Energy efficient object location reporting system

An object location tracking device (10) is constructed to include a battery (10D), a movement sensor (10E), a GSM engine (10A) and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver (10B). The tracking device, in response to the movement sensor sensing a cessation of movement, transmits a message that results in initiating a location determination operation via the RF transceiver to a GSM network (12). The tracking device may transmit data representing its current location to the GSM network. The tracking device thereafter places at least the GSM engine into a reduced battery power consumption mode of operation. In one embodiment the message transmitted by the location tracking device is, as examples, a SMS message or a GPRS message that contains an alpha string that requests the location application server to cause the GSM network to initiate a Mobile Terminated Location Request operation for the tracking device.