GSM detection/identification

[Ken Restivo]

On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 09:57:01PM -0400, Paul Buede wrote:
> Dimitri wrote:
> > Are you able to make and receive calls?
> >
> > If not, perhaps the sim isn't touching all the phone's connections.
> >
> > At least, that's the problem I had when I tried to connect to AT&T. It would
> > show that I had 5 bars, but it would always say "Registering...".
> >
> > I was able to wiggle the sim a little, reboot the phone, and have it
> > properly connect to the ATT network (i.e., it changed from "Registering..."
> > to "AT&T" and I was able to make/receive calls and text messages).
> >
> > D
> >  
> >
> > Paul Buede wrote:
> >   
> >> So, I picked up a tmobile sim, and signed up with them (I have another
> >> week to cancel), and so the phone registers with tmobile.  I am finding
> >> the coverage isn't great in the rural areas I find myself.  When driving
> >> around, if out of reach of tmobile, it will say "registering" as if
> >> there is no sim card.  But, on the little image of the antenna, that
> >> shows how strong my connection is, I still have 2 bars.  Is that a bad
> >> guage of connectivity?  Is it wrong?  Or does that maybe tell me that it
> >> has 2 bars of strength with some sort of other gsm network?  Is there a
> >> way I can query the phone from the cli to have it show me the different
> >> carriers it can sense network for?  I am interested in running a little
> >> cron to pipe all carriers it detects into a file every minute as I drive
> >> around the countryside, so I can see  who i will get the best coverage
> >> with.
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >>
> >>     
> 
> Yes, I am able to make and receive calls when it reads T-Mobile in the
> upper left. But then, as I get further away from civilization it
> switches to Registering, but a bar or two remain in the upper right.

Hmm. Has anyone ported Kismet to the OpenMoko yet?

Also, has anyone created a GSM Kismet, or some kind of tool that will list all carriers and their relative signal strengths.

Since the phone has a built in GPS, it seems like it would be the absolutely ideal Kismet platform, and also for something similar to map cell phone signal strength and coverage.

With GPRS, it could also upload that coverage data to a public site somewhere and create nice interactive maps. Could be helpful for people choosing which carrier to use: you could see who's got what coverage where in places that you commonly travel to, live in, and work in.

The carriers would hate it, but so what. The people might find it useful.

-ken