ATTENTION all Bell users: Does your GPS work? - Page 4

prequan · 01/31/2010, 01:07 PM

I'm in london ontario and my gps has been screwed for a couple days now. I opened locarion service, preferences and unchecked use google services. Seems to be working fine now.

bradley_80 · 04:32 PM

I tried that and it indeed pick up my location on both google maps and sprint nav. Sprint nav though still can't seem to generate a route to a destination because it apparently 'cant find my location'...even though it knows where I am.

EDIT: With google services off, I tried to use the Nav on the way home and it worked! I guess the Nav part of the system needs more satellites to track the route, compared to one just finding my current location? I could be totally wrong

zx600 · 01/31/2010, 10:43 PM

Silly question? does any of you with GPS problems have the Trapster app installed? I was having issues with the gps about a week ago, then I got an update on the Trapster app and the gps started working right away, now is no longer working again - Frustrating

bradley_80 · 01/31/2010, 11:15 PM

I do have Trapster installed right now

adamrmcd · 02/01/2010, 12:20 AM

I'm in Red Deer, AB and noticed similar problems on Bell. More frequently after the 1.3.5.1 update, I would get the cell tower, but not my actual location. If I travelled out side of a particular cell tower's range, Google Maps would persistently report that I hadn't moved!

Quote:

Originally Posted by prequan

I'm in london ontario and my gps has ben screwed for a couple days now. I opened locarion service, preferences and unchecked use google services. Seems to be working fine now.

I tried this and I can confirm that I am now getting a proper GPS pinpoint in Google Maps.

Thanks

Quintus · 02/01/2010, 05:51 AM

...and just like that my GPS starting working perfectly this morning! I didn't do anything between last night and this morning, not even a reset. Must have been a Bell mobility problem which was fixed this morning. Anyone else have GPS suddenly start working?

NordicMan · 02/01/2010, 06:26 AM

I'm already at work & didn't get a chance to try out the GPS while outdoors yet..

I try it now at the office, and as usual the a-GPS cell tower triangulation isn't working

but that hasn't worked in a few months. Google maps finally pinpoint's me & determines that I'm still at home, 50km away from where I currently am, which is where I think the LAST place I was to get a good GPS fix.. doh

I still haven't tried that GPS tweak, maybe in the next couple days..

Quintus · 02/01/2010, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NordicMan

I'm already at work & didn't get a chance to try out the GPS while outdoors yet..

I try it now at the office, and as usual the a-GPS cell tower triangulation isn't working

but that hasn't worked in a few months. Google maps finally pinpoint's me & determines that I'm still at home, 50km away from where I currently am, which is where I think the LAST place I was to get a good GPS fix.. doh

I still haven't tried that GPS tweak, maybe in the next couple days..

You have to try the GPS tweak. I'm indoors and get a lock on GPS satellites in seconds. Awesome! Worth the time spent to get it going. Don't forget to call Bell technical support during the day to get your MSL code though as you don't want to be fiddling with this tweak without your MSL code handy.

I'm curious...has anyone else found that their GPS on the Bell Pre has suddenly started working this morning?

bradley_80 · 02/01/2010, 09:02 AM

Like I told ya Quintis, it started working yesterday once I unchecked google services. I doubt that was the only issue but it works now

ktessner · 02/01/2010, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinistois

He said the GPS servers are down... but anyone that knows anything about GPS knows that there are no GPS servers.

Actually there are, that's the 'Assistance' portion of Assisted GPS. Getting the signals from the satellites and comparing them isn't enough, you have to know the orbits of those satellites for that to be of any use. The satellites themselves transmit this information, but only very slowly (a single satellite takes 12.5 minutes to transmit the almanac... the system was designed in the early 80s after all) so that's where the assistance kicks in. Your phone contacts a server on your provider's network to get the almanac, then boom!, your phone does the math and gets a near instant fix. Apple has convinced the world that AGPS means cell tower triangulation, but that really isn't it... it does involve a server.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NordicMan

I've been reading through that other thread about increasing the functionality of the Pre's GPS but haven't done it yet. Has anyone who lives in the GPS "dead zone" tried the tweak and did it help?

