Anytime your phone reaches out to towers it’s being tracked. Hell, HAM radio operators can be tracked with gprs just by micing up. It’s part of the reason I still have my license. The other is having a backup if I go somewhere with no phone reception. I don’t have an ear for code but I can pump out SOS or scream mayday on all the frequencies (and yeah, of course it’s a flashed handset, I will pay fines if it means mine or others lives are saved)