App to Find the Cell Tower You're Connected To, Why Does Android Allow It But iOS Doesn't?

[sms]

I was running some speed tests this afternoon and I wanted to see which
cell tower I was connected to. I installed Open Signal which is supposed
to show which cell tower you're connected to.
Android:
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.staircase3.opensignal>
iOS:
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/opensignal-internet-speed-test/id598298030>

On Android it works fine, but apparently iOS doesn't allow access to
signal information. According to
<https://www.waveform.com/blogs/main/cell-tower-mapping>: "The
OpenSignal iOS app is much less accurate than the Android version. This
is because iOS doesn’t give apps access to signal or cell tower data. As
a result, the OpenSignal tries to guess that information on iOS devices,
and those guesses aren’t generally accurate." The app didn't even try to
guess the tower on my iPhone, it simply stated "No cell tower located."

Why would iOS ban apps from using this signal information? It doesn't
seem like a security issue.

Note: I didn't cross-post this to misc.phone.mobile.iPhone because it
greatly upsets some of the trolls there that don't like anyone
mentioning a feature that is present on Android but not on iOS.

I added this information to the document that I created that compares
and contrasts features of each platform.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23 iOS Features Some of Which that [many] Android Users Wish they Had
86 Android Features Some of Which that [many] iOS Users Wish they Had

<https://tinyurl.com/fzje7h9e> or
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JznrWfGJDA8CYVfjSnPTwfVy8-gAC0kPyaApuJTcUNE>

✓ Extensively Referenced and 100% Fact Checked ✓
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[nospam]

Post by sms
I was running some speed tests this afternoon and I wanted to see which
cell tower I was connected to. I installed Open Signal which is supposed
to show which cell tower you're connected to.

what for? what matters is the measured speed. the specific tower is of
no use to anyone outside of carriers and cellular techs, although it
can still be determined for those who are curious.

Post by sms
Note: I didn't cross-post this to misc.phone.mobile.iPhone because it
greatly upsets some of the trolls there that don't like anyone
mentioning a feature that is present on Android but not on iOS.

no, what they don't like are those who make false claims about what can
and cannot be done on ios and who ignore repeated explanations as to
why such claims are false.

Post by sms
I added this information to the document that I created that compares
and contrasts features of each platform.

but you haven't added the more than 60 features in ios not available on
android that have been posted or emailed to you, nor have you removed
the features you claim are android-only yet do exist on ios. you also
incorrectly claim jailbreaking is required for some of them when it is
not.

your 'document' is full of errors which you refuse to fix because it
doesn't fit your trolling narrative.

[paul]

nospam wrote on 09.07.2021 00:59

Post by nospam

Post by sms
I was running some speed tests this afternoon and I wanted to see which
cell tower I was connected to. I installed Open Signal which is supposed
to show which cell tower you're connected to.

what for? what matters is the measured speed. the specific tower is of
no use to anyone outside of carriers and cellular techs, although it
can still be determined for those who are curious.

We've covered why OpenSignal doesn't work _many_ times so if Steve & nospam
are _still_ completely unaware that OpenSignal uses an "Internet" database
(and not the actual cell tower ID & location) then that's just more proof of
how fantastically ignorant both of them will always prove to be.

OpenSignal will _not_ accurately provide the correct tower id or location,
which we've reported on _many_ times in the past, given how it works.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.staircase3.opensignal>
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/opensignal-internet-speed-test/id598298030>

In essence, opensignal has its place, but it's mostly a toy in terms of
_accuracy_ given it doesn't actually tell you the exact information that
others programs easily do (and which can change in a split second).

Nonetheless, there are multiple apps which do report the accurate tower
information, particularly for femtocells & microcells which will almost
never be found on _any_ Internet database (and which I, myself, own).

*This type of functionality common on Android is _impossible_ on iOS.*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=make.more.r2d2.cellular_z>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tts.imnos_mobile>

This thread is already doomed because Steve opened it but Steve is immune to
the facts we've discussed this _exact_ topic _many_ times on both Android
and iOS... and... because the apologists (nospam in this case) have infested
it already.

The facts are that there are _plenty_ of apps which report _exactly_ what
Steve is asking for (and much more, e.g., signal strength in decibels over
time for any given tower), and I've reported on these apps many times.

