[Asterisk-Users] GPS-enabled cell phone/PDA

[David Ankers]

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: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Steve Kennedy
Sent: Saturday, 25 February 2006 1:57 AM
To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
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 steve at gbnet.net
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