Cell phone help?

Can someone please tell me when you look at your cell bill, what does call origination mean? Does that mean the closet "tower". What I'm asking is that you have to be close to that particular Tower area" for it to show a certain location of where the call came from. Is it safe to say that it is rarely possible for a call to "originate" 33 miles away in bad terrain.? I'm arguing with my girlfriend about this...lol Please help