Your cell phone could save you even when you have no service

[vibramhead]

This is worth considering, if things go wrong. Your phone might be able to relay your position even if it shows no signal.

[kepPNW]

This is worth considering, if things go wrong. Your phone might be able to relay your position even if it shows no signal.

Very valuable to know! Thanks for posting that.

[Lurch]

It's not *quite* that simple...

[kepPNW]

It's not *quite* that simple...

It never is, I suppose. Was hoping you'd see this. Can you comment on whether, or to what degree, SAR may glean useful info if one tries to call 911 when their phone appears to be out of range? I surely recognize there are times it simply won't work, period. But would you tell people it's worth "wasting battery" on when it otherwise appears futile?

[Koda]

I have the same question as Karl. I’ll take a stab at it though and say I wouldn't advocate this because my guess is for that to work SAR would have to know your number and carrier and also have legal access to other carriers “handshake” records if they even knew who those other carriers (closest towers?) are…. What are the odds. In a very high profile case, maybe… but not likely for the average person.

here is something that is part of this equation though, if you use Android Google keeps a gps track of your phone at all times. I checked mine after two different trips to remote cellless locations and both were recorded even though my phone was in airplane mode (to save battery). In fact I was able to download the gps track and view it in GE.

but again, it would take legal access to those records. My guess only if the situation was determined a criminal event would SAR be given access to private location data.

[kepPNW]

I have the same question as Karl. I’ll take a stab at it though and say I wouldn't advocate this because my guess is for that to work SAR would have to know your number and carrier and also have legal access to other carriers “handshake” records if they even knew who those other carriers (closest towers?) are…. What are the odds. In a very high profile case, maybe… but not likely for the average person.

I have no knowledge of this handshake stuff, but for a lot of folks a spouse or other relative would likely have both the phone number and carrier, as well as be in contact with SAR.

here is something that is part of this equation though, if you use Android Google keeps a gps track of your phone at all times. I checked mine after two different trips to remote cellless locations and both were recorded even though my phone was in airplane mode (to save battery). In fact I was able to download the gps track and view it in GE.

Requires the Google account credentials to see, right? And it's also very wonky when only a single tower is available (my interpretation), showing your location many miles from reality. For example...

• 
  Highlighted location is presumably a far-away tower?

It did take me by surprise to see it was recording location even when in airplane mode (as I was for well over half that hike)!

The link for curious Android users to try: https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/b/0

[Koda]

Disclaimer, I'm learning here so this is my take....

I have no knowledge of this handshake stuff, but for a lot of folks a spouse or other relative would likely have both the phone number and carrier, as well as be in contact with SAR.

Correct, but only if the person left their info with someone. But that only covers 1 side, im more referring to the guest towers because in this scenario the lost person does not have access to their carrier towers. So, how does SAR know what other carriers to call and do they have legal access to those records? Are the guest carriers required by law to keep those "handshakes" and are they private?

Requires the Google account credentials to see, right? And it's also very wonky when only a single tower is available (my interpretation), showing your location many miles from reality. For example...

correct, but this is still valuable information to SAR. Google track points are not as frequent as a personal GPS device is but I bet the X and Y of the track points are accurate enough. So consider the really major wonks are obvious outliers but notice how much more accurate the detail is on your hike location, which is really the heart of the matter. Its surprisingly accurate in such a remote location with no cell service.


regardless though, I'm wondering how this data falls privacy wise? For now my guess is unless a criminal investigation is underway its considered private data. If its not private data Im either shutting off the feature or throwing my Android in the river....

[kepPNW]

In my case, my wife would definitely be in contact with SAR, as she's the one who'd be calling in the missing report. So she'd definitely know phone# and carrier info. After looking more closely at the Google tracking info, she's also going to have most current credentials for my Google account(s), too! Check this out:

• 
  Those points are almost exactly 10 minutes apart, and airplane mode was on the entire time!

Thinking on this some more, I guess the real question is, at what point are these data sent to Google? If those points are only uploaded after I'm back in contact with cell towers, it's all meaningless, isn't it? Need to devise a way to test that!

[Koda]

In my case, my wife would definitely be in contact with SAR, as she's the one who'd be calling in the missing report. So she'd definitely know phone# and carrier info. After looking more closely at the Google tracking info, she's also going to have most current credentials for my Google account(s), too!

Does she have you gmail password? The one associated with your phone?
perhaps, but how many people also give their family their gmail password... which is whats needed to access your Google tracking on your behalf? (assuming this info is instantly available, which I believe it is as I've checked mine at work and it detailed my morning commute route...) Also, many Android users dont actually use their gmail.

Whats interesting is how easily this Google feature replaces beacon devices like SPOT.

[kepPNW]

In my case, my wife would definitely be in contact with SAR, as she's the one who'd be calling in the missing report. So she'd definitely know phone# and carrier info. After looking more closely at the Google tracking info, she's also going to have most current credentials for my Google account(s), too!

Does she have you gmail password? The one associated with your phone?
perhaps, but how many people also give their family their gmail password... which is whats needed to access your Google tracking on your behalf?

She will now. (That's what I was meaning to say above.)

(assuming this info is instantly available, which I believe it is as I've checked mine at work and it detailed my morning commute route...)

That's a good way to test it! I don't generally put it in airplane mode when I'm in "civilization," but I'll try to remember doing it before going on a lunch walk, and see what it shows when I get back to the office!