Help Crosshairs icon

[dg92104]

There is often an icon in my notification panel just to the left of the 3G icon that is a circle with what looks like cross hairs in it -- like a target -- and there are no notifications showing. What is it? How can I shut it off?

 

[nightmarishD]

I'm also having the same icon show up, and I can't find anything dealing with it in the manual. It only started to show up after I updated my phone with the SCH-I500_CommercialPackage_DL09 update. I thought it was linked to the Location/GPS settings in my phone, but none of them are turned on. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[tkirane]

With the DL09 update they turned e911 on I believe.

I know that the icon is for e911, but can't remember much about what they did with it.

 

[Anthony2816]

"With the DL09 update they turned e911 on I believe."

Kind of ironic, since with the latest update, they disabled the ability to make emergency calls unless the phone is unlocked.

 

[tkirane]

"With the DL09 update they turned e911 on I believe."

Kind of ironic, since with the latest update, they disabled the ability to make emergency calls unless the phone is unlocked.

Like I said, I'm not really sure what they did with it as I haven't installed the update personally (rooted), all I know is that the icon is e911.

But yeah, they are kinda odd with their choices.

 

[dg92104]

That's kinda interesting, isn't it? I go to Settings>Location and Security and the E911 menu item is dimmed with message saying it can't be turned off on any mobile cellular phone. Huh? Is that true?

 

[tkirane]

That's kinda interesting, isn't it? I go to Settings>Location and Security and the E911 menu item is dimmed with message saying it can't be turned off on any mobile cellular phone. Huh? Is that true?

Honestly I'm surprised that the e911 wasn't like that to begin with. I believe that it is a law for carrier phones to have the e911 capability within the last few years. it provides location information and personal info to the dispatcher when you call 911.

 

[Fletch911]

it provides location information and personal info to the dispatcher when you call 911.

Just to be 100% technically correct I wanted to clarify a few things. The FCC has mandated location services ON THE CARRIERS, not the devices.

Also, the phone itself transmits nothing other than your caller ID to the E911 center. The center then references the a unique record in the MSO database for that particular call, and the response record includes longitude and latitude information, as well as the name and number of the account holder.

I just wanted to be clear that 'personal information' is NEVER sent from any device to E911 centers, nor are they even capable of recieving any other information other than a phone number that they then perform a manual lookup on that is out of band to the E911 call on a dedicated data circuit for these types of lookups.

Phones are located in 2 ways, GPS and Radio Triangulation. The Bullseye typically indicates the GPS option is turned on, which is much more accurate than triangulation, but neither is reliable indoors due to the structures interference with the signal.

Some links you may find helpful are:
Google KNOL on How Cellular E911 Works
Cellular E911 Location Discovery - a knol by Mark Fletcher#

How E911 Works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZwBZYyOybI

My Weekly E911 Podcast RSS Feed URL:
E911 Talk PodCast


Fletch
Avaya E911 Product Manager

 

[dg92104]

OK, Fletch, thanks for the comprehensive response. You state that "The Bullseye typically indicates the GPS option is turned on". The operative word there is "ypically" I guess because I have the bullseye displayed with my GPS turned off. I don't know why, but I'd really like to get rid of that icon. If it's going to be on all the time, it gives me no information and should be shut off.

 

[Fletch911]

Ok, good point. Let me rephrase that. The Bullseye means E911 location services are on. You may opt to have GPS off for normal services, but only available for 911 services. My guess is that is why it is being displayed, and you may not have the option to turn it off. I'll let the Android Experts tackle that one. I just wanted to set everyone straight on How E911 works and the question about "personal data" being sent.

Good Luck!

 

[grin0048]

From what I remember (I could be wrong, I'm using a theme that does away with that icon), the bulls eye is always there...it will display the waves coming from it if any of the location options (gps, google, verizon) are enabled.

 

[Stargayzr]

There is often an icon in my notification panel just to the left of the 3G icon that is a circle with what looks like cross hairs in it -- like a target -- and there are no notifications showing. What is it? How can I shut it off?

It has something to do with location services. I removed the icon by going to my settings > location services and then disabling my "Google's location service," which was a setting that allowed my apps to use data from my Wi-Fi and mobile networks to "determine my approximately location."