Sprint Family Locator - Don't Sign Up Before Reading This
By Patty Hahne
There are some important things that you must know about the SPRINT FAMILY LOCATOR cell phone tracking service. Today I will reveal them to you.
I will tell you all about the Sprint Family Locator but before I do you should know that this is the only cell phone tracking service that doesn't require you to download or install any special software on the the phone. This makes it the perfect cell phone tracker if you don't want someone to know that they are being tracked.
Let's say you think you spouse is cheating on you. You can sign up for the Sprint Locator and know exactly where they are late at night when they "claim" to be working late. The next information that I'm about to share with you is very important.
When you first sign up for the Sprint Locator, the phones that you put on the program will get a text message on the phone that says that the phone is now a part of the Sprint Family Locator tracking network. If you don't want the person who uses the phone to know that that you have the ability to track them with their phone, you need to have possession of the phone when you activate the service for that phone. Then you can intercept the text message and delete it.
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Sprint Family Locator Introduction
One of the greatest innovations in cell phone technology is the ability to use a cell phone as a GPS tracking device. Cell phone manufacturers started putting GPS receivers in all cell phones a few years ago to solve a problem that emergency operators were having. When someone would call 911 from their cell phone they would often not be able to give the 911 operator their exact location and consequently the emergency operator wouldn't have any idea where to send help. Cell phone manufacturers solved that problem by installing GPS receivers in cell phones. Now, if you called 911 from your cell phone your exact location will instantly pop up on the computer screen.
It didn't take long for people to figure out that there were many other uses for the GPS receivers in cell phones. One of these uses is cell phone GPS tracking. Sprint is one of the companies that quickly realized this and launched a service called the Sprint Family Locater.
With the Sprint Family Locater Service, anyone who is in your cell phone tracking network can be instantly located as long as they have their phone with them and it is turned on and they're in cell phone coverage area.
Sprint Family Locator Details
Now let's talk about the details of the Family Locator service. One of the nicest features of the Sprint Family Locator service is that you don't need to go out and buy a new cellphone to be able to use the service. It will work with any Sprint or Nextel cell phone.
Many cell phone tracker services only work with the new modern smart phones that are programmable and you have to download and install software onto the phone in order to be able to use the cell phone as a tracking device. It is not necessary to install software with the Sprint cell phone tracking service.
If you do have one of the new programmable smart phones Sprint has a very cool application that is free that you can download and install on your phone that enables you to track others in your cell phone tracking network directly from your smart phone.
If you don't have a programmable phone, you will use a computer with an Internet connection for any tracking that you choose to do. All you have to do is log onto the computer and go to the Family Locator web site and enter your password. You will then instantly see the location of the people in your cellphone tracking network.
More Sprint Family Locator Details
If you would like to try the Sprint Family Locator, Sprint has a 15 day introductory trial period. During this 15 day trial, you can do an unlimited number of cell phone searches to determine if you like the service and would like to stay with it.
If after your 15 trial is up, you decide that you like the service and would like to continue using it, Sprint will charge you $5.00 a month. For this amount you will be able to track up to four cell phones with the Sprint Family Locator. I'm not sure but I believe you can pay additional money if you would like to be able to track more phones.
One very nice feature of the Sprint Family Locator is that you don't have to subscribe to and pay for a data plan. Most cell phone locator services require that you subscribe to a data plan. There are no hidden fees when you sign up for the Sprint cell phone tracking service.
If after you sign up you can do as many searches per month as you like. No matter if you do one search or 500 searches, you will still only be charged th $5.00 a month.
When you log onto the Sprint Family Locator website to locate someone in your cell phone tracking network, you will enter a password. This password prevents unauthorized people from being able to track and locate the people in your cell phone tracking network. This is a great security feature that Sprint built into the service to provide privacy to the users of the system.
