"George" <george@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:h209p6$39s$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>> "George" <george@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:h201g9$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.
>

Short answer: Large cats, and stupid handgun laws which prevent people from
having the tools they need.



>> 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.

OK, but I'm not sure that answers the question about periodic contact with
towers.