Given both Steve & nospoam will _remain_ ignorant, I still purposefully
helpfully provide examples so that _others_ may benefit from this thread.

Post by nospam

Post by sms
Note: I didn't cross-post this to misc.phone.mobile.iPhone because it
greatly upsets some of the trolls there that don't like anyone
mentioning a feature that is present on Android but not on iOS.

no, what they don't like are those who make false claims about what can
and cannot be done on ios and who ignore repeated explanations as to
why such claims are false.

The fact remains *it's _impossible_ on iOS* to obtain what we easily do day
in and day out on Android to get _accurate_ cell tower information (and
accurate wi-fi debugging graphs) simply because the apps to do so don't
exist on the Apple app store.

All claims by nospam to the contrary are just fabrications.
Why does nospam brazenly fabricate imaginary iOS functionality?
I don't know why.

I suspect apologists are ashamed & embarrassed that many things we do all
day every day on Android are simply _impossible_ to do with iOS.

What nospam is always trying to claim is that if we wrote our own code for
iOS, and/or if we jailbroke iOS such that the inforamtion which the
_hardware_ is capable of outputting was output in the apps that we write
ourselves, then, and only then, can iOS do what Android does easily with
multiple free apps for both cellular signal strength & accurate tower
information.

Steve is correct that the apologists have always incessantly claimed purely
imaginary functionality for iOS, but at the same time, they've _never_ even
once in decades ever come up with even a _single_ name of even a _single_
app in the app store that currently performs that which they claim exists.

Suffice to say such basic functionality is _impossible_ to do with iOS
(even for something as _simple_ as for your home 2.4GHz & 5GHz networks!).

This is a free open source ad free Google GSF free Wi-Fi analyzer...
<https://github.com/VREMSoftwareDevelopment/WifiAnalyzer>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vrem.wifianalyzer>
<https://f-droid.org/packages/com.vrem.wifianalyzer/>
<https://www.amazon.com/VREM-Software-Development-WiFiAnalyzer-open-source/dp/B06XZT7RYD>

And here is a free open source privacy friendly wi-fi manager...
<https://github.com/SecUSo/privacy-friendly-wifi-manager>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.secuso.privacyfriendlywifimanager>
<https://f-droid.org/packages/org.secuso.privacyfriendlywifimanager/>

Notice these two utilities perform _different_ funcdtions where the first
outputs signal strength & other information for all access points in the
area, graphically and in tables, over time, while the other _controls_ the
wifi of your phone to enhance your privacy when you're away from home.

Post by nospam

Post by sms
I added this information to the document that I created that compares
and contrasts features of each platform.

but you haven't added the more than 60 features in ios not available on
android that have been posted or emailed to you, nor have you removed
the features you claim are android-only yet do exist on ios. you also
incorrectly claim jailbreaking is required for some of them when it is
not.
your 'document' is full of errors which you refuse to fix because it
doesn't fit your trolling narrative.

Steve is much like Carlos on the Android newsgroup, which is ignorant, but
there's _nothing_ that can ever be done to make either of them intelligent.

It's just not possible so we have to deal with people like Carlos & Steve,
and, of course, with the dozen apologists who brazenly claim that iOS can do
what Android does day in and day out (which is simply impossible on iOS).

[badgolferman]

Post by paul
nospam wrote on 09.07.2021 00:59

Post by nospam

Post by sms
I was running some speed tests this afternoon and I wanted to see which
cell tower I was connected to. I installed Open Signal which is supposed
to show which cell tower you're connected to.

what for? what matters is the measured speed. the specific tower is of
no use to anyone outside of carriers and cellular techs, although it
can still be determined for those who are curious.

