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AT&T has recently announced the new FamilyMap service, which initially sounds line an interesting idea, however at the same time it sounds like it has a potential for some creepiness.  Anyway, the FamilyMap service will allow the account owner to locate a phone (or person who is carrying a phone) either from your mobile phone or a home PC.

The service is able to track and monitor the location of that individual phone as well as send email or text alerts for items such as location updates.  The example given is that you will be able to set up a schedule check to make sure your child arrives home safely after school.  Of course it could just as easily be used to track a spouse or loved one that is suspected of cheating.  I guess that would be up to you.

As for supported phones, it seems that just about any are compatible except prepaid and Go phones.  Otherwise, if the phone has GPS then it will use that and offer the account owner a much more accurate location.  For phones without GPS, the service will track and locate using triangulation, which will put you close, but not offer an exact location.

Current AT&T customers can get a free 30-day trial and afterward the FamilyMap service will be either $9.99 a month for tracking on one or two phones and $14.99 a month for up to five phones.

It is interesting to point out that AT&T is concerned with “security” and has chosen to have a text message sent to those phones that are set up on an account when they “become locatable.”  Additionally, they will also send a follow up alert “about once a month” which sounds like it will cover AT&T and also give you plenty of time to locate spy without the knowledge of the person you are watching.  As far as the seemingly obvious use of tracking a stolen phone, that would work only if the thief kept the phone on and left the SIM card in place.

Read [AT&T]