I did, and after I cleared all the flags for the assistance and AFLT modes I got a fix and thought that I had cured the problem, but the issue was back again a day later so maybe all I did was hit a window where Bell's servers were back up. It could be that it only truly goes autonomous if it knows that you're in airplane mode, deferring to an external server (working or not) as long as it's got a data connection.

My blackberry toting friend called Bell (his GPS has been up and down too) and they did admit that there was a problem on their CDMA network but not the new GSM one. Grrrr.

Ah well, at least it was back up again this morning. For the moment...

NordicMan · 02/01/2010, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradley_80

Like I told ya Quintis, it started working yesterday once I unchecked google services. I doubt that was the only issue but it works now

WOWEE I tried turning Google Services off, and for the first time in a few months the AGPS started working, woohooo!! Google Maps now is giving me a generally accurate location, bouncing from near-perfect to about 1.4 miles SouthWest of my current position, which is probably as good as cell tower triangulation will get me. I'm still totally indoors (thick building), and can't wait to try it outside!

So, Bell has sheepishly admitted to a few people that there WAS a physical problem with the Bell/AGPS network after all?

ktessner thanks for your detailed information especially about the AGPS and how it functions. Tell me though, even if the "GPS server" was off-line wouldn't my GPS work if I waited long enough (+12 minutes) for the Pre's satellite almanac to refresh?

ktessner · 02/01/2010, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NordicMan

Tell me though, even if the "GPS server" was off-line wouldn't my GPS work if I waited long enough (+12 minutes) for the Pre's satellite almanac to refresh?

It didn't seem to for me, but I didn't actually stand outside for that length of time to see what happened either, just used it on the touchstone in my car on a long drive. (Usually in the car it seems to see the satellites just fine and gives me accuracy of a meter or two.) During the outage and with 'autonomous' turned on, ##GPS# and/or Sprint Nav would still come up with an error message no matter how long my Pre had been out in the car.

That's why I say "It could be that it only truly goes autonomous if it knows that you're in airplane mode, deferring to an external server (working or not) as long as it's got a data connection.", but really, that's just me guessing at this point...

zx600 · 04:31 PM

I'm in Toronto, it started working for me this morning as well. Obviously a Bell problem. If this happens again I will be calling Bell, hope everyone else does the same, maybe if they get a few calls about the same issue they will get their ***** to fix the problem faster

bradley_80 · 02/01/2010, 05:57 PM

I called them and I apparently was 'the first person to call about this issue.' Oh Bell

bradley_80 · 02/01/2010, 08:33 PM

Can any Bell Sprint nav user confirm that we are not receiving an extra charge for using Sprint nav (other than reg. data use)?

Quintus · 02/01/2010, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradley_80

Can any Bell Sprint nav user confirm that we are not receiving an extra charge for using Sprint nav (other than reg. data use)?

Confirmed. No charges, just data.

rpr · 02/02/2010, 12:25 PM

Worked perfectly for me last night.

bradley_80 · 02/02/2010, 01:15 PM

Ya it is working great. The odd time though it will work, but say I am a kilometer or so away from where I actually am. Might be doing the GPS tweak to solve that

wunderbar · 02/02/2010, 03:38 PM

mine has been working on and off the past few days. Wasn't working yesterday morning, but been working perfectly since yesterday afternoon. But, for all I know it won't work again tomorrow.

Quintus · 02/02/2010, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wunderbar

mine has been working on and off the past few days. Wasn't working yesterday morning, but been working perfectly since yesterday afternoon. But, for all I know it won't work again tomorrow.

Mine has been spot on and consistently working since Monday morning. Hopefully it lasts....

