Just some info for non-UK people, it is certainly cell-based in the UAE.
Actually very clever as it knows within a metre that you've crossed into Oman from Dubai, then the enclave within Oman that is Hatta, owned by Dubai, you're back on non-roaming…
Nothing to do with personal phone permissions or Location Services etc.
So, you can't turn it off - every phone connected to the masts the provider sends it to gets it if the phone is switched on.
Every week, or any national day, our provider name can be changed at will; so "Happy New Year" can be scrolling across our screens for two days.
I give my money to Virgin Mobile, but Etisalat and du are the government owned providers with the actual infrastructure. Can do a full volume "PING" for anything they like.
I'm sure the UK can do exactly the same and target stuff to where it's actually needed and not for it to just become an annoyance 🙂
EDIT
So, checking my phone, it doesn't say Virgin next to the 5G signal bars. It says "1B Meals"
A Ramadan charity thing, I guess.