A small correction. All phones do not have a GPS chips, but all phones can be located in relation to a cell tower (see the Technology heading of the linked wikipedia page; "radiolocation"). I have a google maps app for my nokia that depends on radiolocation to find my location since my phone doesn't have a built in GPS. I've seen it be as accurate as a couple hundred meters (in town) and as inaccurate as 5000m (out in the middle of nowhere).
David Landry On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 5:26 PM, Aaron Toponce <[email protected]> wrote: > Michael Torrie wrote: >> As for cell phones go, don't the phone companies send position info to >> the 911 centers? > > As per 2005, all cell phones manufactured after Dec 31, 2005 have GPS > chips as a federal regulation [1]. Calling 911 on your mobile, will give > the responder a pinpoint position to your location. > > I've personally experienced this, where I saw a car flip off the > highway, and I pulled over, calling 911 immediately. The 911 service was > able to get my exact location, and an ambulance and police were there in > about 5 minutes. > > [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_911#Wireless_Enhanced_911 > > -- > . O . O . O . . O O . . . O . > . . O . O O O . O . O O . . O > O O O . O . . O O O O . O O O > > > > /* > PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net > Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug > Don't fear the penguin. > */ > /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