We've covered why OpenSignal doesn't work _many_ times so if Steve & nospam
are _still_ completely unaware that OpenSignal uses an "Internet" database
(and not the actual cell tower ID & location) then that's just more proof of
how fantastically ignorant both of them will always prove to be.
OpenSignal will _not_ accurately provide the correct tower id or location,
which we've reported on _many_ times in the past, given how it works.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.staircase3.opensignal>
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/opensignal-internet-speed-test/id598298030>
In essence, opensignal has its place, but it's mostly a toy in terms of
_accuracy_ given it doesn't actually tell you the exact information that
others programs easily do (and which can change in a split second).
Nonetheless, there are multiple apps which do report the accurate tower
information, particularly for femtocells & microcells which will almost
never be found on _any_ Internet database (and which I, myself, own).
*This type of functionality common on Android is _impossible_ on iOS.*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=make.more.r2d2.cellular_z>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tts.imnos_mobile>
This thread is already doomed because Steve opened it but Steve is immune to
the facts we've discussed this _exact_ topic _many_ times on both Android
and iOS... and... because the apologists (nospam in this case) have infested
it already.
The facts are that there are _plenty_ of apps which report _exactly_ what
Steve is asking for (and much more, e.g., signal strength in decibels over
time for any given tower), and I've reported on these apps many times.
Given both Steve & nospoam will _remain_ ignorant, I still purposefully
helpfully provide examples so that _others_ may benefit from this thread.

Post by nospam

Post by sms
Note: I didn't cross-post this to misc.phone.mobile.iPhone because it
greatly upsets some of the trolls there that don't like anyone
mentioning a feature that is present on Android but not on iOS.

no, what they don't like are those who make false claims about what can
and cannot be done on ios and who ignore repeated explanations as to
why such claims are false.

The fact remains *it's _impossible_ on iOS* to obtain what we easily do day
in and day out on Android to get _accurate_ cell tower information (and
accurate wi-fi debugging graphs) simply because the apps to do so don't
exist on the Apple app store.
All claims by nospam to the contrary are just fabrications.
Why does nospam brazenly fabricate imaginary iOS functionality?
I don't know why.
I suspect apologists are ashamed & embarrassed that many things we do all
day every day on Android are simply _impossible_ to do with iOS.
What nospam is always trying to claim is that if we wrote our own code for
iOS, and/or if we jailbroke iOS such that the inforamtion which the
_hardware_ is capable of outputting was output in the apps that we write
ourselves, then, and only then, can iOS do what Android does easily with
multiple free apps for both cellular signal strength & accurate tower
information.
Steve is correct that the apologists have always incessantly claimed purely
imaginary functionality for iOS, but at the same time, they've _never_ even
once in decades ever come up with even a _single_ name of even a _single_
app in the app store that currently performs that which they claim exists.
Suffice to say such basic functionality is _impossible_ to do with iOS
(even for something as _simple_ as for your home 2.4GHz & 5GHz networks!).
This is a free open source ad free Google GSF free Wi-Fi analyzer...
<https://github.com/VREMSoftwareDevelopment/WifiAnalyzer>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vrem.wifianalyzer>
<https://f-droid.org/packages/com.vrem.wifianalyzer/>
<https://www.amazon.com/VREM-Software-Development-WiFiAnalyzer-open-source/dp/B06XZT7RYD>
And here is a free open source privacy friendly wi-fi manager...
<https://github.com/SecUSo/privacy-friendly-wifi-manager>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.secuso.privacyfriendlywifimanager>
<https://f-droid.org/packages/org.secuso.privacyfriendlywifimanager/>
Notice these two utilities perform _different_ funcdtions where the first
outputs signal strength & other information for all access points in the
area, graphically and in tables, over time, while the other _controls_ the
wifi of your phone to enhance your privacy when you're away from home.

Post by nospam

Post by sms
I added this information to the document that I created that compares
and contrasts features of each platform.

but you haven't added the more than 60 features in ios not available on
android that have been posted or emailed to you, nor have you removed
the features you claim are android-only yet do exist on ios. you also
incorrectly claim jailbreaking is required for some of them when it is
not.
your 'document' is full of errors which you refuse to fix because it
doesn't fit your trolling narrative.

Steve is much like Carlos on the Android newsgroup, which is ignorant, but
there's _nothing_ that can ever be done to make either of them intelligent.
It's just not possible so we have to deal with people like Carlos & Steve,
and, of course, with the dozen apologists who brazenly claim that iOS can do
what Android does day in and day out (which is simply impossible on iOS).

