This review says
I used this device for my vehicle. Noticed right away there was a limit to how far this thing will track. After about 5 miles, the item no longer gives location. This may be good for pets or local (near to home) tracking but not for anything else. Nice size and kit but not what I was expecting.
The point is with this review is.... There is a risk to using any AcmeTag. However, with Apple... they make products that just work, which is why another reason why AirTag is so successful.
Sounds like a clueless user, as an LTE device wouldn't be range limited (except a very rural area without LTE coverage).
Though I'm open to your explanation of how an cellular device would have a five mile range.
Don't try to explain it with direct to phone RF transmission though, unless you can be extremely detailed as the the specific frequencies which could have an antenna that'd fit in the package and have that sort of propagation without line of sight.