GPS Roaming Charges? - HD2 General

Am thinking of using copilot on my phone when I go away to Portugal. What I want to know is will using gps incurr any data charges? Will be using the phone in flight mode and run nodata as well to make sure all connections are cut but don't want to get a nasty surprise when I get back. Anyone used their hd2 abroad for navigation before?

djingonthenet said:
Am thinking of using copilot on my phone when I go away to Portugal. What I want to know is will using gps incurr any data charges? Will be using the phone in flight mode and run nodata as well to make sure all connections are cut but don't want to get a nasty surprise when I get back. Anyone used their hd2 abroad for navigation before?
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Click to collapse
gps is totally independent of your provider, you won't be charged anything for using it. (as long as you do not download any additional maps etc, but as you said you set your phone to flight mode this shouldn't be a problem)

or get the app dialup enabler/disabler which lets you deny access to your mobile data connection with a simple toggle. THen you dont need to use flight mode.

samsamuel said:
or get the app dialup enabler/disabler which lets you deny access to your mobile data connection with a simple toggle. THen you dont need to use flight mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Already installed along with nodata and htc's data toggle too - am covering all my bases

hehe very wise

djingonthenet said:
Am thinking of using copilot on my phone when I go away to Portugal. What I want to know is will using gps incurr any data charges? Will be using the phone in flight mode and run nodata as well to make sure all connections are cut but don't want to get a nasty surprise when I get back. Anyone used their hd2 abroad for navigation before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How GPS works:
SENDER: Satellites in Earth Orbit send slightly falsified signals (this is why only the fu...... as....... of the military receive data exact on the cm/ft) to Earth surface (24 hrs a day worldwide free of any charge)
RECEIVER: Your HD2 has a GPS-receiver and by the different travel times of the signals from the different GPS-satellites calculates Your position (Lat/Long/Elev) with aberrations of 5-10 m (15-30 ft)
UNTIL NOW EVERYTHING IS FREE !
For quicker lock-in to the satellites the HTC-PDAs use a "Quick-GPS" function (download of GPS-sats-position for a period of 6 days)
THIS You have to switch off in Roaming mode to prevent costs for data-traffic
Have fun in Portugal

Related

Using GPS Abroad

Apologies if this has been asked before, I have used the seach tool and all I can find is people getting extremely high bills while using their phone abroad.
I have CoPilot live on my touch hd and would like to use GPS in france. If I turn off A-GPS and stop using HSPDA/GPRS/WAP will it just connect to GPS satellites and cost nothing?
yep....gps as long as you not let a-gps connect will be free...but even witch a-gps switched on you won't incure high charges as it uses minimal data transfer... you can get a small piece of soft which will block your roaming internet...just search this site.
regards
Many thanks, I saw the app on here that blocks the data connection. This is the best site ever!

Do you have to have data plan for GPS?

I have T-Mobile USA. Can I use the GPS without a data plan?
What is meant by data plan ?
azahidi said:
What is meant by data plan ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Internet Plan
I only have a plan with minutes and no internet.
DanRo80 said:
Internet Plan
I only have a plan with minutes and no internet.
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Click to collapse
Some GPS applications, e.g. Garmin mobile and many freeware GPS apps, do not require internet connection. Google maps mobile requires internet connection, of course.
azahidi said:
Some GPS applications, e.g. Garmin mobile and many freeware GPS apps, do not require internet connection. Google maps mobile requires internet connection, of course.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you are not able to use QuickGPS for faster detection of the satellites.
But I do not know if this is necessary/useful for these programs.
MvBoe said:
And you are not able to use QuickGPS for faster detection of the satellites.
But I do not know if this is necessary/useful for these programs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True that QuickGPS is supposed to assist in faster GPS detection. However I am not sure how much faster, I mean by how many seconds faster (no empirical measure). From my experience, satellite detection without QuickGPS updated for a few weeks, is still quite fast, a few ten seconds - but still dependant on the sky/cloud condition. I am talking from where I live - equatorial. I am not sure about north of the tropics (Europe and N.America)
A definite no!
You do not need a data plan to use the GPS! Depending on which cellular company you go with, some of their people will try to tell or sell you on a plan. You do not need it.
For WM 5 and above, it is recommended that you let WM manage your GPS for all programs. To do this go to the System Settings tab and select the External GPS app (why it is called external is beyond me). Then move through the tabs to configure the GPS. Ideally, use a port that is not in use. I typically use 9. Then click the box to have WM manage the GPS for all programs that need data from it.
Now, you just need software and there is plenty of free programs out. One utility I recommend is GPS Toggle (http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-gps-toggle.html ). This small Today screen plug-in will turn on the Jade GPS to quote warm it up for you. If the GPS has not been turned on in awhile, it can take up to 10 minutes or longer to have it lock onto four satellites which is what is considered necessary for satellite navigation (satnav). During this period, the satellites will use your time signal as one of the primary pieces of info to sync your GPS. Then based upon the positon of the satellites, they will identify your location. Once they have downloaded enough data to the GPS and are in sync, your GPS will become satnav capable.
Another app you might to look at is GPSToday (http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-gpstoday-v0-9.html#). I recommend setting this app as separate one and not a Today screen plug-in but that is your choice after reviewing what it is capable of doing. I love that it can geotag pictures taken by Jade which basically takes quote dumb or pictures that do not have typical computer info written into them. You can even use it to mark where you parked your car (at a stadium or large event), store the coordinates and have it navigate back to your car. Another good use is for geocaching.
These are just two small apps. What you really want now is iGO8 (highly recommended), TomTom or another commercial software program.
__________________
WM 6.5 HTC T3232 (clone)
running iGO8
Everywhere I look it seems that iGO8 is only for iPhone, but people say they are using it. I am also in the United States.
DanRo80 said:
Everywhere I look it seems that iGO8 is only for iPhone, but people say they are using it. I am also in the United States.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you look here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=472110&highlight=gps+software), it might give you an idea. iGo8 has been used on Jade.
azahidi said:
If you look here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=472110&highlight=gps+software), it might give you an idea. iGo8 has been used on Jade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I was in there. It's just that the website said that it was for the iPhone and it looked like it was for Europe only. Nevermind, I am just dopey. I see that it is also for America and Canada.

