, it really isn't there so coverage is not necessary.

[noplace2]

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.

[rockhillmanor]

RinconVTR wrote:
Any cell phone can call 911 and towers to triangulate location. This is HIGHLY INACCURATE, and thus police don't trust it.....

X2

I just watched a documentary on this and none of the 911 calls from a cell phone will give your exact location. It pings off the nearest tower. If you are in area of few towers it should the location would be miles from where you are at. Police say they are working on how to correct that.

Same goes for the false security of having OnStar in your vehicle.

My friends 80 year old mother ran off the road and hit OnStar and nothing. There were no towers where she was at so OnStar did NOT work.

Many people do not know that they work off cell phone towers. Your life and safety is only as good as if there is a cell tower near you.:(

After what happened to my friend IMHO I think OnStar should make that VERY clear in their advertising.

[Johno02]

Different GPS on flip and smartphones. GPS on smartphones is used by maps and such. Not the same thing.

[dahkota]

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/

[RinconVTR]

Any cell phone can call 911 and towers to triangulate location. This is HIGHLY INACCURATE, and thus police don't trust it.

If your phone is GPS equipped, check to make sure GPS is enabled when 911 is dialed. Its not on by default for every smart phones. Newer ones, I noticed it is.

Otherwise, if you want friends and family to be able to see where you are, by all means leave GPS on and use one of a dozen apps that allow tracking with permissions.

The newer smart phones batteries are very good at holding charge for 24 hours with all the bells and whistles on, and see's high use. I would not turn off GPS just to conserve battery, unless you really have a need to conserve battery! And while one travels, its all too easy to have it on the charger the entire trip.

[pnichols]

JohnG3 wrote:
Yes, leaving GPS on will cause lots more battery usage.

Are you sure this is the case with plain old flip-phones when you have the lid shut?

My flip phone goes days on it's battery and I have it's GPS feature turned ON.

[Johno02]

My posting error. Yes, leaving GPS on will cause lots more battery usage. As far as I know, the mobile locate function I have does not require that the GPS be turned on, I think it tracks from the tower signals. Correct me if I am wrong about this.

[JohnG3]

Our iPhones have the "find a friend" app. Gets down to feet as I couldn't find DW while she was shopping one time and I was able to locate her easily. Surprisingly accurate.

[downtheroad]

Just be aware that leaving GPS (Location) on all the time will burn through your battery's charge very quickly.

[Shirley4ever]

There are few ways to locate the lost mobile even though you have not installed a recovery.. that would be helpful..