MovieChat Forums > The Call (2013) Discussion > All cell phones are tracked in real-time

All cell phones are tracked in real-time

posted 12 years ago by zanity
13 replies | jump to latest

If, in the USA, your phone can connect to a network cell tower, its location is being tracked in real-time whether you are 'using' it or not. This functionality was actually mandated by US lawmakers years ago. The excuse, ironically enough given the idiotic premise of this movie, was so 911 callers could always have their position located.

Since that time, the US government has informed TV and film-makers that it does NOT want the audience to be reminded of this fact, and actually financially rewards networks that lie in their productions, and state that phones are not location tracking devices.

You cell phone is NOT tracked by real GPS, although if a real GPS chip exists in your phone, and is currently active, that information may be passed to the local cell tower as well. Your cell phone reports its position, multiple times an hour, by constantly connecting briefly to all local cell towers, allowing a VASTLY more sophisticated form of the old technique of 'triangulation' to work out its location to within several yards.

The NSA, as well as receiving and storing copies of all cell phone conversations, also receives the complete real-time data stream that describes the location of EVERY cell phone that currently has any power and is within reach of a tower.

Most larger police departments can also access this data (via the phone companies) on request.

Ask yourself this. Why does your government want you to watch films like 'The Call' and draw a completely false conclusion about the State's ability to track you? I should also point out that vehicles are tracked by the RFID chips that have been embedded in tires for many years now. Your tires become your vehicle's 'fingerprint', and the license-recognition cameras you hear so much about simply connect a license-plate identity to that 'fingerprint'. The under-road RFID readers are invisible to the driver, infinitely cheaper and far more reliable than any camera system. In the larger cities, every major road and junction knows EVERY vehicle that passes through them via RFID, and the record of such journeys again sits on a permanent government database.

[–] hppg 12 years ago

Ooh conspiracy

[–] stazzercise 12 years ago

Zzzzz the OP's BS puts me to sleep.

[–] ProfessorMovieMovie 11 years ago

It is the ignorant, apathetic and lazy replies from people like these posters that is the reason why our civil rights are eroding away right before our very eyes in the United States of America.

Check that... they are not eroding as if by some inevitable and unstoppable force of nature. Our civil rights are disappearing because we are GIVING them away. For "our own good", of course.

Guess what citizens... the OP is NOT some crazy conspiracy kook. There really are RFID chips in many items you purchase including tires, cell phones and other electronics and even clothing.

Stores like Wal-Mart use them to "track inventory" and claim that the chips are easily removed and that they have plans to let their customers know about the chips. Wal-Mart has been using the chips since at least 2010 and I don't think I am wrong in saying that MOST of their customers are not in the least bit aware of it.

In actuality the chips are hard to locate on the item, they are as small as a grain of dust in some cases and just about everyone in the country (USA) has no idea they even exist, how they work and how to remove or deactivate them.

The companies that want us to get used to and tolerate their use of these chips claim it is for the good of us all and will make things better. They claim the chips are used only for inventory tracking and don't store any personal or identifying data. That is simply misinformation to keep people mollified about the thorough invasion of their privacy.

If you need more factual information about RFID chip technology and uses, just google it. There are people who don't like the idea of having every last thing they do tracked by someone whether it be the government, some private company or an individual. So there is a plethora of information on the net from creditable sources of all kinds.

Nope, the OP is no nutcase. Just an informed citizen trying to let you know what's up in our brave new world of constant surveillance and privacy intrusion.

Idiots abound. This means you.
-Anonymous

[–] gugyu_moli 10 years ago

I don't understand why it is a bad thing for the government (mostly law enforcement) to know your location? 99% of the time they don't give a *beep* The information goes to a database and nobody sees it.

