Everytime your cel phone turns on it leaves a ‘breadcrumb’ in a location database (in the ‘cloud’, not just your phone) related to what cel phone tower you are getting a channel from. If you move and connect to other towers, another ‘breadcrumb’ is created. This is true whether you have an old school Motorola phone or an HTC Android, or an Apple iOS device.
You can’t make or receive calls unless you are part of the home and/or visiting location record database(S).
Sorry.
That is native to how cel hone networks function.
Not sure how persistent those data are, but they are part of the continual handshakes that occur between a phone or smart phone and the networks.
True, but with GPS, they know exactly where you are and not just what tower area you are in..
Gosh, it all sounds so friendly. Breadcrumbs and clouds and handshakes! :)