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Tracking People and Devices

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Ascii2

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Nov 5, 2004
Tracking GPS-enabled Mobile Phone Devices

I am seeking information on how to track GPS-enabled mobile phone devices cheaply.

United States of America regulation background information:
In year 2003, U.S. Government passed policy requiring the ability to track people to a precision of, at maximum, 100 meters. The policy was to become effective in year 2005. The mobile industries complied with the policy by implementing GPS-enabled handset for their networks allowing much more precise tracking of position information in realtime or near realtime.​

Some items I wanted to try are Sprint PCS phones (Motorola RAZR models). I, however, do not use Sprint PCS devices.

This thread is not about tracking people, but rather a component included in mobile handsets after a new regulation (effective year 2005) in the country of United States of America.

Regarding "cheaply":
One time costs may be discarded from consideration if their sum is less than or equal to $250 U.S. Dollars. However, recurring costs (like incremental monthly wireless data costs) should not be discarded. Absolute precision is not necessary.​

Any assistance is appreciated.
 
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It appears that all phones from sometime in 2005 and newer are required to have a component to be able to determine the devices position. I assume that this only applies to United States of America (although the source mentions "all"):

http://www.travelbygps.com/articles/tracking.php said:
At the end of 2005, all cell phone carriers were required to provide the ability to trace cell phone calls to a location within 100 meters or less.

To comply with FCC requirements, cell phone carriers decided to integrate GPS technology into cell phone handsets, rather than overhaul the tower network

EDIT: It appears that much before 2005 GPS-enabled mobile handsets were brought to market (I speculate that it was in anticipation of future sales for when the new regulation was to become effective). I estimate that GPS-enabled mobile handsets may have been brought to United States of America market sometime in year 2003.
 
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As far back as I984 with a search warrent to the comminication carrier your cell phone could be tracked.

You cell phone when powerd up gives out a id siginal every so offten (miliseconds) the closest cell tower recives the signal and sends back a acknowldge signal.

This is what the law enforcement would be looking for in the carriers logs if looking for someone or a particular phone.

To bad they don't use it more offten when children are kidnapped...
 
This is kinda creepy. For what reason do you need this information would be my first question. Personally, I don't think this information should be just "given" out freely as it can very easily be used to compromise someone's safety. I also, personally, don't think this topic should be allowed to be discussed here as the possible ramifications of such information can very easily lead to some dangerous outcomes, regardless f what your original intent may be.
 
An important part of the quote from post #2 of this thread failed to post.

I have edited the post to fix the quote.
 
Indeed; the original inquiry requires no justification.

The justification is not relevant to the answer of the inquiry.

Then no answer shall you receive as I'm sure that nobody here will provide such sensitive information to someone online. I'm sorry your motives for wanting to track people via a cell phone signal are so private and unable to be justified. Surely, you can see the suspicion that raises.
 
Personally, I don't think this information should be just "given" out freely as it can very easily be used to compromise someone's safety.
Generally, the information on someone's position may be obtained for a moderate fee.

You a be interested to know that Sprint-Nextel (a wireless data and voice service provider in United States of America) has a service to give information about "where people are. In real time" by tracking mobile devices. Sprint charges $15 to $20 per month for the service. The page where the service may be aquired is:
I want to know of what cheap or free methods are available.

the possible ramifications of such information can very easily lead to some dangerous outcomes, regardless f what your original intent may be.
This would be true about an network security related topic. I would expect you to live a life of great fear.
 
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As far back as I984 with a search warrent to the comminication carrier your cell phone could be tracked.
But today it is permissible in United States of America for anyone to acquire tracking information without a warrant.
 
This would be true about an network security related topic. I would expect you to live a life of great fear.

No, I don't. I'm just not an idiot, I know what there is in the world and to ask something like this without some valid frame of reference is out of the norm. You've raised too many flags, at least in my mind, to be legitimately seeking harmless information and I invite anyone to contradict me in my thinking.
 
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For what reason do you need this information would be my first question.

Generally, the information on someone's position may be obtained for a moderate fee.

You a be interested to know that Sprint-Nextel (a wireless data and voice service provider in United States of America) has a service to give information about "where people are. In real time" by tracking mobile devices. Sprint charges $15 to $20 per month for the service. The page where the service may be aquired is:
I want to know of what cheap or free methods are available.

This would be true about an network security related topic. I would expect you to live a life of great fear.


That mobile locator you linked is for businesses who need real time contact with their employees. For instance, a company that sends out techs to work on equipment, needs constant contact and the ability to see where the tech is

Its not meant for non business people, unless a parent wanted to give it to a child or something like that.

You just cant locate cell users like that without the user knowing its possible as in the business example.
 
That mobile locator you linked is for businesses who need real time contact with their employees. For instance, a company that sends out techs to work on equipment, needs constant contact and the ability to see where the tech is

Its not meant for non business people, unless a parent wanted to give it to a child or something like that.

You just cant locate cell users like that without the user knowing its possible as in the business example.

Um, I think you misquoted that ;)
 
tracking assets both human and material is nothing new. A lot of businesses do it to their employees. Parents can do it to their children and law enforcement can triangulate a cellular phone in times of emergency or for criminal investigations. Nothing secretive involved here.
 
He probably wants to know when your not home so he can rob your house. It really isn't asking too much for justification especially when the question is suspicious at best.
 
Why would a telco EVER provide the means for a private individual to track other private individuals, at random, with their services? It makes no sense. The only way of doing something like that, would be via separate clandestine activities, such as breaking into a cell gateway, or other telco company systems.
 
what are you talking about, they can all track you, and pretty easily. If your business wants to provide you with a cell phone, and they want to track you, they're allowed.

How do you ppl know the OP isn't looking for a cheaper alternative to what he is currently using to legally track his employees lets say. Its not really a whole lot of your business why he wants it, he's interested, and its not illegal...

Anyways...
 
I am seeking information on how to track people cheaply.

I think if you get the person you want to track to wear a big enough hat -- say, a flaming pink, extra-large sombrero -- you might be able to spot them via Google Satellite.

Apparently, this is what the first draft of Enemy of the State required -- that is, until Will Smith refused to put on the sombrero.
 
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