GSM detection/identification

[Matt Joyce]

On Thu, Jul 31, 2008 at 10:38 AM, Paul Buede <paul at buede.com> wrote:
>
> Anybody else know what I can query or run to view available cell
> carriers at any given time?  Is this even possible?  Correct me if I am
> wrong, I am kind of making this up to try and figure out how it works:
>
>

I had a play last night, I was trying to find out what towers were contactable.
I wasn't successful, but you might be with your investigations.

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.

Regards

Matt