I haven’t tried it but will this work?

https://www.howtogeek.com/252949/how-to-access-your-iphones-field-test-mode-and-see-your-real-signal-strength/

[paul]

badgolferman wrote on 09.07.2021 04:26

I haven't tried it but will this work?
https://www.howtogeek.com/252949/how-to-access-your-iphones-field-test-mode-and-see-your-real-signal-strength/

Hi badgolferman,

We've covered FTM Field Test Mode _many_ times (mostly on iOS newsgroups).

Since you're an actual adult, a different conversation is possible, but
given both nospam and Steve are on this thread, no adult conclusion will
_ever_ be forthcoming (if they're on it, or if any of the apologists are).

Nonetheless, I patiently will answer your question, but first I have to say
the same thing I said to both Steve and to nospam which is we've covered
this exact topic so many times that it's shocking how people can _still_ be
clueless that the FTM doesn't do _anything_ like what the free open source
Android apps do.

Yet, it's the _best_ that you will ever find for iOS, so, sure, use it as
best you can, but we've covered this topic so many times that I'm just
saddened that people who have been on the iOS newsgroup for years _still_
are ignorant of the details of what Field Test Mode does and doesn't do.

If you wish, I suggest before I dump the details _again_ on this newsgroup,
just run a search for "Field Test Mode" where both Jolly Roger & nospam
insisted it could do magic that it simply does not do (although some of that
magic it _did_ do in very early versions way back to iOS 4.x).

Please run your search for "FTM Field Test Mode" here before you respond:
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/>
<https://groups.google.com/g/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/>

We've covered FTM Field Test Mode _many_ times (mostly on iOS newsgroups).

[badgolferman]

Post by paul
badgolferman wrote on 09.07.2021 04:26

I haven't tried it but will this work?
https://www.howtogeek.com/252949/how-to-access-your-iphones-field-test-mode-and-see-your-real-signal-strength/

Hi badgolferman,
We've covered FTM Field Test Mode many times (mostly on iOS
newsgroups).
Since you're an actual adult, a different conversation is possible,
but given both nospam and Steve are on this thread, no adult
conclusion will ever be forthcoming (if they're on it, or if any of
the apologists are).
Nonetheless, I patiently will answer your question, but first I have
to say the same thing I said to both Steve and to nospam which is
we've covered this exact topic so many times that it's shocking how
people can still be clueless that the FTM doesn't do anything like
what the free open source Android apps do.
Yet, it's the best that you will ever find for iOS, so, sure, use it
as best you can, but we've covered this topic so many times that I'm
just saddened that people who have been on the iOS newsgroup for
years still are ignorant of the details of what Field Test Mode does
and doesn't do.
If you wish, I suggest before I dump the details again on this
newsgroup, just run a search for "Field Test Mode" where both Jolly
Roger & nospam insisted it could do magic that it simply does not do
(although some of that magic it did do in very early versions way
back to iOS 4.x).
Please run your search for "FTM Field Test Mode" here before you
respond: <https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/>
<https://groups.google.com/g/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/>
We've covered FTM Field Test Mode many times (mostly on iOS
newsgroups).

I did a search but all I get are three threads. I couldn't find a way
to search within the threads, even Ctrl+F didn't work.

Anyway, it doesn't matter. If that won't suit your needs then that's
as far as I will go. At least you found what you need for your Android
phone.

[sms]

On 7/9/2021 5:09 AM, badgolferman wrote:

<snip>

Post by badgolferman
Anyway, it doesn't matter. If that won't suit your needs then that's
as far as I will go. At least you found what you need for your Android
phone.

I added this information to the document (#86 "Signal information" and
#87 "Better Field test mode") so Peter/Paul/Arlen/?, and whoever is
interested, can learn about it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23 iOS Features Some of Which that [many] Android Users Wish they Had
87 Android Features Some of Which that [many] iOS Users Wish they Had

<https://tinyurl.com/fzje7h9e> or
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JznrWfGJDA8CYVfjSnPTwfVy8-gAC0kPyaApuJTcUNE>

✓ Extensively Referenced and 100% Fact Checked ✓
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[paul]

sms wrote on 10.07.2021 07:35

whoever is interested, can learn about it.

FACT:
While I like to learn, there's _nothing_ possible to be learned from
ignorant people like Steve who _remain_ ignorant of the simplest things.

Particularly on cell tower debugging utilities (which I have written
multiple tutorials for, by the way - and which I use daily on Android).

