"Bob La Londe" <nospam@nospam.no> wrote in message
news:h20701$jjk$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <newstrash@frontiernet.net> wrote in message
> news:iZL0m.6796$Uq5.3628@newsfe23.iad...
>> "George" <george@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:h201g9$irh$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>>>> My kid and two friends are going on a 3 week backpacking trip, and all
>>>> their phones have a GPS feature. (My son's phone is a Samsung
>>>> SCH-A950). Assuming the GPS feature has not been switched to "911
>>>> emergency only", and assuming the phone is in an active zone for the
>>>> carrier in question, is it possible for the carrier to ping a phone and
>>>> get an approximate location? I'm assuming no input from the phone user,
>>>> other than the fact that the phone is turned ON.
>>> Sure, no "ping" is involved. But do you have a question like "can I call
>>> them and ask where juniors relative position is"?
>>>
>>> Law enforcement can but don't know if you can.
>>>
>>> VZW actually has a subscription product called "chaperone" for end
>>> users:
>>>
>>> http://products.vzw.com/index.aspx?id=fnd_chaperone
>>
>>
>> Our idea is having law enforcement people track the phone. (TV cop shows
>> often exaggerate the possibilities of technology).
>>
>> So, no "ping". Do cell phones regularly make brief contact with the
>> nearest antenna, or something? And thanks for the Chaperone idea. Next on
>> the reading list.
>
> I was told that Chaperone tracking uses a tower triangulation method that
> is more accurate than GPS if multiple towers are in range, and will wprl
> even inside a building unlike GPS. True? Don't know.


It would seem that way, considering the location examples given on the
Verizon site. "Kid leaves schoolyard, you get a text message".