Once logged on, you will see an interactive map on the screen. You'll then select the name of the individual in your cell phone tracking network that you would like to locate by clicking on it. Within seconds, the location of that individual will pop up on the map. Not only will you see their location but you can read the exact street address so there's no guessing about how to find them.
More Sprint Family Locator Details
One of my favorite features of the Sprint Family Locator cell phone locator system is the ability to set automated text messages. There are so many uses for this feature that it's hard to list them all. In my opinion, this is probably one of the greatest features of the system and let me explain how it works.
You can tell the system to send you a text message at a particular time of day with the exact location of anyone in your cell phone tracker network. Let's say that your husband is traveling to a business meeting in his car and he is supposed to arrive at 10:00 PM. You can easily program the Sprint Family Locator to send you a text message with your husband's exact location at exactly 10:00 PM. This way your husband doesn't have to call to tell you he arrived safely. You will get a text message and in that text message will be your husband's current location. If you were supposed to arrive in Denver Colorado at 10:00 PM but the text message shows that he didn't make it to Denver, you will know that there's probably a problem and you can call him to find out what's going on.
This is also a great way to make sure that your children made it home from school safely every day. A lot of working parents really worry that their children won't arrive safely home from school. You can set the system up to send you a text message at the time they normally arrive home from school. This way if you are busy with work, you don't have to break away and call them to make sure they got home safely. Instead, you'll get a text message on your Sprint cell phone notifying you of their exact location at the time they were supposed to be home.
Sprint Family Locator Video
Here's a cool short video from John Walsh talking about the Sprint Family Locator cell phone locator that you'll probaly enjoy watching.
Sprint Family Loctor Poll
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I can't wait to get signed up for this. I was going to buy new phones so we could use cell phone tracking but now I don't have to. Thanks for telling me about this!
I understand that this will work on both Sprint and Nextel cell phones. Does Sprint own Nextel or does Nextel own Sprint?
@quiethorse - On December 15, 2004 the two companies merged and become one.
The service is no good if the phone is not turned on
Great service. Wish it would tell u the exact location and adress..but its still good. I don't like spying. But when u know your kid is lying about where they will be, and were told not to be there, its a good thing to check. Besides, now I can see where my mother is if she goes into the ditch. :)
How do i find out if I'm being tracked. Phone is in his name
@Toni - Just set your phone to "GPS location only for 911"
I have this on my account also helps if you lose a phone easily to locate! Just wished history doesn't vanish after a few days! it's kewl looking @ the map w/an actual image of the location!Wish the mobile view was the same as the PC view! But having the hTc evo I love being able to zoom in on the map!
My phone was stolen last weekend, within 4 hours my husband and police were in front of the mans house recovering my phone due to the tracking. It is a great option for many reasons.
I think its bs that anyone can just track you without ur permission If I wanted anyone to know where I was I would answer my phone and tell them. I mean I get tracking ur children to check on them or tracking ur spouse if ur suspicious of foul play, but to be able to track anyone u know should be labeled stalking. I think it should be against the law unless ur able to validate proof of being that persons immediate family. Its a violation of my privacy.
There is an error that if you have the possession of the phone when you activate the service that you can delete the message telling that person that you are following his/her moves. Periodically, that person will receive a text message reminding them that you are following them, that you have recently done a search...so that person will know whether or not you delete the first correspondence or not.
I had this when I had Sprint, I thought I hated it, it wasn't always right, but I miss it now, I need to find another locator that works like this one.
Sprint Family Locator has one issue though. That is you have to put up with Sprint bad customer service every month. Cancel while you can, we will find other better apps, there out there somewhere.
I have been using a great new Family Locator called Family Siren. I have it installed on my 4 kids phones and so far it works the best out of all the locators I have tried. Family Siren.
They can find out because Sprint sends their phone every so often that they have been located
This works great for many reasond BUT if the gps is NOT yurned on it will not give u exact points! Ive had many arguments over this. I usually dint think too much about it unless its right on point, even a fee yards off I wont pay mind to it. Even tho it means they are in that vicinity..
