A Question about Smartphones

[BobH]

As I understand it, smartphones continue to send signals out to find cellular towers even when powered off. If I understand correctly, putting an iPhone, for example, into Airplane Mode stops this pinging for towers (or does it?).

What I don't know and haven't found out about yet is whether or not the pinging process is stopped if the sim card is removed? My guess is that the phone can continue to ping but - unless ID information is in memory as well as the sim card - the smartphones identity is not sent.

I've asked Apple and not yet receive and answer. If any of you are telecommunications engineers who know this technology, I'd appreciate a link to an article that will explain how this works. I'm concerned about privacy (not because I'm nefarious but because I prefer to live a quiet, private life without unsolicited impositions) especially when in retail establishments that want to track and sell information about my habits. I've installed a VPN to stop my ISP's snooping. I'd like to do something similar to stop my smartphone snooping.

[Argus]

What I don't know and haven't found out about yet is whether or not the pinging process is stopped if the sim card is removed? My guess is that the phone can continue to ping but - unless ID information is in memory as well as the sim card - the smartphones identity is not sent.

If there is no SIM card one can still make an emergency call (i.e. 112, 911 etc.), thus the phone will try to connect to a net, the best net at the time. (Common advice when, hopefully never, in dire need, and faced with network congestion because "everyone" is calling, is to remove the SIM card.) However, I don't know if this "pinging process" you mention only starts when you try to make that emergency call.

As have been mentioned before, elsewhere, the best way to do it is to power off the phone and remove the battery, all of them.
To achieve a quiet & private life: no phone.

[HansV]

When you turn the screen of your phone off, the phone 2lwill keep on running. But when you really turn your phone off, it doesn't do anything anymore.

[viking33]

Bob, I'm not 100% up to date on Smartphone technology but still know enough to be dangerous!
There seem to be a lot of apps around that claim to overcome these primacy problems but the simplest way seems to be taking the battery out or using a "privacy case "
However there is word that iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6?, are trying ways to get around even that!
A decent article on the subject, is I think HERE. a lot of hits on Google also.
My best way, if I had to, would be BOTH removing the battery AND a Privacy Case, if paranoia sets in.

[BobH]

Thank you both.

I guess I'm what we use to call an 'old fogey.' I'm really tired of being 'sold' instead of being helped with a purchase.

[BobH]

Argus, thanks for reminding me about the emergency calling feature. That confirms that removing the SIM card doesn't necessarily disable the phone. On the iPhone, removing the battery is not a option as it is with other cell phones because it entails opening the case which probably invalidates any warranty.

[viking33]

Argus, thanks for reminding me about the emergency calling feature. That confirms that removing the SIM card doesn't necessarily disable the phone. On the iPhone, removing the battery is not a option as it is with other cell phones because it entails opening the case which probably invalidates any warranty.

Another reason I don't use Apple products, no matter how many fans there are out there. The other reason would not be appropriate as it would violate the Lounge no politics rule.

[StuartR]

Another reason I don't use Apple products, no matter how many fans there are out there. The other reason would not be appropriate as it would violate the Lounge no politics rule.

Thank you for your restraint Bob