https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/7710-changing-imei/8

A phone doesnt need a sim to connect to the network towers. Sim is only for billing. The network can see your imei and triangulate your location as long as your radio is on.

I have read this on https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/7710-changing-imei/8, but I’m bit confused. Does this mean our IMEI is identified by cell tower as long as the airplane mode is off? What exact setting is “Radio” referring to?

thanks a lot

thanks @rowinxavier@lemmy.world and @9tr6gyp3@lemmy.world

Short answer: Yes The network can see your IMEI and triangulate your location even though no SIM is installed. and theoretically with airplane mode off no radio is on

  • NewNewAugustEast@lemmy.zipEnglish
    1·
    8 days ago

    I have a phone that has no sim card and I only use it for podcasts (using wifi). I found it strange that different places I took it changed how long the battery lasted. I was going on the idea that it was about the wifi. But as I traveled to different places, and different countries, I saw a radical change in the battery life. I could go over a week in small country and then in the US it would drain in two days.

    I finally turned the airplane mode on and it returned to the level of outside US small country in terms of battery life.

    What the hell is that device doing when in the US? Its terrifying actually.

    • ms.lane@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 day ago

      What the hell is that device doing when in the US?

      Having to run the radio at a higher power due to the much lower density of cell towers. Australia suffers the same issue, Europe has towers everywhere and typically uses higher bands so they can pack more towers in.

      Germany for example uses 3.5-3.6GHz for 5G, Australia is using 700MHz and will eventually be using ~550-700MHz. Longer wavelength travels longer in big open country, small wavelength travels shorter distance allowing you to pack more towers and capacity in.