For children is one thing but when u f on someone's acount and they use it to stalk you and if were about a not cool.
I love it. Since my kids feel they "must" have phones... I've made it a requirement that they have their phones with them, ON and charged at all times when they, or I am out. They happily comply, and I get the added peace of mind knowing that I can locate them pretty much whenever I feel the need to. I feel it promotes honesty...and trust. They trust me to not stalk them - I trust that they will not lie to me about their whereabouts. Parents SHOULD have the upper hand. I like being able to verify that my young teens are NOT lying to me - and I can reward them for their honesty - which promotes more honesty from them. Cool technology.
I used Sprint Locator for a year to monitor my daughter who is 12. However it would never update quickly enought to be useful. There are lots of better options out there now like Family Siren www.familysiren.com. These have tons of additional features like free SMS as well.
Loved it to monitor a teenager who drives and thinks school is an option! She had no idea how I knew.....but then the sprint small print states that sprint sends a monthly text to the phone to let them know they can be tracked. That defeats the purpose!!!! I canceled service before she got that text. Looking for a new tracker.
how can u tell if your phone is still on the locator service, he says it was done in error, don't know how it was activated, said he removed service, how can i tell if it was done, phone is in his name
How about just being honest, toni and bc, or get out of those wonderful relationships that you both seem to be in
Is a great option but the thing that i DON'T like about
this service is that the very phone that is being tracked receives a once a month text message that reads " you are being located by such a number " so now what ???? where is the secrecy part at ?
First of all, if you suspect someone is cheating on you, they probably are. With that said, there is a way around the once a month text that is sent to the phones that can be located
Sorry, hit submit by mistake.
The way around the located phones receiving the once a month text is to bock the short code (9489) Sprint uses to notify said phones. You can do this from your My Sprint account.
I have the answer. If you are being tracked like I was by my soon to be ex.....
To make your location unknown go to (for HTC ) menu
Settings
Location
Location setting
Off
Now you are no longer tracked and only the police (if necessary) know where you are.
Helpful information should be passed on. Good luck!
I think ALOT of people need to wake up!
Yes, this is a tool for parents to keep track of their kids.
HOWEVER, Family Locator is also a tool for abusive spouses to trck their partner's actvities! So...a abused wife goes to have coffee with a friend...she comes home and is accused of cheating by her wife-beater husband and gets the crap beaten out of her for lying!
Family Locator is also a tool for abusive spouses!
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
When I first got it the map showed satellite pictures of where they were now it just shows a regular map
Abused wife is an idiot for staying with her wife beater husband. Family locator has nothing to do with this. She should be long gone.
FROM 1 WHO KNOWS....been using SFL for 3 years now. Great service. Yes they send (periodically) a text to whatever phone is on your list of being located...by law they have to notify. BUT...you can get around this....Added another line for 9.99....free phone....used only for tracking....(I'll let you figure out the rest). Works great!...and you can set up your Sprint account so that the person being tracked doesn't see the other line/phone being used for tracking purposes....if you are the account holder.
FYI...set the device to silence, power save, block all calls in and out plus text and data, and then lock the phone....battery lasts over a week that way.
Yup...cheating wives can also.use sfl to find out when.hubby is coming home...and.exactly when to kick Rico suave out before it gets ugly! lmfao...love it but it is stalkerific...so beware...ur being watched
does the locator have memory? example...if i was at macdonalds at 400 and it is 6 now, can someone look back to 400 and see where i was? or is it only at the time you are looking?
@gloria...what the hell...speak english or learn to spell...I dont know what yer tryin to say!
I think it's sad that sprint uses the guilt parents will feel if they don't spend five bucks a month to keep their children safer. This should be a free service for sprint customers.
@Tim- you couldn't be more right. That is my dilemma and it isn't that easy "that I can just walk away from the wonderful relationship".
So does sprint family locator still work if I turn off my gps? How exact does it show on a map?
