JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> "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).

Just out of curiosity why the high level of paranoia? Lots of folks
(including me and possibly you) grew up and went on lots of hikes and
disappeared with our bikes for the day in the summertime without a
monitoring bracelet.

>
> 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.
>
>
The cell system needs to register your phone so it knows which tower to
use to contact it.