FAQ

Frequently asked questions

I am an OpenStreetMap mapper and would like to map cell towers OpenCellID mainly collects MCC, MNC, LAC, and CID information combined with a GPS position. In most cases, it is not possible to obtain this data by going to a cell tower for various reasons: the cell tower might be on a rooftop which is not accessible there is no sign at the base station indicating such information there are many antennas all together and it is not possible to find out which antenna has which Cell ID In addition, one of the basic rules of OSM is to map visible things. This is not the case here as MCC/MNC/LAC/CID are not visible in most cases. Therefore, only a very small number of cell towers is currently mapped in OSM with MCC/MNC/LAC/CID tags. The most effective way to contribute to OpenCellID is to use one of the smartphone applications listed here and to collect measurements while mapping something else. The Keypad-Mapper 3, for example, has a built-in feature to record cell tower data while mapping house numbers / addresses.