This is how your phone's location can be tracked even when GPS is off

 This is how your phone's location can be tracked even when GPS is off

Most mobile users have the misconception that their phone becomes completely invisible or 'invisible' after turning off the phone's GPS or not giving location permission to the app. But this is not entirely true in the world of technology.

In fact, the SIM card in your phone is constantly communicating with the mobile network and this network is always informed about the geographical area in which you are. This process does not depend on external services like GPS or the Internet. Rather, it is an essential part of the telecommunications system.

The main basis of this process is a unique and permanent identification code called 'IMSI', or International Mobile Subscriber Identity, on each SIM card. When you turn on your phone, it immediately establishes contact with the nearest cell tower. However, for security reasons, the phone uses an encrypted or temporary code when communicating with the network.

But the mobile network operator can easily identify which SIM card is in contact with which tower by linking it to the real IMSI. This way, the network knows your presence as soon as the SIM card is activated.

Each cell tower in the mobile network has its own digital identity, which is also called a ‘digital fingerprint’ in technical terms. It contains important information such as the MCC, which indicates the country code, the MNC, which identifies the service provider, and the LAC or TAC, which indicates a specific area within the network.

The combination of all these codes defines a specific geographical area of ​​the mobile network. A tower spreads its signal to a certain distance around it (for example, within a radius of about 1000 meters) and has its own latitude and longitude.

Your phone is usually connected to 3 to 4 towers nearby, depending on the strength of the signal, rather than just one tower. Each tower creates an imaginary circle of its coverage, and the point where the circles of the different towers intersect is considered to be close to your actual location. This special technique is called ‘Cell Tower Triangulation/Trilateration’. With its help, your location can be determined to within a few hundred meters without GPS.

This is why when emergency services or security agencies need to locate a phone, they don’t need GPS, nor any mobile app permissions, nor an internet connection. All they need is your SIM card and the cell towers it is connected to. Even if you think your phone is private and secure, the mobile network is always watching your signal. This is the basic workings of telecommunications technology.