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This isn't just about software capabilities. The telcos don't need to have remote code execution on the device. Their huge network of receivers has to identify

This isn't just about software capabilities. The telcos don't need to have remote code execution on the device. Their huge network of receivers has to identify your device for routing, and that reveals your location. Simply connecting to the towers implies that you're within a few miles of them. In areas with denser coverage, triangulating you within a few meters is trivial, and I suspect that every network is storing your location in perpetuity from this method alone. It isn't a issue of software freedom, it's an issue of having a radio signal emitting from your pocket to a huge network of receivers with known positions. Only way to guarantee you aren't being tracked is to turn the signal off, which isn't feasible for most.

ghotli 8y ago
I hear ya, and I personally understand that that's the case, thus if just the "connection" of my antenna to the tower reveals information I personally don't care to share then the natural next question is: "can I toggle the antenna off on my own device except when I want to reveal my location, or is that beyond my control as long as the antenna has power?" I personally don't know that I mind it, but some people do and that's the question that is either allowed by some spec or isn't. edit: furthermore, just connecting to the towers at all would give approximate information, unless it's connecting to multiples wherein they can triangulate. the other question would be "can I compromise and force my antenna into 'one tower at a time' mode" via some spec. Would I then affect my ability to do tower handoffs upon movement without having multiple tower connections? If so, do I care that my antenna is forced into single tower "approximate location" mode with drops upon new tower acquisition or not? What spec controls that and can I control it via root access to my device? See what I mean?
- ubolonton_ 8y ago
  This is probably between the baseband firmware and the SIM card, so rooting wouldn't help. And it's using A-GPS (probably in MSA mode, where the location is derived on the servers, not the phones), not just cell tower triangulation.

ghotli 8y ago

I hear ya, and I personally understand that that's the case, thus if just the "connection" of my antenna to the tower reveals information I personally don't care to share then the natural next question is: "can I toggle the antenna off on my own device except when I want to reveal my location, or is that beyond my control as long as the antenna has power?" I personally don't know that I mind it, but some people do and that's the question that is either allowed by some spec or isn't. edit: furthermore, just connecting to the towers at all would give approximate information, unless it's connecting to multiples wherein they can triangulate. the other question would be "can I compromise and force my antenna into 'one tower at a time' mode" via some spec. Would I then affect my ability to do tower handoffs upon movement without having multiple tower connections? If so, do I care that my antenna is forced into single tower "approximate location" mode with drops upon new tower acquisition or not? What spec controls that and can I control it via root access to my device? See what I mean?

ubolonton_ 8y ago
This is probably between the baseband firmware and the SIM card, so rooting wouldn't help. And it's using A-GPS (probably in MSA mode, where the location is derived on the servers, not the phones), not just cell tower triangulation.