Your first API request

Get an API key

Register for an OpenCellID account to get your API key. Use it to authenticate requests and submit measurements.

Each user receives 1,000 API request credits per day. For more credits or commercial plans, contact us.

Gather the cell identifiers

You need the cell's MCC, MNC, LAC/TAC and cell ID. On an Android phone, use an app such as Tower Collector to find this information. Include the radio technology when you know it. See the glossary for terminology.

Send a request

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your API key and the example cell identifiers with values from your phone.

curl "https://opencellid.org/cell/get?key=YOUR_API_KEY&mcc=260&mnc=2&lac=10250&cellid=26511&radio=UMTS&format=json"

radio specifies the network technology; format=json requests a JSON response.

Read the result

A successful response contains lat and lon, along with information about the cell. See Get cell position for the complete response examples and optional fields.

Check both the HTTP status and the response body. The “cell not found” error uses HTTP 200, so a successful HTTP request alone does not mean a position was found. See Errors.

A cell may be missing even when your phone has service. See Coverage and missing cells for community coverage gaps, changing identifiers and MVNOs.