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Independent forensic mapping of call detail records and cell site location information for criminal defense, civil litigation, and corporate investigations. Court qualified examiners. Nationwide.
Quick answer. CDR mapping is the forensic process of plotting call detail records (CDR) and cell site location information (CSLI) from a wireless carrier onto a map. It shows which towers and sectors a phone connected to, when calls or texts occurred, and the approximate coverage area at each connection. CDR mapping is widely used to corroborate or rule out a phone’s presence in a geographic area, reconstruct contact patterns between phones, and support timelines in federal and state proceedings.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What is CDR mapping? | Plotting carrier call records and cell site data on a map for analysis. |
| How precise is the location? | Tower sector (hundreds of meters to several miles), not a GPS point. |
| What legal authority is needed? | Warrant for 7+ days historical CSLI (Carpenter), court order for CDR. |
| How long do carriers keep records? | CDR roughly 1 to 7 years; CSLI roughly 1 year; text content rarely retained. |
| Who performs CDR mapping? | Trained forensic analysts with telecom and mapping platform experience. |
| Can it prove who used the phone? | No. It shows the device, not the user. |
CDR mapping is a five step process. The forensic analyst preserves the carrier production, parses it into a structured dataset, geocodes each tower and sector, plots the connections on a base map with timestamps, and writes findings that can be defended at deposition or trial.
| Can show | Cannot show |
|---|---|
| The general area a phone was in at a specific time. | A precise GPS point. |
| Patterns of contact between two phones over time. | The content of any call or text. |
| Whether a phone was likely consistent or inconsistent with a suspected route. | Who was physically holding the phone. |
| When a phone was powered off or out of coverage. | Whether a phone was stationary or moving within a sector. |
Tell us the timeline. We will tell you what to preserve, what to subpoena, and what a defensible CDR map can and cannot prove in your matter.
Request Confidential Consultation| CDR mapping (carrier) | On device location (phone) | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Wireless carrier | The physical phone or its cloud backup |
| Precision | Tower sector (hundreds of meters to miles) | GPS or Wi Fi assisted (meters) |
| Legal access | Court order, 2703(d) order, or warrant for 7+ days CSLI | Consent, warrant, or lawful authority over the device |
| Retention | CDR roughly 1 to 7 years; CSLI roughly 1 year | Varies by OS, app, and user settings |
| Best for | Where the phone was in general terms, contact patterns | Precise paths, app activity, photo geotags |
Elite Digital Forensics is an independent digital forensic firm that provides CDR mapping, cell phone forensics, computer forensics, and expert witness testimony to attorneys, businesses, and individuals nationwide. Our examiners hold credentials including CFCE, EnCE, FBI CART, and GIAC, and we have testified in federal and state courts.
On a CDR mapping engagement we draft the preservation and subpoena language, normalize and audit the carrier production, build the map with accurate sector geometry, and write a report (and, when needed, exhibits) suitable for attorney review, negotiation, or trial. We pair CDR mapping with device level cell phone forensics when both sides of the picture are needed.
Elite Digital Forensics is a court qualified, defense aligned digital forensics firm based in Florida and serving clients in all 50 states. The team includes former federal and state law enforcement examiners with a combined record of more than 1,000 cases worked, 3,000+ devices and files analyzed, and 100M+ artifacts examined. Engagements are confidential. Work performed through counsel is generally protected as work product.
Free 20 minute consultation. We will tell you what is possible with your timeline and budget, and what a defensible report will and will not say.
Request Confidential Consultation Call (833) 292-3733CDR mapping plots a carrier’s call detail records and cell site location information on a map so the connections, timestamps, and approximate tower coverage can be analyzed and presented.
It is sector accurate, not GPS accurate. Coverage areas range from a few hundred meters in dense urban grids to several miles in rural deployments.
Under Carpenter v. United States, 585 U.S. 296 (2018), a warrant is generally required for 7 or more days of historical CSLI. Subscriber data and call detail records may be obtained with a court order under 18 U.S.C. 2703(d).
AT&T retains call detail records for about 7 years. Verizon retains CDR roughly 1 to 7 years with CSLI about 1 year. T Mobile retains CDR roughly 2 years. Always send a 2703(f) preservation letter immediately to protect what is still recoverable.
No. The map shows the device, not the person. Identifying the user requires corroborating evidence such as device forensics, surveillance, or admissions.
Yes. We perform device level cell phone forensics in house and coordinate with vetted historical cell site analysts when CDR mapping is decisive in the matter.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Elite Digital Forensics provides independent digital forensic services and expert witness testimony; we do not provide legal representation. Every case is fact specific; outcomes depend on the evidence, jurisdiction, and counsel. Retain qualified legal counsel for advice about your matter.
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