Deleted Text Message

[horseshoes]

Once a text mesage is deleted from a mobile phone, is it possible to retrieve it?

[ChuckFickens]

If you have a forensic lab or a court order to the network provider, yes.

Otherwise, no.

[Old_Geezer]

Or you can text back saying "I dare you to send that again!"

[horseshoes]

Oh is that how some crimes have been solved then Chuck. I had seen reference to "text messages" during the riots. So everything we text to each other is stored? Is that correct?

[horseshoes]

Lol OG:-)

[MarkRae]

> So everything we text to each other is stored? Is that correct?

Yes.

[horseshoes]

Where? I'm only curious - I'm not about to commit a crime!

[ummmm]

Yes, that's why drug dealers change their phones every couple of months!

[ChuckFickens]

The law specifies that all communication data must be retained for a minimum of 12months. (the law came in in 2006, before that most operators would retain it for about 6months anyhow for billing purposes)

http://www.legislatio...009/859/contents/made

[horseshoes]

Wow Ummmm - I am learning things today! So I assume this applies to ALL mobile phones, not just contract ones?

[888]

c'mon then, spread the goss, who's been naughty?!

[Old_Geezer]

Of course, legal obligation.

[ChuckFickens]

"So I assume this applies to ALL mobile phones, not just contract ones?"

Yes, and even though there may be no name or address registered with a PAYG phone the location of the phone at the time will still be stored, so they won't know who you are, but they will know roughly where you are.

[MarkRae]

Indeed: http://www.google.co....=mobile+phone+locator

[Old_Geezer]

My supplier *thinks* it knows where I am even though I have PAYG. I recall being prepared to tell them the address a few years back as they'd made an offer on their website (can't recall what) for the information; but the website refused me saying they already knew so the offer wasn't available to me. I wonder if the folk now at my previous address get regularly bothered by them ?

[ChuckFickens]

They don't just *think* they know where you are, they do know where you are and they don't need GPS.

When ever a mobile phone is switched on in normally in range of at least two or three cell towers and each of those towers has a pretty good idea of how far away from it a phone is, with this in mind it's pretty basic stuff to figure out where a phone is to a fairly small margin of error.

http://www.flickr.com.../2867853394/lightbox/

They will also know which direction you are travelling in if you are moving as they use this data to figure out which cell you are likely to need to switch to next.

[Old_Geezer]

I don't believe for a moment they have the resources to monitor where I am in order to find my address. If they had they'd not make offers to be told of their customer's address.

[ChuckFickens]

Errrm,

There is a clue in the name "mobile phone"

They know where you are, but you can take a mobile phone other places apart from your house!