Apparent GPS Failure

[spalding12]

Don't mean to threadjack here MLSPHS, but I think you cleared up a question I had...Even though there may be Sat's available, we still need the 3G connection to have any functionality with SAT based app's, correct?
Thanks all,
Brock

yes.....
but..... it only gets you down to 1-2 mile proximity
which is find for "what am i near"
but.... USELESS for "please show me which direction this is"

etc....

 

[jaymeangreen]

I got a lock this afternoon woo- hoo! Should be good to go for at least a couple hours LOL

LOL....
so, is it STILL working?
nothing for me today
and i've tried (as i always do) several times

no it was only up for about 3 hours

 

[MLSPHS]

Not moving and staying in one place with a good phone signal for 10 minutes may help the GPS get a fix and start working. It's worth a try.

I don't know if you need continuous G3 for the GPS to work but you definitely need a network connection.

I am beginning to think that removing the battery only works if your on a tower with poor connectivity. Removing the battery may causes the phone to switch to a different tower that has less use or a stronger signal which gives the false idea that removing the battery fixes the problem.

Why does a GPS app that shows how many fixes you have still need to be connected to the network? I'm using "GPS Status".

Does the phone really have a GPS chip? Can the phone be Blue tooth connected to a stand alone GPS receiver?

When I was in Terre Haute Indiana Saturday my GPS was not working. The next morning it worked fine without a reset. While driving from Terre Haute IN to Dayton OH I tried to use it near Richmond Indiana. It never would show me my location. I got to Dayton and it was still not working. I then figured out that my "Use wireless networks was not checked". I fixed this problem I was located on the map. But Navigation would not work. While eating dinner I took the battery out for 10 minutes and it still didn't work. I down loaded a GPS app and it wouldn't work either. I read something in the documentation that network connectivity was needed. Then about 10 minutes later the Google Navigation and the GPS app started working. ..Not moving and staying in one place for 10 minutes may help the GPS get a fix and start working. It's worth a try.

 

[crankygypsy]

it's good the post is staying alive, but i think it's getting a bit off-track...

Not moving and staying in one place with a good phone signal for 10 minutes may help the GPS get a fix and start working. It's worth a try.

This has been tried many times ...for longer than 10 minutes. Erich_F figured out a way to "reset" the phone permanently, but the fix does not seem to pertain to the majority of us in this thread (Alltel customers auto-switched to Verizon after the buy-out). we've confirmed that VZW is working on the problem. at this point, it seems we are out of options and just waiting for the next piece of intel one of us becomes aware of.

I don't know if you need continuous G3 for the GPS to work but you definitely need a network connection. Why does a GPS app that shows how many fixes you have still need to be connected to the network? I'm using "GPS Status".

Have you read beyond page 14 of this post, yet?
it is believed that it has something to do with the phone's PRL (which towers it chooses to connect to first). apparently, it needs a Verizon tower to verify GPS access/authorization - this is why we can sometimes "see" sats, but can't connect. if this is the case, the Alltel towers are not giving those of us that were former Alltel customers continuous "clearance." requesting VZW to "push" their PRL to the Droid has been unsuccessful.

Does the phone really have a GPS chip?

Yes.

Can the phone be Blue tooth connected to a stand alone GPS receiver?

Are you suggesting that a temporary solution is a second GPS unit LINKED to the Droid?

you are in Ohio? do you still have an Alltel plan? although the cases seem rare, most of us experiencing this particular problem are in the Tampa area. if you are in Ohio and started with a Verizon plan, i would be inclined to blame your hardware first.

 

[crankygypsy]

MLSPHS ...and by "hardware," i would include available towers.

mine will actually work if i drive 3 miles west of my house. it is as if i am getting out of range of my primary Alltel tower and my phone is forced to grab on to a nearer Verizon tower. once connected, my GPS will continue to function (hooking up to 9 sats at a time) even after i've gotten back to my house where it normally won't see a single satellite. it will remain like this until it hibernates the application. it has done this so often, that i know exactly where (which intersections) it will start to activate going to OR coming from that destination. because of the consistency of this, it has made me a believer in the PRL/tower theory.

 

[ly92078]

just a few hours before returning the droid friday...the gps started to work again. Being compassionate, I decided to give it a couple of more days...and lo and behold over the weekend the gps has been working just about all the time.

This improved behavior occurred after changing my telephone number (x2) and phone (x3) and of course switching from an Altel contract to Verizon.

I am not certain of the hows or whys and hoping it will not revert to its prior bad habit of ignoring the satellites. I am still in Polk county, FL.

So droid gets a reprieve. lol

 

[spalding12]

when will verizon make an official statement?
bad business practice.... very bad

 

[MLSPHS]

Thanks for the good feed back,

I have always been Verizon. My phone has worked all day today even though I don't have very good coverage in my location. My biggest problem has been while traveling through areas not completely covered well by Verizon. I didn't read about the PRL/tower theory but that would explain my problems. Even though I live in Ohio I have a New York phone number. This may be why I experience more problems while moving from state to state.

