Originally Posted by
Sam.115
How is it passenger phones were still ringing what at least 6/7 hours after taking off and leaving cell service? Surely this means phones are on and still within range of a cell tower.
Your assumption is wrong.
If you are interested you can learn about 'short stopping' here:
https://www.gsma.com/membership/reso...-destinations/
But the much more simple explanation is how phone networks actually work and the fact that they don't require a remote phone to be connected and/or ring to have the local phone play out a ring tone.