[VoiceOps] Using mobile/SS7/IS-41 data to track a missing person

[Ivan Kovacevic]

A bit of a deviation from the usual fare for the list, but I hope it is
close enough to being on-topic that it doesn’t get dropped.



A close friend of mine has asked me whether there is any data or meta-data
(aside from device-based GPS info) that would help in tracking a missing
person (a relative). The person travelled outside of their home country to
Italy and then Malta. Their belief is that the person made contact with
someone locally in one or both countries and that they would have used the
mobile. This was back in September, so some time has already passed from
the last known contact, but they are looking to at least validate their
assumptions regarding the last known location, maybe even to the level of
the mobile tower – if this data is available.



My high level understanding of mobile internetworking is that once the
device attempted to registered on the local, the local network would need
to make a query to the “home” network to allow services
(inbound/outbound/etc). So in the least, the home provider would have some
sort of trace of which network/country the device is registering at.



What would they (or the police which at the locality isn’t very tech-savvy)
be asking the mobile provider to investigate/provide? Any other telecom
data that they could use ? (They’ve already made requests to access
information on Facebook, Yahoo and Google accounts which the person may
have used)



Any assistance is appreciated and apologies if this is too far off topic.



Best Regards,



Ivan
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