 

[MLSPHS]

I just got off the phone with Verizon. They made the claim that they could not support the problem with Google Navigation that I would have to research that problem through the web. They suggested I subscribe to Verizon Navigation. When I talked about the problem with Florida he put me on hold for a few minutes and suggested I dial *228. I'm satisfied since my Navigation works 90% of the time. I feel for you guys in Florida.

 

[jaymeangreen]

I just got off the phone with Verizon. They made the claim that they could not support the problem with Google Navigation that I would have to research that problem through the web. They suggested I subscribe to Verizon Navigation. When I talked about the problem with Florida he put me on hold for a few minutes and suggested I dial *228. I'm satisfied since my Navigation works 90% of the time. I feel for you guys in Florida.

and after that they will give you a # for motorola who will tell you that an OTA will be coming to fix this but they are not sure of the date. (at least thats what i was told although im not feeling confident it will be anytime soon )

 

[spalding12]

I just got off the phone with Verizon. They made the claim that they could not support the problem with Google Navigation that I would have to research that problem through the web. They suggested I subscribe to Verizon Navigation. When I talked about the problem with Florida he put me on hold for a few minutes and suggested I dial *228. I'm satisfied since my Navigation works 90% of the time. I feel for you guys in Florida.

and after that they will give you a # for motorola who will tell you that an OTA will be coming to fix this but they are not sure of the date. (at least thats what i was told although im not feeling confident it will be anytime soon )

how can motorola fix this problem
it's verizon's fault my droid won't "SEE" verizon towers... because i'm an ex-alltel customer....
even though I PAY VERIZON EVERY MONTH JUST LIKE ALL THE OLD VERIZON CUSTOMERS

 

[spalding12]

I just got off the phone with Verizon. They made the claim that they could not support the problem with Google Navigation that I would have to research that problem through the web. They suggested I subscribe to Verizon Navigation. When I talked about the problem with Florida he put me on hold for a few minutes and suggested I dial *228. I'm satisfied since my Navigation works 90% of the time. I feel for you guys in Florida.

another great MISinformed verizon tech
VERIZON NAVIGATION DOESN'T WORK ON THE DROID
it's for blackberry phones.... etc

they won't support the problem?
WTF, in plain english
this is NOT a "google navigation" problem...
it is a problem with the ability of my droid to gather agps data from old alltel towers.... because my phone number tells my droid to look for alltel towers before verizon ones....
even though i pay verizon every month

what is the percentage of verizon techs on the phone who know ANYTHING?
20% at most
in this crappy economy
with plenty of great folks out of work
fire the other 80% and find some smart folks to answer the phones

this is one big piece of embarrassment for verizon....
from any angle

 

[jaymeangreen]

at droid forum .com they are saying the 1st OTA is going out now http://www.droid-forum.com/ota-verizon-update-being-deployed-now-t3182.html

 

[spalding12]

here is the list of supposed improvements
notice: nothing about the gps problems in florida, affecting hundreds of phones

Here is some more information on the improvements...


The following enhancements to the Droid by Motorola have been made:
xx OS stability is improved.
xx Battery life is improved.
xx Camera auto focus functionality is improved, and time between
shots is reduced.
xx Enhancements for three-way calling.
xx Audio for incoming calls is improved.
xx When receiving a call on call waiting, the speakerphone now
remains on.
xx Bluetooth® functionality is improved; background echo is eliminated.
xx Improved Bluetooth phone book transfer of contacts to in-vehicle
Bluetooth solutions.
xx After closing a GPS application, the GPS icon will now automatically
be removed from the notification panel.
xx Users can now receive SMS and MMS messages after an EMS
message is received.
xx SMS and MMS may now be sent to seven-digit addresses.
xx Google® contact merging has been updated to accommodate
seven-digit numbers.
xx Visual Voice Mail notices now arrive instantaneously.
• The corporate calendar widget user interface is updated.

 

[Palmyra]

Add me to the list.

Location northern suburb of Columbus OH. Verizon customer for 12 years but moved from Virginia 18 months ago and got an Ohio number at that time. Have no idea if it is an Alltel or Verizon one.

GPS has worked since I got the phone three weeks ago. Last night, Dec 7th, I noticed that there was a map update, version 3.3.0 #3316, so I installed it. Big mistake as I lost GPS at that point. MY "location" is approx 3 miles off. The app GPS Status which at times has shown up to 7 satellites cannot find any.

I've had both portable and car based GPS systems so I'm familure with the delay that can have in locking on to a satellite. Even have a copy of MicroSofts Streets&Trips on my notebook that has the bad habit of not sending one to the correct address.

:blush: :redface: OH crap! Now it is working. I went to check one more time before I sent this and left my finger on the power button too long. So instead of bring the Droid out of sleep it ask me if I wanted to power off. So I did so and then rebooted it. Now I'm getting 8 satellites, the GPS icon, and maps is showing my location correctly. I can't tell you when was the last time I rebooted the Droid so maybe that is all it takes??????????

Well, I'm posting this anyway in hopes it helps someone.