Almost that Brissie.
GPS you nailed it. But cell towers broadcast their GPS exact location so a mobile can also do the math to calculate the position using multiple cell tower signals as a reference. This is usually less power consuming for the mobile and the operating system (android for one) likes it to keep the user experience of a longer life device. In a crowded city with lots of cell towers, this is quite efficient.
Out in the bush, with one very distant cell tower signal only, there is no way to do it, then GPS is the only tool at hand for the operating system.
So, in a nutshell, cell tower signal is not mandatory nor required, but the tabled/mobile operating system surely likes it.
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