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thebotchys2's profile

Contributor

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1 Message

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013 12:49 AM

family map accuracy

Hello,

 

So I am wondering how accurate the family map is....specifically, if it show s that a phone is in an approximate area, and then has the circle around a much larger area......is the phone in question definately within the circled area?

 

my daughter swears that she is not in the area that her phone shows her in, but rather a mile down the road...this may not be that big of a deal, But I need to know if my child is lying...or if the phone is locating her wrong.

 

Signed,

Please help

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Former Community Manager

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5.2K Messages

11 years ago

AT&T FamilyMap uses a number of techniques to determine a phone's location. AT&T phones that have A-GPS (Assisted GPS) return the most accurate locations when they have a clear line of sight to GPS satellites. For example, the phone is outside or is in a car near a window. For phones where A-GPS is not available, FamilyMap uses cell tower information to triangulate your location and provide the most accurate location possible, which is usually within a few hundred yards to a few miles of the phone's actual location. This includes iPhones, non A-GPS phones, as well as A-GPS phones that are not in a clear line of sight to GPS satellites.

In some situations, AT&T FamilyMap will not be able to locate a phone.

 

Common reasons why a phone may not be located

  • The phone that you are trying to locate is deep inside a building or car.
  • The phone is surrounded by tall buildings, hills, or trees.
  • The phone is powered off.
  • The phone's battery has run out.
  • The phone is not in AT&T network coverage.
  • Service on the particular line/number has been terminated or suspended.

In these cases, AT&T FamilyMap will tell you that the phone was not able to be located.

 

Basically, what this means is that typically you'll be shown the exact location unless there is something interferring with the signal. As a parent myself, I completely understand where you're coming from but because there are things than might prevent the location from being 100% accurate; I'd give her a pass on this one. 

 

Here's an article with more information - http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB100663#fbid=Z6SDS7kpLnk

Contributor

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2 Messages

8 years ago

bla bla bla

Contributor

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1 Message

8 years ago

How can you tell if the Family map is true.  My son says he is not near the area that the map shows?

 

Please help..

Contributor

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2 Messages

7 years ago

Just signed up for Family Map. Location was off by 1/2 mile hopefully can find some other app that works better on a college campus

Tutor

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9 Messages

6 years ago

Att has a problem with Family Map accuracy. I'm ready to cancel it.

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