Mobile GPS tracking works with the help of a satellite technology called GPS. GPS stands for Global Positioning System which has become a basic feature on most of the smart phones even on low-end mobile phones. GPS is intended to give the location of the receiving object in terms of longitude & latitudes on earth. It also gives the altitude of the object above mean sea level.

How GPS works

GPS works purely based on satellite message signals which are in the line of sight with the receiving object like your mobile phone. To pin point the location of the mobile device, a minimum of 4 line of sight satellites required. When you switch on the GPS feature on your mobile phone, the GPS receiver will try to locate the no of satellites that are available. When your mobile gets more than 4 satellites, it picks the best matching 4 satellites and tries to pin point the location.

The satellites that provide location information are free for all irrespective of the service/network provider. This GPS signals can be used not only by mobile devices but also any gadgets that can process the satellite message signals. GPS gadgets are fitted on cabs, buses, trucks, animals, bags, trains, flights everywhere.

GPS with Maps

As GPS gives the location details of the mobile device in terms of longitudes & latitudes, its possible for software apps to plot the map using this co-ordinate points. As the receiving object moves, it keeps on updating its current location thus making any apps to display the live movement of the cursor on the map. Popular and well known app is Google Map which available on almost all the smart phones that has GPS feature

Mobile GPS Tracking

Tracking a mobile phone using GPS is pretty easy. There are numerous apps available for each type of smart phones. All you need to install them and start using it. Network Connection is not mandatory as long as the satellites are available. Most of the apps show you location of the mobile device when you have it with you.

But if you want to track your mobile phone when its not with you, then you need special Mobile GPS Tracking application that reports you the location details, movements, speed, direction etc. You can access this information from a computer or any other mobile device.

Mobile Tracking with A-GPS

Its possible that some times, when you are in side a shopping mall, indoors, underground etc, you wont get satellites in line of sight. So the mobile phone apps will try to determine the location of your device by using A-GPS (assisted GPS). Techniques such as service / network operators signals, WiFi hot-spots will try to provide the location information.

Tracing location of a mobile device is of multiple types. One of the straight forward method is to install a GPS Tracking Mobile Apps so that they provide multiple tools and interfaces to track or trace any number that’s attached to a mobile device. There are many other types of tracing location of mobile numbers.

Tracing location using Rogue Mobile Apps / Spywares

A rogue mobile apps / spywares that tracks your location all the time and sends updates to their servers. This is an ethical way of tracing locations. These kind of mobile apps somehow tricks you to get them installed by your own hands. So its always important to install only well known mobiles apps.

Tracing location when you access any links (URLs)

Accessing any URLs is nothing but accessing internet. This includes opening any mobile apps (that internally accesses a link get information), opening links through browser (including private or incognito mode) or any background process in your device trying to get updates etc.

Going by the standard protocol of the internet (HTTP / HTTPS in specific), when you try to access internet by any means (as said in the above paragraph), your are sending at least two parameters. One is the agent and other is the IP address.

Agent / User Agent is the name or identifier of the program that’s being accessing internet and IP Address is the number automatically assigned by your network provider. This IP address indirectly have details about your location (like locality or city).

Tracing Location of a mobile number through Mobile Network Towers and Signals

Your network provider has all the information about your mobile number and mobile device in a proper format so that they can tell you when and where your mobile device was at any given point of time. But this information is a topic of national security and this information is not easily available to any body including the owner of the mobile number.

Bluetooth / WiFi Hot-spots

When your device is switched on with Bluetooth discovery, your are actually broadcasting your device information and asking other devices to connect to your device. Even though you do not allow other devices to connect, but you have already broadcasting your identification details.

WiFi Hot-spots on the other side, said to be public networks, that means, any device by default will have self discovery ON so that, other devices can understand any network services that are running in your device.

Personal Privacy Protection

I really wanted to discuss this point though it is not actually related to tracing location of mobile numbers. Personal privacy is in most cases directly linked to location of your mobile device. Like when you visit an airport, it implies your traveling away from your city.

Because there are so many apps running in your mobile device, they are constantly try to get updates from their servers to keep you entertained, they are also constantly sending updates about your self too.

I will try to write another blog post about this topic if I find time.