In iOS 26.3, Apple introduced a new privacy feature which limits “precise location” data made available to cellular networks via cell towers. The feature is only available to devices with Apple’s in-house modem introduced in 2025. The announcement1 says https://support.apple.com/en-us/126101 ↩
we’re safe from that particular method here in the boonies. we’re lucky to even have one tower from any provider within range anywhere around here.
Not with a bit of data processing. With one tower they can figure out how far away you are. They can track that over time and cross reference that with road layouts when you are moving at highway speeds. Knowing the signal will appear to slow down when you are moving parallel to the cell tower and faster when you are travelling towards or away. Modern antenna designs are also reasonably directional with a tower having banks that point out to cover different quadrants. They know what bank of antennas is facing you.