Cell tower missing in cell_towers.csv.gz but not in API Sandbox

Technical Issues
#1

Hi there

I have this cell tower:
MCC:222
MNC:10
LAC:16085
CI:26855411

When I search this in cell_towers.csv.gz, I have no result.

When I query this via the API sandbox, I have a valid result:
{
“token”: “APIKEY”,
“radio”: “gsm”,
“mcc”: 222,
“mnc”: 10,
“cells”: [{
“lac”: 16085,
“cid”: 26855411
}],
“address”: 1
}

{
    "status": "ok",
    "balance": 99,
    "lat": 44.412466,
    "lon": 8.896199,
    "accuracy": 942,
    "address": "Ascensore Corso Scassi - Via Cantore, Belvedere, Centro Ovest, Genoa, Liguria, 16149, Italy"
}

How come the API Sandbox does seem to have a larger database than cell_towers.csv.gz?

#2

Hi Tristan,

The API sandbox gives you access to Unwired Labs proprietary datasets, while the cell towers zip gives info on community contributed cells. :slight_smile:

Unwired Labs does not have the license to openly share the positions of cells in proprietary database as a zip file.

#3

Hi Sagar

Is there any ballpark figure on how much more data is in the proprietary dataset than in the open one?

#4

126 Million in Unwired Labs dataset & 36 Million in OpenCelliD dataset

1 Like
#5

The project I am working on is in a private network and therefore I am using a self hosted solution (https://github.com/janjongboom/opencellid).
Is there any way to access (or ideally selfhost) the larger dataset from within a private network?

#6

I’m afraid the license restrictions are very severe for Unwired Labs dataset. There isn’t much we can do. :no_mouth:

#7

Understood. Im am thinking about using the MLS database (https://location.services.mozilla.com/downloads) as a backup. For example, the mentioned cell tower above can be found in MLS.

The MLS database has about 21 Million entries and thus less than OpenCelliD.
Are the OpenCelliD and MLS databases related in any way concerning their entries?