How to find the Cell Id location with MCC, MNC, LAC and CellID (CID).

Cellidfinder - is a simple and convenient application which can help you to find the location of any GSM base station with MCC, MNC, LAC, CellId (CID) and place it on a  Google map. The article provides detailed instructions for finding the location of GSM base stations using cellidfinder service.

     What data are required to find the coordinates of GSM Base Station?

     To localize the sector of the base station (CellId) you need to know next 4 parameters:

• MCC — a Mobile Country Code. This code identifies the country. For example, in China MCC is equal to 460, in USA - 310, Hungary - 216, Belorussia - 257.
• MNC - a Mobile Network Code. This code identifies the mobile operator. The detailed table with MCC and MNC codes is available here.
• LAC - Location Area Code is a unique number of current location area. A location area is a set of base stations that are grouped together to optimize signalling.
• CellID (CID) — is a generally unique number used to identify each Base transceiver station (BTS) or sector of a BTS within a Location area code.

     Where can you get this data?

     The data are taken from the Net monitor. Net monitor is a special application for mobile phones or other devices that allows you to get the technical parameters of the mobile network. There are a great variety of free net monitors for different devices in Google play and App store. In addition, when modern GPS tracker has poor satellites signal reception it sends to the owner not coordinates, but parameters of the mobile base station: MCC, MNC, LAC, Cellid. In this case cellidfinder can help you to convert this parameters to estimated coordinates and place a location of GSM base station on the Google map.

     Database.

     Cellidfinder searches the coordinates of base stations in the Google and Yandex databases. It should be noted that we obtain the approximate location of CellID. The most accurate location is determined using the averaging function, which calculates the coordinates in all sectors (CellID) of one base station and then calculate the average value.

How to use CellIDfinder?

To stark work with this service you need to install any net monitor on your Smartphone. Here is one good option. Turn on application and look the required parameters.

     In this case we can see:
MCC = 257 (Belorussia)
MNC = 02 (MTS)
LAC = 16
CID = 2224

     Input these parameters in the search form on the main page. LAC and CID may be presented in a decimal or hexadecimal form. You need to input one of this form and other will be completed automatically. Then select "Google data", "Yandex data" and if you need high precision "Averaging". Click "Search CellId".

     As a result we just have obtained the coordinates of current CellId. Moreover Google data and Yandex data are almost identical, so CellId is placed quite accurately on the Google map. In many cases Yandex data can be unavailable.

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