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I am going to make an application in which I want to get the user location through sms i.e a person sends an sms to a specific number linked with a web server or to an android app and from that sms I want to find his/her location. This should be done without installing any application as I want to use this feature for old mobiles like nokia 3310 which don't support java. Please give suggestions. Languages I'll be using for my app are php, android, java.

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Ask them their postal code. No other way to find their location. –  ilhan Nov 11 '11 at 6:21
Who are you working for..:p –  drooooooid Nov 11 '11 at 6:31
FBI, NSA, CIA or any other I dont know name might CBI LOL –  ingsaurabh Nov 11 '11 at 7:36
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closed as not a real question by ingsaurabh, bharath, Akshinthala సాయి కళ్యాణ్, VMAtm, Bill the Lizard Nov 11 '11 at 11:35


4 Answers

Whichever cellular service provider you are working with will give you an API that you can use to communicate with their database mapping IMEI numbers to specific cell towers.

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Example? I didn't know such thing. Very interesting. –  ilhan Nov 11 '11 at 6:24
is that true.?please provide more detaisl –  drooooooid Nov 11 '11 at 6:26
@sarnold will you please elaborate your answer or more specifically provide any example or link –  ingsaurabh Nov 11 '11 at 6:27
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AFAIK you can't find the location from sended/receiving SMS on both Android and Java ME application.

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If you will not install any application then who will return location on device end ??

Not possible until device support location - based -service and an app is installed which will give location to server .

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I was having a project back in the day. It was not the same, but kinda give you ideas of why this is not being done on non-carrier side.

In short, cell phone will comunicate to a cell tower(or cell site) constantly via a control channel so the system knows your cell's location. sending an sms is kinda same. But unless you work with a carrier, chances you get an API from them to read the package via a control channel is ZERO. So you are in no hope if you are not one of them.

Here is an idea of what you can do:

  1. You can have a background service that's running to get a callback when location changed.
  2. get the lat and long from location callback to the service.
  3. detect and check the target number when user sends out sms here is the link
  4. if you detect the target number is your server's number, just add the lat and lon to the sms message body.
  5. then do whatever your want with that sms data.

I hope This could help.

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