Android: Cellid Not Available On All Carriers?

When I request the Cell ID and LAC information, on some devices I cannot retreive them. I use this code: TelephonyManager tm =(TelephonyManager) getSystemService(Context.TELEPHONY_

Solution 1:

In order to find CellId, you should use 0xffff as bit-mask, NOT mod.

WRONG

new_cid = cellLocation.getCid() % 0xffff;

RIGHT

new_cid = cellLocation.getCid() & 0xffff;

Solution 2:

Try to use a PhoneStateListener as following:

First, create the listener.

publicPhoneStateListenerphoneStateListener=newPhoneStateListener() {
    @OverridepublicvoidonCellLocationChanged(CellLocation location) {
        StringBufferstr=newStringBuffer();
        // GSMif (location instanceof GsmCellLocation) {
            GsmCellLocationloc= (GsmCellLocation) location;
            str.append("gsm ");
            str.append(loc.getCid());
            str.append(" ");
            str.append(loc.getLac());
            Log.d(TAG, str.toString());
            }
    }
};

And then register, on onCreate(), the listener as following:

telephonyManager = (TelephonyManager) getBaseContext().getSystemService(Context.TELEPHONY_SERVICE);
telephonyManager.listen(phoneStateListener, PhoneStateListener.LISTEN_CELL_LOCATION);

As stated on the documentation, the LISTEN_CELL_LOCATION requires you to add the following permission:

<uses-permissionandroid:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION"/>

Solution 3:

I think this is due to the way the manufacturers have implemented the underlying kernel code on the device, not allowing you to access certain information.

Solution 4:

You need to use TelephonyManager

TelephonyManagertelephonyManager= (TelephonyManager) getSystemService(Context.TELEPHONY_SERVICE);
    GsmCellLocationcellLocation= (GsmCellLocation) telephonyManager
            .getCellLocation();

    // Cell Id, LACintcellid= cellLocation.getCid();
    intlac= cellLocation.getLac();

    // MCCStringMCC= telephonyManager.getNetworkOperator();
    intmcc= Integer.parseInt(MCC.substring(0, 3));

    // Operator nameStringoperatoprName= telephonyManager.getNetworkOperatorName();

For permission you need to add followin in the Manifest.xml file

<uses-permissionandroid:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />

Solution 5:

So you can try something like. I have got cell id and the location area code for GSM. But for UMTS, getCid () returns a big number for exple 33 166 248. So i add modulo operator (exple xXx.getCid() % 0xffff).

GsmCellLocationcellLocation= (GsmCellLocation)telm.getCellLocation();

    new_cid = cellLocation.getCid() % 0xffff;
    new_lac = cellLocation.getLac() % 0xffff;