How Can I Track a Cell Phone Using Satellite?

Turn your cell phone into a GPS tracker.

Using a satellite to track a cell phone sounds like something from a spy novel. However, with today's technology it is so easy that even a child could do it. All it requires is a web-enabled cell phone, access to the Internet and a free piece of software.

Things You'll Need

• GPS tracking software
• Web-enabled cell phone

Instructions

1. Find GPS tracking software. Some of the most popular include Mologogo, Instamapper, and BuddyWay (see References below). These will allow you to follow your phone wherever it goes using your phone's existing GPS chip to send a signal to a satellite. This in turn sends a signal back to Earth and shows the phone's location via the Internet. As of 2010 all of these services are free.

2. Sign up for the GPS service of your choice on its website and providing an e-mail address, user name, password and your cell phone number. You will receive a text message within a few minutes giving you a URL where you can download your software to your phone.

3. Install the software on the phone, then restart the phone.

4. Boot up your computer, PDA, or another web-enabled cell phone and log in to the GPS website. You should see a map and a blinking red dot with your user name next to it. This is the phone you are tracking as seen by the satellite. You can now follow the phone anywhere it goes.

Tips & Warnings

• You can purchase a web-enabled cell phone with prepaid service from several online vendors including Metro PCS, Target and TMobile (see Resources below). As of 2010 you can buy one for around $50.

References

• T-mobile: Pay as you go cell phones
• Target: No contract cell phones
• MetroPCS: Prepaid cell phones
• Buddyway: GPS tracker
• Instamapper: GPS software

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Mologogo.com: GPS tracking software