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A cell-site simulator is equipment law-enforcement officers operate to imitate cellular-network equipment and interact with nearby phones. It can help locate a phone with a known identifier or identify an unknown device nearby. It is not the same as cell-site records that wireless carriers generate and retain.
What a cell-site simulator does
A simulator mimics cellular-network equipment, such as a cell tower, and exchanges signals with phones in the surrounding area. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) describes its investigative uses as locating a device when officers already know its identifier, or determining an unknown device’s identifier by collecting limited signaling information from nearby devices. A 2026 Seventh Circuit opinion describes phones connecting to the simulated tower and transmitting signaling information in the case before the court. That account describes the technology in that case, not necessarily every device or deployment.
“Stingray” is a commonly used alternate name for a cell-site simulator. A federal district-court opinion also lists “triggerfish” and “kingfish” as names used for this category, but those labels should not be taken to mean every product with one of those names works identically.
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The key distinction is who operates the system and how the information is obtained. A cell-site simulator is operated directly by law-enforcement officers and interacts with nearby devices. Cell-site records, by contrast, are generated and retained by wireless providers as part of their business operations.
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| Feature | Cell-site simulator | Carrier cell-site records |
|---|---|---|
| Who operates or holds it | Law enforcement operates the equipment directly. | Wireless providers generate and retain the records. |
| How information is obtained | The simulator actively interacts with phones nearby and collects signaling information. | Records reflect towers that handled communications; providers collect them periodically rather than continually. |
| What it may indicate | Used to locate a device with a known identifier or help identify an unknown nearby device. | May give an indication of a device’s location, but not pinpoint accuracy. |
The DOJ has described the simulator’s real-time operation as raising privacy interests different from those implicated by carrier-held records.
Does it collect texts, emails, or other contents?
The DOJ’s policy for its domestic criminal investigations says agents may not use a cell-site simulator to collect communications contents, including emails, text messages, contact lists, or images. This is a limit in DOJ policy; it should not be read as a universal technical description of every product or a policy governing every agency.
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When does law enforcement need a warrant?
Under the DOJ policy announced on September 3, 2015, DOJ components generally must obtain a search warrant supported by probable cause before using a cell-site simulator in a domestic criminal investigation. The policy allows limited exceptions where applicable law does not require a warrant or where obtaining one is impracticable in exigent or exceptional circumstances. It also requires agencies to track and report deployments made under those exceptions.
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This is DOJ policy, not a complete statement of the law for every federal, state, or local agency. The applicable rules can depend on jurisdiction and circumstances.
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What safeguards does DOJ policy require?
The DOJ policy includes operational and data-handling safeguards. When agents use a simulator to locate a known device, data collected from other devices must be deleted when the target device is located and at least daily. The policy also calls for use to be supervised and audited.
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Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice, “Justice Department Announces Enhanced Policy for Use of Cell-Site Simulators” (announced September 3, 2015; page updated February 5, 2025).
- U.S. Department of Justice, Richard Downing testimony on geolocation technology and privacy (2016; page updated February 5, 2025).
- United States v. Carrazco-Martinez, No. 24-2819 (7th Cir. Feb. 5, 2026).
- United States v. In the Matter of the Application of the United States, No. 3:2015mc00021 (N.D. Ill. 2015).
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