GSM detection/identification

[Scott]

Paul,

Sounds like what you want is to run the GSM radio in promiscuous mode, 
like some wireless Ethernet radios can do.
My old Razr and the Iphone would do something like that. It won't tell 
you the carrier but it will list the available sites, with their ID and 
signal strength.  There is a web page with all the site id's on it 
connected to google maps. Can't remember the address off the top of my head.

If you could mash up the site ID's gathered from your phone to the web 
site????

Scott

There might be an AT command to do just that.  On my old razr
Paul Buede wrote:
> Paul Buede wrote:
>> Matt Joyce wrote:
>>   
>>> The wiki has some interesting info on GSM :
>>> http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Gsm
>>>
>>> The AT commands to interact with the hardware are here :
>>> http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Hardware:AT_Commands
>>> (I wonder if they are an extension of the earlier dial up modem
>>> commands ala Hayes?)
>>>
>>> here's how you use the commands:
>>> http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Gsmd#Usage_of_shell_mode
>>>
>>> these command may work for you :
>>>
>>>         r       Register to network
>>>         R       Register to given operator (R=number)
>>>         U       Unregister from netowrk
>>>         P       Print current operator
>>>         N       Print current operator in numeric
>>>         L       List available operators
>>>         Q       Read signal quality
>>>         nr      Query network registration
>>>
>>> As I mentioned, I wanted to find all contactable sites, but didn't
>>> find a command for that.
>>>
>>>   
>>>     
>> That was a huge help. What I need now is a way to pass commands from the
>> cli and have it return values to the cli rather than operating in the
>> shell. So then I can write a script to do it and log to a file. I want
>> it to run while I drive around, so I don't have to stop on tap on the
>> tiny keyboard. Any suggestions?
>>
>> I was able to do the following today, from home:
>>
>> root at om-gta02:/var/volatile/log# libgsmd-tool -m shell
>> libgsm-tool - (C) 2006-2007 by Harald Welte and OpenMoko, Inc.
>> This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
>>
>> L
>> # # List operators
>> 31026 T - Mobile, T - Mob for short, is our current operator
>> 31056 Cellular One DC, Cell On for short, is available
>> 31041 Cingular, Cingula for short, is available
>>
>>   
> So, I drove around and stopped, and everytime I had any reception at
> all, meaning the L gave me any carriers, it gave me the same three
> carriers. This modifies my initial theory, and leads to a new one. So,
> my new theory is that the SIM card is what allows the phone to see any
> carriers at all. And that the three "operators" I could see in my tests
> must all allow roaming on each others networks, which is why my T-Mobile
> SIM lets me see only those three. I should be able to see Verizon, US
> Cellular, and who knows what other operators from some of the places I
> tested, including my house.
> 
> So, right now, I took the SIM card out, rebooted my phone, and am
> testing to see if I can see any carriers at all (doing this from home),
> and I see no carriers at all. In fact, here is the output:
> 
> root at om-gta02:~# libgsmd-tool -m shell
> libgsm-tool - (C) 2006-2007 by Harald Welte and OpenMoko, Inc.
> This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
> 
> # cme error: 315
> L
> # List operators
> Q
> # Signal strength
> EVENT: Netreg registration denied
> cme error: 32
> EVENT: Signal Quality: 11
> Signal quality -91 dBm
> Error rate undetectable
> EVENT: Signal Quality: 9
> EVENT: Signal Quality: 11
> EVENT: Signal Quality: 9
> EVENT: Signal Quality: 11
> EVENT: Signal Quality: 9
> EVENT: Signal Quality: 11
> 
> # L
> List operators
> cme error: 13
> 
> So, I am disappointed. I am going to need SIM cards from other operators
> to test reception anywhere. This makes things harder, or at least
> slower, as I will have to remove SIM cards and insert new ones at any
> given area to test the various carriers. Does anyone else in the US use
> a carrier I have not listed as visible with T-Mobile? And would you be
> willing to test and see what other carriers you are able to see? Maybe
> we can build a list of carrier teams, for lack of a better term. I have
> 6 days left to back out of my TMobile contract, so I need to get SIM
> cards for testing quickly... Will let you all know how it goes.

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