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GPS even when not connected to the Verizon network?

K

karimarie

Well-Known Member
I'm going to be heading to Rome, and I know my Droid won't work there for cell service. But will the GPS work, or is it dependent on Verizon's service?
 
I would assume that it will not in Rome. I am currently in Vietnam and have been in Thailand for the last two weeks. Not being a GSM phone I have actually had a few received calls...although I did not answer them... and texting worked. This prompted me to try out the GPS with no results. I would say that it would not work in Rome either. Quite a few of the guys I work with have GPS's that they bring overseas and they upload the information from their corresponding GPS maker's website, download into the GPS unit and it is still hit or miss whether it works or not. Unfortunately, the Droid does not do this...yet.
 
I'm pretty sure the GPS in the phone receives signals directly from the Global Positioning Satellite system (run by the US government) and has nothing to do with Verizon's cell phone network. However, like the person above me said, you probably won't be able to use any of the maps because they are downloaded from Google over Verizon's network as you need them. You could probably still use any other GPS apps you have that aren't dependent on Google Maps, though.
 
I doubt it will work sadly.. Without a data connection, it's going to have a hard time localizing.. ie knowing where in the sky to look for sats. The phone relies on assisted gps (aGps) which gets its localization data from the cell tower nearest you..

Put your phone in airplane mode, and lemme know how many gps sats your phone finds..

yeah, it sucks..
-=< aaron >=-
 
If you will have a WiFi connection then you could download your route before leaving that area. Also you can look into CoPilot for Android, it's on the Market and I think it costs around $35. It will let you download all EU maps and stores them on the SD card so you don't need a cell signal.
 
Dark Jedi said:
You answered a post over a year old.
Click to expand...
Why does that matter? Discussion can still be active even in an old thread. Commenting on the age of the thread, however, adds nothing to the thread.

While we're adding to this thread, Navigon also offers locally stored maps.

aaron19953 said:
I doubt it will work sadly.. Without a data connection, it's going to have a hard time localizing.. ie knowing where in the sky to look for sats. The phone relies on assisted gps (aGps) which gets its localization data from the cell tower nearest you..

Put your phone in airplane mode, and lemme know how many gps sats your phone finds..
Click to expand...
...and, for the record, it will work. aGPS can fall back on standalone mode as needed.
 
MapDroyd is another option to use for locally stored maps...just be sure to install the maps before travel! Or else have WiFi available...
 
Just to correct anybody who may be misinformed....The DROID does not have aGPS, they have sGPS...which means that it is not dependent upon the verizon network.
 
mobrienjr said:
Just to correct anybody who may be misinformed....The DROID does not have aGPS, they have sGPS...which means that it is not dependent upon the verizon network.
Click to expand...
The Droid does have aGPS. Check its specs.

http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/U...ces/Mobile-Phones/ci.Motorola-DROID-US-EN.alt
GPS AND LOCATION SERVICES1
aGPS (assisted), sGPS (simultaneous)
Click to expand...

sGPS and aGPS are not mutually exclusive. sGPS refers to antenna design only. sGPS has nothing to do with network reliance nor does aGPS. If the Droid's GPS receiver can't reach the assistance servers it will fall back on standalone mode. People seem to commonly make the incorrect assumption that aGPS is tower triangulation but it is not. GPS is GPS. It can't be called GPS if it uses tower triangulation. By definition, all GPS uses the GPS satellites to detemine location.

Now, whether your GPS apps require data or not is an entirely separate matter and aGPS and sGPS are completely irrelevant in that regard.
 
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