Cell-ID

A Cell ID (CID, Cell Identification, GV Mobile cell identification ) is in the GSM network, a unique identifier, which is assigned to a Base Transceiver Station (BTS). In mobile networks such as UMTS, CID identified together with the Location Area Code (LAC ) is clearly a spatial sector within a location area. The two -byte identifier of the CID is used in GSM networks to enable the handover between cellular cells technically. It is defined in the specifications of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI ). Together with the Mobile Network Code (MCC, MNC) and Location Area Code (LAC ), the CID is for the globally unique Global Cell ID ( GCID ).

Some operators use GSM networks, the CID in order to assign in addition to the identification of a BTS their antennas clearly can. Due to the directional characteristic of the sector antennas commonly used on mobile stations can thus also with the information of only one cell site accurate determinations of direction on the location achieve than would be possible with omnidirectional antennas. The use of the last decimal place of the CID, which at BTS with omnidirectional antenna ( omnidirectional antenna) is common for the value '0 having '. In this case, no detailed resolution of the angle is possible. The numbers '1 ', '2 ' and '3 ' can be used in the usually full BTS 120 ° sector antennas for the identifier of the sector antenna.

The Global Cell ID can be used in mobile devices away from other technology such as GPS for precise location determination. In combination with databases that in addition to the GCID include the spatial allocation and call in advance the location of a mobile device can be determined. Publicly available databases include OpenCellID which is under free license, and as of the end 2013 worldwide over 4 million GCIDs, mainly from Europe and North America including.