Paul,

Sounds like what you want is to run the GSM radio in promiscuous mode, like some wireless Ethernet radios can do. My old Razr and the Iphone would do something like that. It won't tell you the carrier but it will list the available sites, with their ID and signal strength. There is a web page with all the site id's on it connected to google maps. Can't remember the address off the top of my head.

If you could mash up the site ID's gathered from your phone to the web site????

Scott

There might be an AT command to do just that.  On my old razr
Paul Buede wrote:
Paul Buede wrote:
Matt Joyce wrote:
The wiki has some interesting info on GSM :
http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Gsm

The AT commands to interact with the hardware are here :
http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Hardware:AT_Commands
(I wonder if they are an extension of the earlier dial up modem
commands ala Hayes?)

here's how you use the commands:
http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Gsmd#Usage_of_shell_mode

these command may work for you :

        r       Register to network
        R       Register to given operator (R=number)
        U       Unregister from netowrk
        P       Print current operator
        N       Print current operator in numeric
        L       List available operators
        Q       Read signal quality
        nr      Query network registration

As I mentioned, I wanted to find all contactable sites, but didn't
find a command for that.

That was a huge help. What I need now is a way to pass commands from the
cli and have it return values to the cli rather than operating in the
shell. So then I can write a script to do it and log to a file. I want
it to run while I drive around, so I don't have to stop on tap on the
tiny keyboard. Any suggestions?

I was able to do the following today, from home:

[EMAIL PROTECTED]:/var/volatile/log# libgsmd-tool -m shell
libgsm-tool - (C) 2006-2007 by Harald Welte and OpenMoko, Inc.
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY

L
# # List operators
31026 T - Mobile, T - Mob for short, is our current operator
31056 Cellular One DC, Cell On for short, is available
31041 Cingular, Cingula for short, is available

So, I drove around and stopped, and everytime I had any reception at
all, meaning the L gave me any carriers, it gave me the same three
carriers. This modifies my initial theory, and leads to a new one. So,
my new theory is that the SIM card is what allows the phone to see any
carriers at all. And that the three "operators" I could see in my tests
must all allow roaming on each others networks, which is why my T-Mobile
SIM lets me see only those three. I should be able to see Verizon, US
Cellular, and who knows what other operators from some of the places I
tested, including my house.

So, right now, I took the SIM card out, rebooted my phone, and am
testing to see if I can see any carriers at all (doing this from home),
and I see no carriers at all. In fact, here is the output:

[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~# libgsmd-tool -m shell
libgsm-tool - (C) 2006-2007 by Harald Welte and OpenMoko, Inc.
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY

# cme error: 315
L
# List operators
Q
# Signal strength
EVENT: Netreg registration denied
cme error: 32
EVENT: Signal Quality: 11
Signal quality -91 dBm
Error rate undetectable
EVENT: Signal Quality: 9
EVENT: Signal Quality: 11
EVENT: Signal Quality: 9
EVENT: Signal Quality: 11
EVENT: Signal Quality: 9
EVENT: Signal Quality: 11

# L
List operators
cme error: 13

So, I am disappointed. I am going to need SIM cards from other operators
to test reception anywhere. This makes things harder, or at least
slower, as I will have to remove SIM cards and insert new ones at any
given area to test the various carriers. Does anyone else in the US use
a carrier I have not listed as visible with T-Mobile? And would you be
willing to test and see what other carriers you are able to see? Maybe
we can build a list of carrier teams, for lack of a better term. I have
6 days left to back out of my TMobile contract, so I need to get SIM
cards for testing quickly... Will let you all know how it goes.

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature

_______________________________________________
Openmoko community mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community

Reply via email to