[–] mv5 9 years ago

For one because if I dont want someone knowing where I am all the time it is my right to not have that imposed on me with chips they keep hidden from the public. The OP is no conspiracy nut at all, I'm surprised people haven't heard about this yet, it's only been on the news, radio ads, documentarys. Instead of asking us why not research more about it and decide if you want people you didnt vote for knowing where you are all the time. If you would like to opt in to a system where people know where you are thats fine, but to impose it on everyone and not give them a choice I'm sure you can at least agree isnt right. Look up RFID chips, read multiple sources and experiences about them and decide for yourself.

[–] strahd9 11 years ago

This is interesting, from an Alex Jones perspective...

drew

I'm a person just like you
But I've got better things to do
- Minor Threat

[–] GeneralJackDRipper 11 years ago

The OP is absolutely correct. I found this out by accident when I pocket-dialed 911. The 911 operator called me back and asked if there was a problem, but I indicated that I had dialed by mistake and that everything was fine. The operator then asked if I was at (business name) car dealership lot, to which I answered yes. I was not aware that they could pinpoint my exact location like that until that inadvertent call. So, that was the first huge plot hole I noticed with this movie, had to check the year and, sure enough, it was released in 2013, so I knew the whole storyline about struggling to pinpoint her location was completely false based on my own experience. I was not aware that this fact was not widely known.

[–] j_boyle74 11 years ago

I'm not sure where you guys are, but I work for the police department in a good size city (500,000 people) and I've never seen the type of technology you're talking about. IF there is an emergency is progress we can go through a protocol and have the carrier ping the phone for a GPS location (provided the phone is turned on and has GPS enabled), but it has to be something very serious (life or death) before the carrier will give out that information on the spot.
If, during an investigation, a detective needs location information on a phone we have to get a court order and then we will receive only information about which cell tower was hit during phone calls (no phone call, no data). We do not get an exact location of the phone on a particular day.
If it's a smart phone, the GPS info is stored in a cache for a couple days on the phone itself, but the authorities would have to have access to your device in order to download the GPS data.
I have no idea what the FBI, CIA, NSA or any other black helicopter agency can do, but most local police agencies do not have instant access to you location if you're on a cell phone.

[–] oneseat 8 years ago

Hi from 2 and a half years later, j_boyle74. Thanks for the info from boots on the ground, so to speak. Always valued.

There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people. – G.K. Chesterton

[–] Abner_Kadabner 9 years ago

It is so weird to find a message board where Agent Mulder and The Lone Gunmen hang out at. (Well, they are out of retirement.) Could you say hello to Scully for me? Thanks.

--------
Keeping people straight since 1958. No need to thank me - I already know you are grateful.

[–] Speed-the-plow 9 years ago

I thought everyone knew this information. I guess not. The authorities can track even when your phone is off. In fact, you must remove the battery if you do not want to be tracked. All new cars can be easily tracked and remotely controlled. However, I don't know if all law enforcement has this technology available to them.

[–] Pixar_Fan 9 years ago

you couldnt be more wrong my friend. even in 2016 there are plenty of phones which we still can't track an exact location. try again. i work at a 911 center and can tell you this first hand.

[–] oneseat 8 years ago

Thanks, Pixar_Fan. I think some of these posters are referring to things they have read about the NSA, not local police departments, and even then, they may have a somewhat paranoid idea about what the NSA does with cell phone data.

I am wondering if they missed the conversation between Casey and the friend who owned the cell phone that gave us the main plot. The friend says that her boyfriend gave her the phone to her so her parents wouldn't be aware of their conversations: "TracPhones are prepaid. And under the radar." The friend then leaves the phone on the table at the mall and Casey picks it up and puts it in her back pocket. Jordan notes right away that Casey must be calling from a prepaid phone without precise GPS tracking, though with time they may piece together an approximate location from cell towers. That jibes with what you, a self-professed 911 call center worker, and j_boyle 74, a self-professed mid-sized city police officer have said above. Sorry about the "self-professed" qualifiers. I hope you are what you say you are, but on the internet you never know.

There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people. – G.K. Chesterton