From 13 August, parents who want to know where their kids are will be able to find out, so long as they have a mobile phone on the right network, thanks to Phonesitter, a new service that tracks the movements of individuals via their handset.
Phonesitter establishes locations using the transmitter/receiver networks of Orange, T-Mobile, O2 and Vodafone. Although established in other parts of the world, phone tracking has only recently been permitted in the UK after a change in legislation.
Phonesitter tracks any registered mobile phone from the four compatible networks, and offers the user not just the location of the phone, but also satellite photos, street maps and directions. The results are simple to view (and print) online; for users who have an urgent need and arent near a computer, tracking can also be managed easily from another mobile, using SMS. In addition to childminding, Phonesitter can also be used to find a friend lost in a strange town, or for users to work out where they are if theyfind themselves lost without a map. 
The service costs 5 per month, which covers tracking of up to five phones. Annual pre-payment includes 12 months membership and 20 locates. Pre-paid packages will also be available at selected retailers.
Though the service sounds intrusive, the company behind it points out that it is not. Its not possible to track any phone without the prior knowledge and authorisation of the phone holder, and once authorised, all registered phone holders are informed that they may be tracked, and may withdraw from the service at any time, by sending a text message to Phonesitter.
This is an answer to the dilemma of many parents who want to give their kids more freedom, but who need the reassurance of knowing exactly where they are, without having to nag them with phone calls and texts says Phonesitter Joint Owner, Rafael Fernandez.