CellWatch
2026 · Mobile Networking · Measurement Systems · Kotlin Multiplatform · Accessibility
CellWatch
CellWatch is an open-source cellular network measurement platform developed through collaboration among researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of California Santa Barbara, and Michigan State University. The project combines a mobile measurement application, a public data portal, and related tools for understanding real-world mobile network performance.
The platform is designed to support measurement campaigns that capture throughput, latency, and related indicators of cellular service quality. That data can be used for research, public-interest analysis, and challenge processes such as the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Data Collection mobile coverage workflow.
Scope
CellWatch brings together several components:
- A mobile application for collecting network measurements in the field
- A data portal for aggregate and anonymized access to collected results
- Supporting infrastructure for campaign coordination and analysis
- Ongoing work on prediction and interpretation tools around collected measurements
My Role
My recent work on CellWatch has focused on expanding the software architecture beyond the original Android-only implementation.
- Ported the MSAK-based throughput and latency measurement library to Kotlin Multiplatform
- Built an early cross-platform application baseline to support broader client development
- Helped move the project toward a shared codebase that can support future platform growth and research deployment
- Working toward deployment to both Android and iOS platforms
Research Context
Georgia Tech’s participation in CellWatch is part of a broader research effort around mobile network transparency, public-interest measurement, and real-world service validation. The project has been supported through collaborations and research funding that include organizations such as The Rockefeller Foundation and the National Science Foundation.