Hell, I have _two_ such things _inside_ my own house at this very moment
(i.e., I have a cellular repeater and a femtocell, aka microcell).

ASSESSMENT:
Almost everything in Steve's bogus document shows his complete ignorance.

Even now with Google promising (apparently) _five years of Android support_,
Steve's document _still_ claims that it's two years (even as Samsung has
been four years of Android support for years now).

Hence... It's Steve who needs to learn...

For example, it's not surprising apologists gush over the antiquated iOS
archaically primitive all-or-nothing update model, but Steve is _still_
ignorant that almost all of Android is updated nowadays (via Projects
Mainline & Treble) over Google Play completely independently of the carriers
and of the OEMs.

Even Qualcomm drivers are now updated over Google Play, for example.

Everything about Steve's document, reeks of ignorance of the facts.

[sms]

On 7/8/2021 7:26 PM, badgolferman wrote:

<snip>

Post by badgolferman
I haven’t tried it but will this work?
https://www.howtogeek.com/252949/how-to-access-your-iphones-field-test-mode-and-see-your-real-signal-strength/

That does give you some information, but I haven't figured out how to
use that data to actually find the physical location of the cell that
you're connected to. Perhaps there's a database somewhere that can take
the data from field test mode and tell you the physical location of the
tower you're connected to, but I could not find such a thing online, and
it appears to be "crowd-sourced" information. Actually, once you have
the Cell ID from the iPhone you can use an Android phone to check nearby
cells on Open Signal since the data includes the Cell ID.

At
<https://www.macrumors.com/2020/07/27/ios-14-redesigned-field-test-mode/> they
have a lot of information on field test mode, though the screen on my
iPhone, running iOS 14.6, looks nothing like the photos on that site, so
what you see in field test mode may vary by which model of iPhone you
are using.

For some reason, Apple also appears to have hidden dBm readings in field
test mode: "Field Test Mode was formerly useful because it could turn
the cellular signal bars into a numerical measurement, but that is not
something that works on modern iPhones with recent versions of iOS." I
think the reason for this had to do with not wanting users to be able to
compare dBm readings between the Intel and Qualcomm modems, or between
iPhones with 2x2 MIMO and 4x4 MIMO.

The article at <https://www.waveform.com/blogs/main/cell-tower-mapping>
explained that the Open Signal app for Android shows all the towers in
your area, with a blue line showing the tower that you're actually
connected to and indeed that's how the app works. You aren't necessarily
always connected to the closest tower either, for T-Mobile I was
connected to the second closest tower, and that could be for various
reasons, like not every tower has every band that a phone supports.

There's another good article about this at
<https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/blog/finding-cell-tower-locations-the-complete-guide/>.
I also tried the Network Cell Info app
<https://m2catalyst.com/apps/network-cell-info>, very cool, but Android
only since it's not possible to do that kind of an app for iOS, and it
doesn't include the physical location of the cell you're connected to.

You can use the Cell ID to find Network Type, enB, and Sector ID,
<https://www.cellmapper.net/enbid?net=LTE> but finding the physical
location of the cell you're connected to is something that apparently
only the Open Signal app can figure out.

The desire to find which cell I was connected to all started when I got
the terrible data speeds on T-Mobile so I could go to another area of
town and try again.

[nospam]

Post by sms

I haven¹t tried it but will this work?
https://www.howtogeek.com/252949/how-to-access-your-iphones-field-test-mode-
and-see-your-real-signal-strength/

That does give you some information, but I haven't figured out how to
use that data to actually find the physical location of the cell that
you're connected to.

why does that matter?

Post by sms
Perhaps there's a database somewhere that can take
the data from field test mode and tell you the physical location of the
tower you're connected to,

some towers report their gps location.

Post by sms
The desire to find which cell I was connected to all started when I got
the terrible data speeds on T-Mobile so I could go to another area of
town and try again.

no, it started when you found another thing to troll about.

[Joerg Lorenz]

Post by sms
Note: I didn't cross-post this to misc.phone.mobile.iPhone because it
greatly upsets some of the trolls there that don't like anyone
mentioning a feature that is present on Android but not on iOS.

I didn't think things could get worse.
You are an absolutely braindead Troll.