GPS and Data

[CaseyKees]

This is going to probably sound like a dumb question, but I like asking the dumb questions here because no one judges

How does using GPS affect data? I am currently on unlimited data. We travel only a couple times of year to unknown destinations and I like to use the GPS on my phone and am worried about switching to tiered data.


Thanks.
Kathy

 

[Frisco]

This is going to probably sound like a dumb question, but I like asking the dumb questions here because no one judges

How does using GPS affect data? I am currently on unlimited data. We travel only a couple times of year to unknown destinations and I like to use the GPS on my phone and am worried about switching to tiered data.


Thanks.
Kathy

Hello Kathy.

GPS (Global Positioning System) does not use data, but in order to get maps of an area it would have to use data to load the cache, so as you drive if you go to an area not already loaded into the device's cache, it will then download new data through the cell network.

Having wifi on makes a difference (when you're in a wifi hot spot area) as in using less carrier data, of course, but the triangulation of towers and data used to calculate and provide positioning will still be a portion of a data stream.

 

[hilmar2k]

It doesn't use very much data. I doubt a couple of trips a year would even be noticeable.

 

[CaseyKees]

Ok thanks!