GPS on phones

My job told everyone today that our new Nextels will be equipped with GPS so they can track us and see where we are. Some of the people there think its an invasion of privacy, some feel its OK because they are paying us to work and they should know where we are. Any thoughts on this? I guess it works so well that the program they view it on shows where you are down to the corner of the driveway you are standing in.
These phones wouldnt trasmit if they are turned off, would they?
Anyone know how to turn off the GPS or remove the chip?

Read this thread:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I don't think that it should be that much of a problem. Take the phone for a test drive for a few weeks. If you see unmarked black vans in your driveway, then toss the phone. You have to admit, trashing your phone is alot easier (and safer) than cutting your wrists open in hopes of finding that GPS chip they implanted in you...

Another way I guess is to buy a hundred of those cell phone radiation blocker stickers, and cover up your phone with it.

www.goaegis.com...

I take it you are on the road a lot on call for whatever you do for your job? Thats interesting especially because of cell phone security. I would think that you can switch it off with the phone's internal settings. Maybe some hacking would be involved.

I do heating and air, I am on the road constantly. The shop I work for is out of chicago, but we work in wisconsin and indiana as well. I wasnt worried about being followed by the government, they have bigger fish to fry than me. I found out the settings dont control the GPS, at least not from what I saw when we looked at the demo model we had at the meeting this morning.

The only people worried about invasion of privacy are those hat are hiding something

I agree with who, if someone is watching where I go, they have waaaaay too much time on their hands.

ok they may be adding GPS to our phones now, but they have been able to work out where you are for a long time now. down to within a couple of feet (or closer)

They have been in phones for a while now, I bought a Sony T206 last year that had it.

How about putting it in a lead bag, used for storing film?

Will you get a warning from job if you constantly "forget" it???

When a company is doing this kind of stuff to it's employees IMO they're treating them like little kids. And yeah I know, it's office hours, they're on duty... bla bla bla.

Btw... Will you be using that phone when you're off duty??? Because that is surely an invasion of privacy and I would quit right away if they were even considering having me use that phone even when I'm off duty.

I dont use the phone off-hours, but we are required to keep it on until 5pm. If we forget the phone too often, they do get pissed.

All switched-on GSM phones even without GPS receivers are traceable. Network in a given intervals communicate with every active subscribers during ALU (Automatic Location Update). It strongly depends on the network architecture but tracking resolution may be quite good.

Most new phones that are GPS equiped are thusly done for 9-11 service to pinpoint your vicinity if you're unable to give an address or unable to speak or remain conscious. Once that phone transmits it's location information, even if it's disconnected, they have the point that the phone made the call.

Just because a phone is GPS equiped doesn't neccesarily mean that you or anyone else has access to the coordinate information. My Nokia 3585i is a good example. I can set it to allow 9-11 only or full network location sharing. Now, your company might have worked out a deal with Nextel to obtain that report but I doubt they will get the information first hand without equiping each of your vehicles with a separate GPS much like trucking companies now use. They may however recieve weekly or monthly reports from nextel telling them if anyone took the phone beyond certain points at certain times but to do their own monitoring would require significant cost and just about a fully staffed GIS department onsite depending on how many employees they are tracking.

Good old Safety vs. Security. I think the government and anyone else involved in this scheme is using the Safety as a blanket to really institute a big brother scandal. I think of this whenver I see the OnStar button in my car.

Originally posted by astrocreep
(...)Just because a phone is GPS equiped doesn't neccesarily mean that you or anyone else has access to the coordinate information. (...)

We should no discuss h*ck*ng, however not going in to the details:
Transmitted GPS data are encrypted and probably it will not be that easy to decipher that message. But it is at least theoretically possible to locate subscriber terminal during BTS handshake, for example ALU. And using plain old radiolocation equipment you can find GIVEN terminal.
Your GSM/PCS operators always know where you are.
Paradoxically I fell better with that�

ok they may be adding GPS to our phones now, but they have been able to work out where you are for a long time now. down to within a couple of feet (or closer)

Yep...that much is true....

I worked for a cellular company for many years. I know about the 911 initiative that REQUIRES all cellular companies to be able to pinpoint their customers. So, it is out there.

Now, you all can jump to Big Brother ideas. in some ways yes. Mostly for:

Walking down the street, your phone rings "Come inside for $5 dollar lunch special".
They know you are right outside. Target advertising.

Think about it.