Finding the location of a cell tower.

18th August 2012

An organisation named Ericsson Labs provides a method for looking up telephone tower locations using cell IDs.
If your phone or modem provides you with the cell ID and Location Area Code then you can use the first form on this page to submit that information to their database and retrieve the map coordinates for the tower it's connected to.

If you need to convert a decimal number to hexadecimal or vice-versa there is a converter at the bottom of this page.

After you have retrieved the map coordinates you can submit them, using the second form on this page, for a Google Map lookup.

PS. If you are using an iPhone, you can find the LAC and CID by dialing *3001#12345#* to access the Field Test app.
Eg. If you are connected to a UMTS cell when the Field Test page opens, look in UMTS Cell Environment -> UMTS RR Info.
You'll have to Google to find the field test mode for other phone/modem brands and models.

1. Visit the Ericsson developer site HERE sign up, and get a key.

2. Use your mobile phone or modem to find the LAC and CID you are connected to.

3. Enter your LAC and CID into the form below. (The MCC and MNC default to Australia and Telstra.)
Some phones give the Cell ID in hex, others in decimal, so make sure you enter your cell id into the appropriate field:

Ericsson API key (looks like this: DFW2BVIVLUAF3IQVASB8LSWAXDP7)

MCC Mobile Country Code (Australia=505)

MNC Mobile Network Code (Telstra=01, Optus=02, Voda=03)

LAC Location Area Code in HEXADECIMAL (from your phone, eg. the closest tower to me in HEX is 3450)

CID Cell ID in HEXADECIMAL (from your phone, eg. my current cell id in HEX is 13202A8)


After you submit the above form should you should get a result that looks something like this:

"{"position":{"accuracy":"3694.0","latitude":"-35.23099","longitude":"149.05246"}}"

Now copy and paste the latitude and the longitude complete with any minus sign into the fields below:

lat (with the minus sign if it has one, and without the "")

lon

 

 

 

Hex <> Decimal converter.
Enter relevant numbers in the appropriate field, the other field will display the converted value:

hex

dec

(PS. If you see NaN it means "Not a Number", you've made a mistake.)

73