Cell Locator

Cell Locator estimates your device’s position from the cellular signals your phone already hears — serving and neighbouring cells, signal strength, and timing advance — matched against a geo-tagged reference survey. No GNSS is required for a fix.

Every estimate includes an honest accuracy radius and a confidence score. In surveyed areas, typical accuracy is in the low hundreds of metres (sometimes better). Where survey coverage is thin or absent, expect larger errors and lower confidence.

What you can do
• Locate — sample cells and request a position estimate from the Melrose Cell Locator service
• Accuracy gauge — when GPS is available, see how far the cell estimate is from ground truth
• Map — plot GPS and the cell estimate; long-press to set a destination for north-up compass guidance from the cell fix (area guidance, not turn-by-turn navigation)
• Learn (optional, off by default) — send GPS with samples so the shared survey can grow where permitted

Privacy
• In normal Locate use, only cell measurements are sent
• GNSS stays on the device unless you enable Learn mode
• See the privacy notice: https://cellpos.melrosenetworks.com/privacy

Requirements
• Android 12 or newer
• Location and Phone permissions (precise location recommended for accuracy testing and Learn)

Cell Locator is complementary positioning for GNSS-denied, GNSS-untrusted, or coarse area-guidance use — not a turn-by-turn GNSS replacement. Coverage and accuracy follow the reference survey on https://cellpos.melrosenetworks.com.