1032865 - Network location provider should try to send neighboring cell data

Status: RESOLVED INACTIVE

(Core :: DOM: Geolocation, defect)

Description

[Hanno Schlichting]

The goal here is to send neighboring cell data as part of the location service queries in the NetworkGeolocationProvider, to allow trilateration of the device and provide much better position estimates. Currently only the serving cell is used, as RIL API's were missing to do non-destructive background scanning.

This was originally opened as 1010356, which changed scope and was narrowed down to some of the required RIL changes. As part of the investigation two different RIL API's where discovered. As part of 1010356 one of them was implemented, 1032858 tracks the implementation of the other.

The already implemented API exposes incomplete cell ids for GSM and UMTS networks. For location queries these aren't actually all too useful. As part of stumbling (984982) these could be used, but the value-add is also low.

So I'd wait on 1032858 to get finished and use the new API's to get neighboring cell data for all network types (not just GSM/CDMA) with a much higher chance of getting complete cell ids via these APIs.

Comment 1

[:garvan]

Bug 1032858 has landed, is ready to be fixed

Comment 2

[Hanno Schlichting]

Turns out #1035089 isn't actually a blocker for this, so the implementation can go ahead and even use the newer API's introduced in #1032858.

Comment 3

[:garvan]

https://dxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/dom/system/NetworkGeolocationProvider.js#421
This only iterates the SIM cards.

Comment 4

[:garvan]

Note the new function for this is connection.getCellInfoList

Comment 6

[:garvan]

Marking inactive, unless there are new plans in the works to revisit wifi stumbling on Android.