Mobile phone companies can locate a phone's remote location through a process called "pinging." What this basically means is that a mobile phone company can pinpoint your mobile phone's location by locating the phone tower closest to where your cellular device most recently sent and received a signal. This is a very useful tool for police and rescue workers in locating criminal suspects, people who need urgent medical attention and missing persons. It is illegal, however, for a civilian to ping a phone she does not own.

Determine the mobile phone number you want to ping. Some mobile phone companies may require the serial number of the phone as well.

Contact the mobile phone provider associated with the mobile phone you want to ping. Ask the mobile phone company to ping the phone for you, and then provide the necessary information about the phone to the mobile phone company. Mobile phone providers have varying policies about how, when or if they ping mobile phones. Most mobile phone companies will not ping a phone that does not belong to you. The owner of the mobile phone will have to personally call the mobile phone provider and give the mobile phone company permission to let you ping the phone.

  • Mobile phone companies can locate a phone's remote location through a process called "pinging."
  • Ask the mobile phone company to ping the phone for you, and then provide the necessary information about the phone to the mobile phone company.

Sign up for a mobile phone tracking plan through your mobile phone provider. This allows you to ping your mobile phone automatically without having to contact your mobile service provider.