Tracking Cell Phone calls

[jjsooner73]

Does anyone know if it is possible for the person on an account (family plan) to tell what satellite (or at least a location/city) where a call was made through? Do cell phone companies actually have this data or can they get it?

[pharmarepgirl]

I am not an expert but I know Sprint has a service that tracks you by GPS. You have to sign up for it and it sends you updates on where calls are made from,Like if you wanted to monitor your kids. Also some companies ,like UPS, use something similar.
I dont think the info is automatic for cell phones though and would only show if the person was roaming.

[jjsooner73]

I am not an expert but I know Sprint has a service that tracks you by GPS. You have to sign up for it and it sends you updates on where calls are made from,Like if you wanted to monitor your kids. Also some companies ,like UPS, use something similar.
I dont think the info is automatic for cell phones though and would only show if the person was roaming.

Hmmm. This service is with ATT/Cingular. Nothing has been paid in the past for that kind of service. The question centers around where a few certain calls were made from exactly on a specific date--one of two different metropolitan areas or somewhere in between (in route). The person whose name is on the account wants to know.

[Robyn1007]

I'm pretty sure it's technically possible and used by law enforcement. Not sure how widely available it is to the general public.

[Gumbeaux]

at&t users can go online and see the date, time, and the phone numbers called or received, but not the location where the call was made.

[jjsooner73]

I'm pretty sure it's technically possible and used by law enforcement. Not sure how widely available it is to the general public.

I think I'll tell her to just call. It's her account. No harm in trying, right?


at&t users can go online and see the date, time, and the phone numbers called or received, but not the location where the call was made.

We've done that, but that led to more questions and the only way to have definitive answers is to know the cell phone tower they went through.

Thanks for the responses. I figured this was a long shot...

[Gumbeaux]

We've done that, but that led to more questions and the only way to have definitive answers is to know the cell phone tower they went through.

I think that it will take a subpoena to get the level detail that you are talking about. The person that is having their cell phone records peeked at will be tipped off by at&t unless there is a criminal investigation.

It would probably be a good idea to get an attorney involved in this situation for multiple reasons.

[jjsooner73]

I think that it will take a subpoena to get the level detail that you are talking about. The person that is having their cell phone records peeked at will be tipped off by at&t unless there is a criminal investigation.

It would probably be a good idea to get an attorney involved in this situation for multiple reasons.

It's a family account under person A's name. The phone calls were made to person B's phone. So it's all in the family. Of course, there is the other number that the call came from. I might as well spell it out--if the calls are all from city T then no prob. If the calls are from city T and then 2.5 hours later city N (which is 2.5 hours from city T) when person A was out of town, well.... that's what we need to know.

:( It's been a frustrating stressful and sad weekend for friends of mine...person A and B are both friends and I'm sort of in a weird spot. Sigh.

[Robyncz]

My friend's attorney was able to get exactly this information to use in divorce proceedings so it must be available. I just don't know how you go about getting it.

If it's the account holder who wants the info, she should call and ask for it and see what happens.

[dixie]

I work for a wireless company. the data is absolutely available, almost real time - nightly anyway. But the PPs are all correct, this information will not be given out without court order. Unless, and this probably happens fairly often, you "luck up" and get a call center rep who either doesn't understand or care about the legalities and gives you what you need. Otherwise all that info is considered customer proprietary-to the name on the account.

[avariell]

I work for a wireless company. the data is absolutely available, almost real time - nightly anyway. But the PPs are all correct, this information will not be given out without court order. Unless, and this probably happens fairly often, you "luck up" and get a call center rep who either doesn't understand or care about the legalities and gives you what you need. Otherwise all that info is considered customer proprietary-to the name on the account.

sounds like your friend may be able to get the info since it is her account then??

[jjsooner73]

I shared this info with my friend. ATT was called, but they said they didn't have that info available (again, this is the account owner calling).

[TKay]

I'm pretty sure Chloe could get that information for Jack Bauer now. Okay, sorry. A little 24 humor. :D

[jmarie]

My own personal experience over a year and a half ago, was that this information was not available to me. My carrier is/was Sprint. We discussed this at length. Even with a subpoena, the crime would have to warrant them going into the records. In my case it was infidelity...that was not large enough crime. I was on my own.

Good luck.
Joyce

[Loremma]

[QUOTE=TKay;1461209]I'm pretty sure Chloe could get that information for Jack Bauer now. Okay, sorry. A little 24 humor. :D[/QUOTE

Only if she opened a port.

[dixie]

I think I unintentionally mislead about info being available. It is - but (other than what numbers have been recently called) its not sitting there for just anyone to take a look at. "Unbilled" airtime is out there and fairly easy to get to and can tell what other numbers a cell phone has been dialing. This is something that most call center reps prob have access to but are not supposed to give out. The location from where the call was dialed is also "out there" but not at anyone's finger tips...a court order or similar would be required and then the engineering folks would get involved and pull that info. Even the account holder isn't going to be able to get that information easily.