01/31/2010, 01:07 PM	#61 (permalink)
prequan Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 68 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 6 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	I'm in london ontario and my gps has been screwed for a couple days now. I opened locarion service, preferences and unchecked use google services. Seems to be working fine now.
	Liked by

01/31/2010, 01:43 PM	#62 (permalink)
bradley_80 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 93 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I tried that and it indeed pick up my location on both google maps and sprint nav. Sprint nav though still can't seem to generate a route to a destination because it apparently 'cant find my location'...even though it knows where I am. EDIT: With google services off, I tried to use the Nav on the way home and it worked! I guess the Nav part of the system needs more satellites to track the route, compared to one just finding my current location? I could be totally wrong Last edited by bradley_80; 01/31/2010 at 04:32 PM.
	Liked by

01/31/2010, 10:43 PM	#63 (permalink)
zx600 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 111 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 40 Thanked 44 Times in 11 Posts	Silly question? does any of you with GPS problems have the Trapster app installed? I was having issues with the gps about a week ago, then I got an update on the Trapster app and the gps started working right away, now is no longer working again - Frustrating
	Liked by

01/31/2010, 11:15 PM	#64 (permalink)
bradley_80 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 93 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I do have Trapster installed right now
	Liked by

02/01/2010, 05:51 AM	#66 (permalink)
Quintus Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 635 Likes Received: 2 Thanks: 94 Thanked 85 Times in 56 Posts	...and just like that my GPS starting working perfectly this morning! I didn't do anything between last night and this morning, not even a reset. Must have been a Bell mobility problem which was fixed this morning. Anyone else have GPS suddenly start working?
	Liked by

02/01/2010, 06:26 AM	#67 (permalink)
NordicMan Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 191 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 4 Thanked 14 Times in 9 Posts	I'm already at work & didn't get a chance to try out the GPS while outdoors yet.. I try it now at the office, and as usual the a-GPS cell tower triangulation isn't working but that hasn't worked in a few months. Google maps finally pinpoint's me & determines that I'm still at home, 50km away from where I currently am, which is where I think the LAST place I was to get a good GPS fix.. doh I still haven't tried that GPS tweak, maybe in the next couple days..
	Liked by

02/01/2010, 09:02 AM	#69 (permalink)
bradley_80 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 93 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Like I told ya Quintis, it started working yesterday once I unchecked google services. I doubt that was the only issue but it works now
	Liked by

02/01/2010, 04:09 PM	#73 (permalink)
zx600 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 111 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 40 Thanked 44 Times in 11 Posts	I'm in Toronto, it started working for me this morning as well. Obviously a Bell problem. If this happens again I will be calling Bell, hope everyone else does the same, maybe if they get a few calls about the same issue they will get their ***** to fix the problem faster Last edited by zx600; 02/01/2010 at 04:31 PM.
	Liked by

02/01/2010, 05:57 PM	#74 (permalink)
bradley_80 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 93 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I called them and I apparently was 'the first person to call about this issue.' Oh Bell
	Liked by

02/01/2010, 08:33 PM	#75 (permalink)
bradley_80 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 93 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Can any Bell Sprint nav user confirm that we are not receiving an extra charge for using Sprint nav (other than reg. data use)?
	Liked by

02/02/2010, 12:25 PM	#77 (permalink)
rpr Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Brampton Posts: 212 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 10 Thanked 21 Times in 18 Posts	Worked perfectly for me last night. __________________ Pilot 1000 -> Palm Pro -> Palm III -> Handspring Visor -> Palm V -> Palm TX -> Palm LifeDrive -> Kyocera 6035 -> Kyocera 7135 -> Treo 650 -> Palm Pre
	Liked by

02/02/2010, 01:15 PM	#78 (permalink)
bradley_80 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 93 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ya it is working great. The odd time though it will work, but say I am a kilometer or so away from where I actually am. Might be doing the GPS tweak to solve that
	Liked by

02/02/2010, 03:38 PM	#79 (permalink)
wunderbar Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 276 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 28 Times in 18 Posts	mine has been working on and off the past few days. Wasn't working yesterday morning, but been working perfectly since yesterday afternoon. But, for all I know it won't work again tomorrow.
	Liked by

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