Before long GPS will become almost as basic as the telephone, or more likely included with every phone handset.  GPS can determine locations accurate to a matter of just a few meters.  In fact, amazingly with advanced equipment you can make measurements to better than a centimeter!

In a sense it’s like giving every square meter on earth a unique address.  GPS receivers have become very affordable as they have been miniaturized to just a few integrated circuits.  These days GPS is becoming integrated into cars, boats, planes, construction equipment, movie making gear, farm machinery, laptop computers and especially  smartphones.

Tracking mobile phones is a active topic getting a lot of interest.   Much of the discussion dealing with cell tracking, cell phone GPS and mobile phone track software applications would be more meaningful with a GPS Satellite introduction and glossary.

GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System.   GPS satellites broadcast signals from space that GPS receivers use to calculate three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) plus precise time.  The GPS network is composed of 3 primary segments: Space Segment, Control Segment and User Segment. 

The GPS Space Segment is comprised of twenty-four  to thirty-two satellites that orbit the earth in medium earth orbit MEO.  These satellites are referred to as the GPS Constellation, and they are orbiting once every 12 hours.  They are not geostationary, they travel at over 7,000 mph.  They are solar powered but have battery backup for when they are on the dark side of the earth. They are placed so that at any given time there are at least 4 satellites ‘visible’ from any point on earth.  Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep them properly positioned.   The satellites have a lifetime of about 10 years until all their fuel runs out. 

GPS Satellites are not communications satellites.   Geostationary or communications satellites are parked in space 22,300 miles above the equator.  These satellites are used for weather forecasting, satellite TV, satellite radio and most other types of global communications.  At exactly 22,000 miles above the equator, the earth’s force of gravity and centrifugal forces are canceled and are in balance. This is the ideal location to park a communications satellite.   The earth rotates at about 1,000 miles an hour, and because of their high earth orbit the geo-synchronous satellites need to travel at about 7,000 mph to keep position.  This is approximately the same speed as GPS satellites, but since geostationary satellites are 10,000 miles further away they stay in place relative to the earth. 

The GPS Control Segment made up of Master Control Station, an Alternate Master Control Station, and a host of dedicated and shared Ground Antennas and Monitor Stations that work together to make sure the satellites are functioning to specification and the data they send to earth is accurate. 

The GPS User Segment incorporates of GPS receivers  taking the shape of smartphones and , laptops, in-car navigation devices and hand-held tracking units along with the people that use them, and the software applications that make them work.  

GPS receivers compute position by precisely timing the signals transmitted by GPS satellites.  This data includes the time the message was transmitted, precise orbital information (the ephemeris), and the general system health and rough orbits of all GPS satellites (the almanac). 

Consider that there is a basic difference between cell phone GPS Tracking and GPS Navigation.  GPS cell tracking is usually associated with a third-party maintaining records of either real-time or historical smartphone  position, while Navigation deals with the handset  user determining how to get from point A to point B.  Neither use works without some kind of third-party software program.

A really great software package that features  remote control of cell phone settings, and combines Cell Phone Tracking  with SMS text message, Call Log,  MMS multi-media message monitoring, and a web account for storage and review is PhoneBeagle. 

Follow this link if you are interested in    Cell Phone Monitoring Software compatible with BlackBerry  and  Android  Smartphones, used or Parental Monitoring and Small Business Employee Monitoring .

Global Satellite System Glossary of basic terms.

The Global Positioning System is made up of  24 GPS satellites, portable GPS receivers, and various ground-based support facilities.

The GPS receiver is typically a standalone handset  device or electronic unit mounted on a  vehicle dashboard or other movable item such as an ocean freight container, and now particularly common to be included with  mobile phones . Abbreviated “GPS” in common use.

Visit this link for more information regarding the latest software for  Mobile GPS

Cell phones with GPS technology usually work well with cell phone tracking . Assisted means that the cell phone’s location is fixed by its information relative to the GPS network and also relative to the cell towers on land.

There are drawbacks with this kind of technology but they cannot be compared with the benefits. This technology is quite expensive and the land networks to power gps have required significant investment mainly by Qualcomm these are some of the disadvantages of the GPS technology other drawbacks are as follows:

Mobile phones with GPS technology are generally more expensive than other regular cell phones.

The free cell phone tracking element to be of use means a customer should employ the services of a third party service provider who often charge for their service of locating the phone. Makes the tracking process much more expensive.

With the advent of new technology there is also the issue of identity theft and privacy. Users are concerned about their location being made available easily to people who may abuse the tracking function. People don’t want others to be able to identify their accurate location. With much further advancements on this technology, In the future there will also be increasing location based advertising and people don’t want to be spammed with offers every time they walk down the street or in the shopping mall.Maybe GPS tracker can help you get work safety .

However there are some reimbursements of GPS technology. For instance, Using AGPS cell phone enables parents to know where their kids are at anytime. It is also an intention of the authorities that a 911 call can be instantly pinpointed for use in emergency roadside assistance and locating lost people. There is now also the ability to run GPS navigation applications direct on a cell phone for way finding uses. New software applications also include travel and tour guides that use the GPS function to provide location based tour guide exact information direct to the user.

What else, no one can steal your cell phone with GPS technology. You will easily pinpoint it no matter where it will be!

Apparently the space boxes that send GPS data down to our waiting TomToms and iPhones are breaking down. The entire system could start failing next year, sending all of us into a strange hell of missed turns and aimless driving.

The satellites are overseen by the US Air Force, which has maintained the GPS network since the early 1990s. According to a study by the US government accountability office (GAO), mismanagement and a lack of investment means that some of the crucial GPS satellites could begin to fail as early as next year.

“It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption,” said the report, presented to Congress. “If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected.”

Remember: this is a US commissioned study and they’re basically trying to get more than the $2 billion they’re already getting to upgrade the system. The first replacement satellites should have been sent up in 2007 but failed. New satellites should hit the airwaves this year or we could end up using Russia or China’s homegrown solutions.