When I googled earlier, all answers pointed towards the phone receiving cellular signals or depending on its internal digital clock but I’m asking this question because when we crossed my country’s border and briefly entered our neighbor’s territory, my phone’s time automatically changed to the neighboring country’s timezone even though there was absolutely zero cellular service and I didn’t have mobile data or location turned on (not that mobile data would have worked without cell service)
So, how did my phone know the other country’s time? I don’t really understand how the internal clock works either, but this is even more of a mystery to me. Would love to know how this really works!
In: Technology
Did you turn on airplane mode? If not, it is because your phone contacted the local cell tower. Cell tower signals carry time information. It is separate from data. Phones will automatically switch to the time information sent by the cell tower unless there is other data present to contradict it (definitive GPS location, mobile internet time, etc.)
If the neighboring country’s cell tower isn’t part of your local network, your phone may show a (R)oaming indicator. That is a strong clue that your time will be adjusted to the local zone. I’ve encountered this traveling numerous times.
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