In the UK this is common; several websites enable you to track a cell phone online:
http://www.traceamobile.co.uk/ and another: http://www.followus.co.uk/ Works the same way that Steve stated... The police here in Australia have been using this since the late 90s. Interesting article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1699080,00.html -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Steve Kennedy Sent: Saturday, 25 February 2006 1:57 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] GPS-enabled cell phone/PDA On Fri, Feb 24, 2006 at 07:17:52AM -0600, Rich Adamson wrote: > Its my understanding the cell phone coordinates are sent to the cell phone > provider and their equipment reads (and holds) that data. Its not part > of any data available to you in any form unless you talk to the cell > provider and convience them you have a valid need. Highly unlikely in > the US anyway. Even if you could convience them to provide it, they > would likely demaand some sort of out-of-band data transmission facility. GSM networks have the Cell ID available to the phone, however that's not much use without the location of the cellsite. There are now location based services, whereby you can query the network and they'll give out an approximate location (most cells are sectored [6 sectors per cell) which gives a direction, the cell also knows what power the phone is transmitting with, and the power it's received so can make a good approximation of where the phone is (within 60 degrees angle). However it's likely a phone will be picked up by several cells, so the network can triangulate and make a better aproximation. Making the information available to end-users is problematic due to privacy issues, unless the user explicitly agrees to give the info away. With GPS units, the info is stored in the phone and can send it out using SMS or other means. Steve -- NetTek Ltd UK mob +44-(0)7775 755503 UK +44-(0)20 79932612 / US +1-(310)8577715 / Fax +44-(0)20 7483 2455 Skype/GoogleTalk/AIM/Gizmo stevekennedyuk / MSN [EMAIL PROTECTED] Euro Tech News Blog http://eurotechnews.blogspot.com _______________________________________________ --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com -- Asterisk-Users mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users _______________________________________________ --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com -- Asterisk-Users mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
