Can I Really Track any Phone Anywhere?

A single thought of losing one’s cellphone sends jitters down the body and if that phone contains the personal data then one has every right to feel petrified. Mobile phone, this small piece of technology is capable enough to govern our lives. Be it, contact numbers, photos, bank details or other personal information, your phone is loaded with all of it. It‘s not your family but your phone which is with you 24×7. So, losing your all day buddy is just not what you want?

Your phone is with you 24×7 clearly means that it travels with you all the time. You can be on a vacation or business trip, this gadget is there with you. So, chances of losing it becomes fairly more. Mobile tracking applications ends all your worries regarding the safety of your phone.

This question is picked up every now and then, whether one can track any phone anywhere? Tracking of the phone can be done from anywhere but not for all devices. There are different ways of mobile tracking depending on the handsets you have or the operators you use.

Handset-based technology: Let us first talk about the tracking based on handset. Handset-based technology needs to be installed on the handset of the client to determine its location. Also, if the handset has GPS then considerably more precise location information is sent from the handset to the carrier. GPS- GPS will work anywhere BUT on one condition – the device has to have a view of the sky. So, if unfortunately, the device is indoors, GPS is not going to work. So, in this case a tracking application having a substitute mode that uses cell-tower locations when GPS isn’t available is only useful.

Smartphones like the one based on Android, Symbian, Windows phone, IOS, Blackberry OS, etc. are more likely to offer such tracking services. This service works with or without the SIM in the phone. Also, in most cases, when a phone is lost or stolen, the SIM card is removed from the handset. So, in that case the mobile tracking made available by the handset providers proves to be highly beneficent. Taking an example, somebody lost a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 at Moscow airport recently. The person had installed the tracking software on the phone. Even after the person flew from Moscow to India, he was able to locate his phone. So, sitting in India, just with the help of Samsung.com, he tracked his phone. With smartphones, there are many services which are provided alongside tracking like locking the phone online, setting a password online, etc.
SIM tracking: Besides handset tracking, the second most popular way is SIM tracking. Not everyone is able to buy a smartphone yet be it any handset; mobile phone plays a pivotal role in one’s life. If you are using the SIM in UMTS and GSM handsets then there is a possibility of tracking your phone. Raw radio measurement can be obtained from the handset. In SIM tracking, one has to contact the mobile operator and then they can track the SIM from there on. Also, one can find a number of SIM tracking software online. These can be downloaded on a PC or laptop and can be used to track the SIM. This can be done for any mobile phone and by sitting in any place of the world. Taking an example, you have an Airtel SIM, registered in Delhi and you have moved to another city or even abroad. In case of loss of SIM anywhere in the country or abroad, you can contact the service provider Airtel for SIM tracking. Also, you can download any of the online available SIM tracking software and track your SIM. The service providers might charge you some amount for the service. In addition to this, there is an array of companies offering tracking services. These charge you some amount in return of the services offered.
Now that we know that not all handsets can be tracked, the issue of tracking phone anywhere still remains open. Let us discuss how these companies function and the obstructions faced by the mobile tracking applications.

How Do These Service Providers or Companies Work?
All mobile tracking applications send their tracking data back to a central point. They perform this using SMS or GPRS data. Both transports require the phone to be within the coverage area, close to a cell-tower.
Hitches in mobile tracking applications:
• As discussed above, besides the providers of handsets and SIM, there are other companies that offer mobile tracking services. These companies sign agreements with the local service providers to be able to provide the service. These companies have to sign contracts with every network operator across the world which uses compatible equipment to be able to track your phone anywhere in the world. All the countries don’t have compatible mobile systems and also the laws/regulations of some countries prohibit the tracking services. This is a complex network but yes you do have tracking options available all across the globe.
• In the remote areas of the world, it’s difficult to get a regular feed of information from a mobile tracking phone. The alternative used in this case is the help of a satellite device but SMS and data costs become high making it difficult for a user to get the phone tracked.
• Local time and Time zone factor- If one is travelling across the world; a system is required, which is aware of time-zones and local times. GPS tracking applications are usually designed to be used in a single country. Change of time zone makes it difficult for a tracking application to generate accurate data.
This is quite apparent from all the knowledge that we have from gathered above that a mobile phone can be tracked from anywhere in the world but as every developed system has its limitations so has the mobile tracking applications. So, be aware of the latest software and technologies and be safe.