Car stolen, cell inside car on telecom network, Is it possible to triangulate?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Car stolen, cell inside car on telecom network, Is it possible to triangulate?

LouisSayers

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#31888 3-Apr-2009 13:00

Howdy,

My car was stolen about 2 hours ago, and I'm doing trying to find out whether it's possible to track the car (as there's a cellphone inside). The Cell is just a standard Telecom phone, doesn't have GPS or anything.

Is it possible for Telecom to find the cellphone's current location?

Thanks,

Louis

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120 posts

Master Geek

#205118 3-Apr-2009 13:14

It is physically possible, yes however there are only a few in the upper echelons of Telecom that can do so, and it is usually reserved for cases such as search and rescue (you may have seen a case where Telecom assisted S&R locate some boaties up north 2 or 3 months ago) but unfortunatly in your case they could not help.

Imagine if they did .......... they wold probably have a hundred calls a day from people who'd dropped them down the back of their couches!

I honestly hope your phone (and car) is recovered though and trust that you've already had it blocked :)

matt45

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

#205120 3-Apr-2009 13:16

posible = yes
will they tell you the exact location = no
why not? because there is only small group of people with the power to do it and generally it doesnt happen without a court order from the police or a search and rescue operation, also it generally costs a bomb.

they can however see if the phone is on and what site its working off and they should be able to tell you this (call 120 and ask for mobile faults).

matt45

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

#205122 3-Apr-2009 13:20

haha snap decimate

LouisSayers

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#205123 3-Apr-2009 13:20

It's silly that there's technology available that could help in situations like this, but is not being used!!

Yes, I got the cellphone barred - I just wish that I had a tracking unit of my own in the car, so I could get some real progress in finding it :)

garvani

1873 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#205124 3-Apr-2009 13:24

What we need is gofinder in new zealand.. check this out for telstra in australia.. its excatly what you need

Gofinder

matt45

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

#205126 3-Apr-2009 13:29

tracking is not widely used as it can break privacy laws, create a large amount of unnecessary calls to telecom and is generally speaking not worth the trouble as decimate said people call and ask which room there phone is in so that they don’t have to get off the couch to go and look for it.

LouisSayers

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#205128 3-Apr-2009 13:33

I gave it a go, calling 120, but I he told me to call?0800323232 5 4.

I tried to weasle some info out of the lady, but she said all she'd be able to tell me is if it's connected to the north or south island. ?Tried to guide me through crashing the phone...?

The cell num is 027 XXX XXXX, if anyone else has ideas...

{MOD EDIT : SP : Number removed - PM the OP if you think you can help}

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johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#205130 3-Apr-2009 13:35

LouisSayers: I gave it a go, calling 120, but I he told me to call 0800323232 5 4.

I tried to weasle some info out of the lady, but she said all she'd be able to tell me is if it's connected to the north or south island. Tried to guide me through crashing the phone...

The cell num is 027 xxxxxxxx, if anyone else has ideas...

Best idea remove your number off the forum

and go claim insurance if you have it

John

LouisSayers

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#205131 3-Apr-2009 13:41

Yeah, unfortunately I'm a poor student, and so the car and that wasn't worth insuring for theft. Luckily my gf's laptop wasn't in the car! -she'd be soo gutted... just another reason to back up regularly.

Decimate

120 posts

Master Geek

#205136 3-Apr-2009 13:59

matt45: haha snap decimate

Decimate for the win haha! Anyway........

I gave it a go, calling 120, but I he told me to call?0800323232 5 4.

I tried to weasle some info out of the lady, but she said all she'd be able to tell me is if it's connected to the north or south island. ?Tried to guide me through crashing the phone...?

Thats the prepaid helpdesk, I love how they tried to talk you through crashing the phone when you'd plainly stated you'd lost it, epic!!

Only thing I could suggest would be to look at going on even the cheapest of plans and charging a new handset to your account, and you'll get a bonus $149 upgrade voucher forthe new network in june. Two new phones in two months, Voila!!

Decimate

120 posts

Master Geek

#205137 3-Apr-2009 14:01

Oh and when you charge to your account you can pay the phone interest free over 12 months so no biggy in terms of paying for it

A plan might not sound like a good committment if you're studying, but it's just an option

matt85

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#205308 4-Apr-2009 18:14

You know this is an interesting discussion. Having worked in Telecom before, I know that 0800 32 32 32 (Telecom Prepaid helpdesk) indeed have the ability to see info like that.

However, (I'm not sure whether Telecom hides behind or is just complying with) - The Privacy Act.

What I do know is that the program they use will tell the Cust Service Representitive which cellphone tower the customer is using. They can indeed tell what town you're in (or in cities, roughly what suburb), but i believe that they're not going to release that info the any customer.

Put it this way...If you think telecom can see it; they can. As for triangulating Im not quite so sure about that...that would quite likely involve software that I dont think customer service reps would EVER have access to.

Decimate

120 posts

Master Geek

#205310 4-Apr-2009 18:45

matt85:

You know this is an interesting discussion. Having worked in Telecom before, I know that 0800 32 32 32 (Telecom Prepaid helpdesk) indeed have the ability to see info like that.

I've also worked in Telecom before, on the gen-i helpdesk, we didn't have access to anything like that, I wonder why only the prepaid helpdesk could see what cellsite a cust is connected to. The mind boggles.

matt45

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

#205311 4-Apr-2009 18:49

dont think the prepay helpdesk (manilla) has access believe its just mobile faults which is in nz.

NZFINEST

202 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#205318 4-Apr-2009 19:53

i have seen this done by a alcatel guy at work who looks after core cell phone network.
when some laptops and cell phones where stolen off's a guy's desk 1 night they used this to locate where they where. they then found out that the cleaners for the building lived where they where located. im sure the police where involed with it in the end.

Anything I suggest or say is my own thoughts and not provided by anyone else unless stated

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