# Cell Phone network based traffic info

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-network-based-traffic-info/472904>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 15, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-network-based-traffic-info/472904 "2008-11-15T21:48:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@jdc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdc)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-network-based-traffic-info/472904/1 "2008-11-15T21:48:20Z")

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I have always thought it would be clever to use data from movement of cell phones to monitor traffic, vs the road sensor and camera and fleet based methods used by MSN Traffic and TMC Traffic.

Sure enough…there appears to be a company trying this, but from the web site and press releases, not much progress.

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Does anyone know more about whether this approach is being considered/used by the big GPS traffic services (MSN Traffic and TMC/NavTec) ?

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-network-based-traffic-info/472904/2 "2008-11-15T23:17:47Z")

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There is a company called [Dash Navigation](http://www.dash.net/) that sells a GPS device that sends and receives traffic info via the cell network.

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**Author:** ![jdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@jdc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdc)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-network-based-traffic-info/472904/3 "2008-11-16T20:46:34Z")

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Thanks. The “Dash” service is not quite the same. They pool traffic service info and info from the “Dash” units in the area, using cellular WiFi.

The prior company uses info from cell phone movement to discern traffic flow. The advantage is you’d have really great coverage of almost every road.