• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Help Is my gps faulty?

K

kobe008

Newbie
Have had my GSIII for about 2 months now and I'm wondering if something is wrong with my gps. I have taken my phone and compared it to 2 other GSIII's using the app GPS Status & Toolbox. On my phone when the app is opened it says 'Looking for GPS Location' and will quite often never find anything. Sometimes it will lock on however. If I'm outside it locks on quicker but indoors it does not. On the other phones I compare it against they both lock on almost immediately.

The other weird thing about my phone is the compass in the GPS Status app. Mine never sits still it is always bouncing back and forth. The other 2 phones I compare against the compass locks on and never moves unless I move the phone.

Now when it comes to navigation my phone seems to work decent. The only places it does not take me directly to are houses it is usually off by about a block, but businesses it is spot on.

I am running stock 4.1.2 on Verizon. Would this be enough to call Verizon and try to get a different phone while its still under the year warranty?
 
Do you have aGPS (Assisted GPS) turned on? Not sure, but this may require location services to be turned on.

No GPS will work by itself indoors as it needs to have line-of-sight with 3 (I think that's the mimimum) or more satellites. aGPS uses the mobile network to give you a rough location and should work indoors. I tend to stick my phone by a window if I want a GPS lock.

Your phone uses aGPS to get a rough location while the GPS is busy finding satellites and 'triangulating' it's location, effectively getting you started much faster.

aGPS does require a data connection and uses (a tiny amount of) network data.

Google also uses WiFi for location as it (somewhat controversially) collected a lot of information on the locations of WiFi networks - not sure if this is used to assist the GPS, though. I guess you'd either need Location Services or at least your WiFi radio turned on to have this work (someone way more knowlegable will be able to confirm).

Not sure what the compass issue is.
 
I have Standalone GPS services and Google location services enabled. The verizon one is disabled. I sit right by a window and it still fails to lock on in a timely manner where other GSIII's have no problem. I am thinking I will call Verizon see what they say.
 
I worked in Verizon tech support for almost 2 years. If u want a replacement (REFURBISHED) phone. You need to call tech support and tell them your gps does not work at all and it won't even turn on. And stick to that story. But i would call the manufacturer. That way they will fix your phone and send the same one back. That way your not stuck with someone elses issues.
 
It might seem like it won't do a thing but the fix is most likely as easy as tightening the screws in the back of your phone. I had GPS issues for months and tried every aGPS fix known to man. Tried a whole bunch of different apps, flashed random fixes and none of them worked. Finally I read about the screws on many GSIII's being slightly loose. I tightened them (each one turned about another full turn) and not my GPS locks within 5 seconds even inside my house.

Sometimes the easiest fix is the one that works.
 
I did try tightening the screws and none of them were loose.

So what is the deal with a refurbished phone? Arent they phones that were sent in and repaired? I would suspect they wouldnt send one out that still has issues.
 
I think this is a JellyBean issue. I am on Tmobile and I never had problems with ICS, but when I upgraded to JB, I am seeing the same issue you're seeing.

What I have to do is reboot the phone. It's annoying, but there's nothing I can do. This also happens with my fiance's phone. It never happened before JB and I use my GPS everyday to and from work.
 
kobe008 said:
I did try tightening the screws and none of them were loose.

So what is the deal with a refurbished phone? Arent they phones that were sent in and repaired? I would suspect they wouldn't send one out that still has issues.
Click to expand...

verizon always sends out pos phones when i was working there at least half of the calls i got about replacement phones that verizon sent out were doa (dead on arrival) we would sent them out several replacement phones, i on the other hand if the customer had a doa device i would tell them to call their manufacturer and have them repair it. i would than check up on their account like 4 weeks later to see if they had any issues. and nope we never got a call back from them issue fixed. never have your carrier replace your phone always use your manufactures warranty iv also worked with sprint, at&t, t-mobile and the same sorry with them also
 
s3user said:
I think this is a JellyBean issue. I am on Tmobile and I never had problems with ICS, but when I upgraded to JB, I am seeing the same issue you're seeing.

What I have to do is reboot the phone. It's annoying, but there's nothing I can do. This also happens with my fiance's phone. It never happened before JB and I use my GPS everyday to and from work.
Click to expand...

I'm with T-Mobile and have 4.1.1 and have no problems with the GPS. Locks within a couple of seconds, but the same time I do a Factory Reset after every update.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom