A system and method for determining a reference location of a wireless device wherein a location request may be received for the wireless device where the location request fails to identify an approximate location for the wireless device. A reference location may be determined for the wireless device, the reference location selected from the group consisting of: an area defined as a function of at least one of a mobile country code, mobile network code, and/or a location area code; an area defined by a mapping of a provided Internet protocol address to a location; an area determined as a function of a position information element in the location request; a default area; and combinations thereof.