Various embodiments are described for obtaining coarse location for a mobile device. In one embodiment, a mobile device may comprise one or more interfaces for detecting location reference nodes in view of the mobile device and a client module to send a location query to a location database. The location query may comprise node data identifying the reference nodes in view of the mobile device. The location database may be configured to respond to the location query with positioning information for providing an estimated position of the mobile device. The positioning information may be based on correlated position data and node data received from one or more client devices having Global Positioning System (GPS) position determination capability and configured to report position data and node data for location reference nodes in view. Other embodiments are described and claimed.