How bout being honest. My husband and son both know I can and will locate them. If hubby has me take him to work I can easily see when hes on his way back to his shop so he doesnt wait for me...im already there. My son is 16...enough said.
I like the app....Although, it does has two downfall is all they have to do it turn the phone off & the program is unableto locate it...also I have found that after a couple of monthr Sprint starts sending out text messages letting them know that the phone number can be located through sfl and the number that can track them.
inly
Of course the phone isn't able to be located when the phone is off. There are no signals being transmitted from the phone when it's turned off. If you want to remain completely anonymous, you will have to install a tracking app that is covert.
Honest? I'm not sure I follow what you meant by that comment?
I LOVE I WRK WELL JUST WISH I NEW MY FEETS AND YARDS 2 FIND DA RIGHT PLACE WEN TRACKING DA KIDS....
I'm 18,and my dad just started tracking my phone. I turn my phone off and turn the GPS off. I'm pretty pissed off about it.
I wish I had this when my husband was with the "manhole" that tried to wreck my family. Now I use it to a help build the trust. Anyone with divorced blonde, named Kim, three children, living in Monroe, GA, breast cancer and drives a cadillac, beware...
I have had the tracker for a couple of years and works great, however the last month the range of location is within a 1.2 mile radius instead of 30 yards. Is anyone else having this issue? Or is there anything I can do to fix it?
This stupid crap keeps telling my mom that I'm not home in the middle of the night when I'm 100000000000% positive I'm asleep in my bed. What the hell is going on??
Fact u want to track someone shows there's no trust between either party. Instead of both of you going behind one another' back. Work on building a REAL relationship. Spying on someone will only make things worse. Its like picking at a scab, eventually.... It leaves a scare. C'mon "parents" don't take the shortcuts in parenting. Put in the time and reap the benefits. Ps. I'm a parent of 3 and my children tell me EVERYTHING bc I don't judge them. Its all about unconditional love and helping them learn from there mistakes. REAL TALK.
I 100% agree with the above comment. If you have to track you spouse then you shouldn't be in the relationship in the first place...and your relationship is sham. You are either in it for the right reasons or you shouldn't be at all. If you have to spy on someone then you don't really have a relationship!!
I believe with the satellite it isn't correct, it did the same thing to me. Plus in the map it showed cars in the parking lot of the studio I teach at and clearly there are no cars there at 3 am. I believe the satelitte pictures they show are old.
Is there a family tracking software that can be downloaded on the IPhone 4S?
Thanks!
I tell everyone with children about this service. It's sad Verizon doesn't offer claiming privacy rights.
Verizon has a similar cell phone tracking service called "Family Locator".
If my teenage grandson is driving with friends who live on a farm somewhere around Lodi CA. and they break down or have an emergency..when 911 is called, will they know the location of the kids, or at least to 100 to 300 feet of the location?
I didn't see the answer to the question about memory, if someone is at the store at 4 and the gps isn't accessed until 6 can you look back to 4 to see if they were at the store
I love it I'm a big worrier and the wife of a truck driver and would have to wait until my husband would call to find out he was ok. Now I locate him in the morning when I wake up and if he is on the freeway I call him if he is parked/unloading I won't bother him and wake him up. I don't use it unless he is on the road. If someone wants to cheat on you they will no matter if you can locate them or not, you have to trust your partner. If your spouse is a cheater let them know that when the cats away the mouse can play....if they wanted to!
Disclaimer
If you decide to use the Sprint Family Locator cell phone tracking service to track someone without them knowing that you are doing it or giving you permissions, there could be legal ramifications for you.
Be sure and check the laws that govern this behaviour in your area. You are responsible for your own actions. If you use this technology and get yourself into legal trouble, it's your own fault.
Know the laws before you use this service!
John B Badd 21 months ago
I think this is a good way to keep track of children but it rings of big brother watching and that always makes me a little uneasy.