How long do cell phone companies keep records?

T-Mobile holds call records between seven and 10 years, spokesman Viet Nguyen says. MetroPCS maintains separate records and keeps them two years. Sprint holds call logs 18 months, spokeswoman Stephanie Vinge Walsh says. U.S. Cellular holds records one year, according to spokeswoman Katie Frey.

Do cell phone companies keep records of text messages?

Cellular service providers retain records of the parties to a text message and the date and time it was sent. They do not, however, retain the content of text messages for very long, if at all.

Can you pull up old phone records?

Obtaining Phone Records: Subpoena or Account Holder Request

They can be obtained via subpoena or by request of the account holder via a notarized letter.

How far back can cell phone companies pull your text messages?

The text messages are stored in both locations. Some phone companies also keep records of sent text messages. They sit on the company's server for anywhere from three days to three months, depending on the company's policy. Verizon holds texts for up to five days and Virgin Mobile keeps them for 90 days.

How long do carriers keep text records?

Internet session and destination info for up to 60 days; text message details for up to 18 months, depending on the device; text message content not retained; Internet session info and destination info for up to 60 days.

How far back do Verizon phone records go?

You can view or download detailed usage activity logs or spreadsheets for each line on your account for up to 90 days in the past.

Can police retrieve deleted Iphone texts?

Keeping Your Data Secure

So, can police recover deleted pictures, texts, and files from a phone? The answer is yes—by using special tools, they can find data that hasn't been overwritten yet. However, by using encryption methods, you can ensure your data is kept private, even after deletion.

What do cell phone records show?

Cell phone records show the caller's phone number, the duration of the call, the time of the call, and even the location of the phone due to which cell tower the phone was connected to. Cellphone records may also show detailed information about text message conversations.

How long does Verizon keep phone records for subpoenas?

Verizon will typically keep these records for 18 months before archiving them. When I request these records pursuant to a subpoena I typically receive them from the cellular service provider within a few weeks on a CD which can be downloaded or printed.

How far back does T-Mobile keep phone records?

Open the T-Mobile app and select BILL. Go to the bottom and select Account history. Select the category and time-range. Only documents are available for 12 months; other account history types are available for the last 12 months or the last 12 events.

Can cell phone conversations be retrieved?

Phone calls made in the past cannot be retrieved. However, by using third party software, future phone conversations are retrievable. To capture and retrieve future phone conversations, you need an application-enabled SmartPhone, such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or Android.

How do you get cell phone records?

Contact your cell phone provider.

If you have lost the records sent to you or cannot locate the records online, the best remaining option is to contact your phone provider. They are mandated by law to keep the records, and should be able to provide them to anyone who can prove that they are the main account holder.

How do I get my old phone records from AT&T?

The myAT&T Account online will allow you to access up to 16 months of call records for the lines on the account. You can see records in the Usage section online, or download a PDF of the detailed bill to see more information.

Are deleted text messages gone forever?

Even when you 'permanently' clear messages, you're simply getting the phone to stop listing it in the deleted items folder. You can't recover such texts on the phone itself, but there are plenty of commercially available software packages you can buy that allow your PC to read data directly from a SIM card.

How far back can text messages be retrieved from AT&T?

Charges and Storage Limits: The Service is provided at no additional charge. AT&T currently stores Your sent and received Messages for up to 90 days. Messages older than 90 days will be deleted from Your Messages cloud storage.

Can text messages be traced after they are erased?

When you receive and send text messages, they're sent through -- and saved by -- your service provider's data network. Data is then maintained on the phone. Deleting these messages clears them from the visible display, but a small piece of data is still stored temporarily in the device's system memory.

Can deleted text messages be subpoenaed?

The only possible way to recover lost or deleted text messages by hiring a forensic investigator to inspect the phone. This can be very costly, but it is worth it if important information is obtained. These experts also help lay the necessary foundation for court admissibility at a hearing or trial.

How long does Verizon keep location history?

AT&T holds onto data such as call records, cell site, and tower dumps for 7 years. T-Mobile holds similar information for 2 years, and Verizon holds it for 1 year.

How do I permanently delete my call history from service provider?

How long is CDR stored with telecom companies?

Call Data is stored by telecom companies for a period of 6 months, in accordance with the government guidelines.

Who can access my phone records?

Who can obtain my phone records legally? Law enforcement agencies, such as the police or the FBI, can lawfully obtain your phone records. Phone companies will also turn over customer phone records to someone with a subpoena or a court order.

How do you permanently delete text messages?

To delete a thread, press and hold on the thread you wish to delete from the main messaging menu. A checkmark will appear on top of the photo icon for your texting thread, and another action bar will appear at the top of the display. Next, tap the trash can icon and confirm by tapping 'Delete. '

Where do permanently deleted photos go?

When you first delete a file on a Windows computer by right-clicking the delete option or press the "Delete" key, it goes to the Recycle Bin, Trash, or something similar depending on your operating system.

Can the government retrieve text messages?

Deleted text messages are usually retrievable from a phone, but before beginning the process, law enforcement officers would need to obtain a court order. Once obtained, officers can use mobile device forensic tools (MDFTs) to extract any data from a device, including emails, texts, images and location data.

How do you delete phone records?