Questions on using RIL on Smartphones

Hello,

I am new to developing on the Windows Mobile platform and have just started writing an app for Smartphones running Windows Mobile 5.0.

My first task is to get the cell tower ID that the phone is currently registered to. I searched MSDN and other discussion forums and found that I can use the RIL functions to get this information. My first confusion was wether RIL was even supported on Windows Mobile 5.0 since MSDN includes RIL and Cellcore under 'Windows CE Embedded 6.0'. However, judging by some messages on other forums, RIL does seem to be available on Mobile 5.0. So far, so good.

I tried to write a simple app using RIL functions but couldn't build it. I can't find any RIL-related files in my SDK install. After some more searching and asking, I was told that the RIL headers etc. are part of Platform Builder which can be downloaded off MSDN. I have found many download links to monthly updates for Platform Builder but I can't find any link that will allow me to download the full platform builder. So how do I start using RIL

I also realised that RIL is a privileged library and I will need to get my app signed with a trusted certificate before I can distribute it. From what I have read, I will need to request privileged-mode execution permission from Microsoft for this. Any idea what sort of things they want to know before they agree to grant this permission And how long it takes to get a trusted cert

It is very likely that I have been going off on a non-optimal path. So if there are other, non-RIL ways to obtain the cell tower ID on a Smartphone, please let me know.

Thanks for all your help.

- mumbaiyaa

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Questions on using RIL on Smartphones

miran_mmc
Ilya,

Thanks for your helpful reply. I wish the MSDN docs on Cellcore and RIL would say that those libraries are not for general use. Does this mean that even the ExTAPI functions that require priviledged access are not for general use

And if RIL is not available to regular developers, is there any other way for an app to get the base station (cell tower) ID The other forum message that you linked to includes an ExTAPI example but it doesn't provide the base station (cell tower) ID.

Also, the app security note you linked to was helpful (thanks!) but doesn't mention anything about Windows Mobile 2005. Is there an updated article that discusses security and signing requirements for the 2005 version of the OS

Thanks,
mumbaiyaa
Yustme

RIL is not for you to use, that's why there are no headers/libraries available.

You would never be able to get a trusted cert unless you work for a carrier. Here’s how it works:

1. You create an application.

2. You pass it to signing authority (e.g. M2M program) and pay for signing event.

3. Signing authority signs your files and passes them back to you.

For RIL you would probably need to get your application signed by carrier (and they probably won’t do that). See this for more info.

Also this might be of help.
Daniel Gadens

Michael,

As you say, there are no non-RIL APIs to get the celltower information. But Ilya's response makes me wonder if using RIL is even an option.

While looking for alternatives to RIL, I found the 'CellTrack' app that uses 'AT' modem commands to get this information but I don't know if this method will affect any active connection. Do you know if using the 'AT' commands directly has any downsides

And thanks for links to the articles on Windows Mobile 5.0 security.

Regards,
mumbaiyaa

P.S. I agree with HankJ's comment. There seem to be a lot of people trying to get information that only RIL currently provides. I hope Microsoft takes this into account for the next version.
GregRyanLorenz
Just chiming in that there are a number of applications - particularly for enterprise, rather than entertainment, use - that will require better access to the RIL information than what is currently provided (by Windows Mobile 5.0 SNAPI). Hopefully Microsoft is able to accommodate those needs in the next release. - Hank
K.S.RamakrishnaPrasanna

The exTAPI APIs are properly documented and can be used by applications.

I'm not aware of any non RIL APIs that allows you to get the infos you want.

An article discussing Windows Mobile 5.0 Application Security is available here: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms839681.aspx.
The Article 'A Practical Guide to the Smartphone Application Security and Code Signing Model for Developers' is still applicable. The list of privileged APIs is available here: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa455835.aspx

Hope this helps
Michael
paradigm918

That's hard to say whether RIL will ever be an option. The more people requesting access to these information the more likely it gets that Microsoft will come up with a solution (may be an extension to ExTAPI).

For the general embedded Version of Windows CE, the RIL layer is fully documented and usable in applications.

One obvious downside of using AT commands that this is device specific and usually not documented either.

Michael
Questions on using RIL on Smartphones

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