Active GSM cell-id tracking: "Where Did You Disappear?"

ABSTRACT

Location-based services are mobile network applications of growing importance and variability. The space of location technologies and applications has not yet been fully explored, perhaps omitting some important practical uses.

In this work we present the prototype SS7Tracker platform, an active, non-intrusive, GSM Cell-ID-based solution to network-based location tracking, and two novel applications of this technique: network diagnostics based on inroamer tracking and human activity research. We demonstrate the usability and performance limits of the platform on practical tests carried out in a live GSM network.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.3 Network Operations
          Subjects: Network management

Additional Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.3 Network Operations
          Subjects: Network monitoring

General Terms:
Experimentation, Measurement

Keywords:
GSM, SS7, active tracking, inroamer, mobile entity localization, mobility, network diagnostics