We are talking the cell providers here, disabling GPS only slows down the initial positioning as LTE has a number of alternative ways to determine your location

We are talking the cell providers here, disabling GPS only slows down the initial positioning as LTE has a number of alternative ways to determine your location. That is required in places like the US were its mandated by law (E911 IIRC) that the providers are capable of providing your location to government services in real time (like 911). So, the fact that the providers are keeping tabs on you and storing all that metadata for some government agency (cause you might be dangerous!), just means that they have discovered a way to recoup some of the investment costs. Thank your government, because the phone companies likely wouldn't have been this creative by themselves.