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.