Question about phone networks

[cinque8]

Hi,

I live on the west coast of the United States. A friend of mine who also lives on the west coast recently traveled to New York which is over 3,000 miles away. I called my friend on her cell phone in New York and asked her how she was doing. Here is my question. My friend's cell phone has a California (818) area code. So how was the phone networks able to track her phone to New York, and in a matter of seconds?

Thanks!

-cinque8

[Gandalph]

It wouldn't matter whether she had gone to China. The phone networks work hand in glove with each other and they will trace and ring her number wherever she is on the planet. It would also work even if she was on the International Space Station.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Unless your phone is switched off, the mobile phone networks will track you, and they know exactly where you are at every moment. So if you are ever chased by the police, you better switch your cell phone off.

I didn't know that in the US cell phones have area codes. Here in Japan we have cell phone prefixes (080 and 090), not tied to any area.

[cinque8]

Thanks for the replies!

[bludgard]

I didn't know that in the US cell phones have area codes.

One can be in California, purchase a cell cell phone, and have the area code coded for New York; or any other area for that matter.

Go figure, eh?

GPS will locate no matter the are code.