TomTom and roaming

I have TomTom and 1 gb of Europmaps installaed and it works just fine.
But now im going on holliday and was thinking about using my HD2 and TomTom navigation. But is TomTom using data when showing you where to go?
I know that e.g. Googlemaps is using data to download maps as you go, but now that TomTom is using the 1 gb maps, is TomTom then also using data to work?
TomTom isn't working if you disable the phone in the Commanager.
So will it cost to use tomtom abroad?
Good question
I use Tomtom and I have used this with no available credit and not received any extra charges or anything
I would be interested to know why it needs the phone connected to a phone signal to actually work this is also the same with Garmin XT
I would think it would work while roaming without causing any additional charges to your phone but that is just a guess
the plot thickens
i just ran Garmin XT on the HD2
I first tried with flight mode and Garmin works fine
Removed the SIM card and Garmin still works
weird as I also have garmin xt on my HD as well and if I have no sim it wont work
Thanks ozmoran, il'l try and use Tomtom on my holliday and se if i get any big bill
Tomtom will not incur charges when roaming, if your worried just make sure your HD2 cant make an internet connection by installing something like nodata.
Iv noticed in flight mode that iGo8 and memory map both work fine however for some reason tomtom never does, iv never incurred charges though using tomtom while roaming.
the HTC has got a A-GPS chipset. That chipset uses the GSM network to get an estimate of the handset’s location down to cell/sector, therefore can predict with great accuracy the GPS signal the handset will receive. With this assistance the size of the search space is greatly reduced and the time-to-first-fix.
there is no charge for this.
petervgijn said:
the HTC has got a A-GPS chipset. That chipset uses the GSM network to get an estimate of the handset’s location down to cell/sector, therefore can predict with great accuracy the GPS signal the handset will receive. With this assistance the size of the search space is greatly reduced and the time-to-first-fix.
there is no charge for this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a thought should Tomtom work if AGPS is turned off?
and thanks for the info
much appreciated
dont worry i tried with location and same result
so if its more detailed Id rather not mess with it LOL
yea just takes a bit longer to get a fix. but apart from that it doesnt need to access anything unless you clicked on an update by mistake
TomTom uses no data for me. I used it when i was driving to Switzerland from Sweden. I just installed a nodata app to make sure it used no data for weather, emails and such.
I got no big bill when i got back home, except that the text messages and the calls was alittle more expensive than usual (duh?)

[Q] what gps google ?

Hi guys I have just attempted to use the satnav installed on the MDJ 1.7 rom which I believe is google ? anyway I can get a gps lock by using gps-status then in the application it hangs on getting directions and will only work using the data connection any ideas ? or is there a better one ?
Just wondering fi tis fault with google or the GPS ? I can get lock so must be with the app ?
Oh it does work using data connection but no good in europe or USA.
I guess I could use WM just for SAtNav and copilot or tomtom but would be nice to have it all working.
AFAIK, it gets your location with GPS and then attempts to calculate the route, which requires a data connection. I'm not sure whether it needs the data connection after that or not, but I've driven 100's of miles using it and have never had the map stop moving or lose any information, so I don't believe it uses data during the journey. Maybe just a touch every now and then.
If it gets your location and then fails calculating your route then it suggests that there is an issue with your data connection.
johncmolyneux said:
AFAIK, it gets your location with GPS and then attempts to calculate the route, which requires a data connection. I'm not sure whether it needs the data connection after that or not, but I've driven 100's of miles using it and have never had the map stop moving or lose any information, so I don't believe it uses data during the journey. Maybe just a touch every now and then.
If it gets your location and then fails calculating your route then it suggests that there is an issue with your data connection.
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Click to collapse
Ahh that makes sense now so it needs data connection to download the route data then you can switch it off.
Still bit crap when you are abroad because data charges are like £1 per mb or so.
So guess I may get co-pilot from the "market" which seams quite reasonable ?
Thanks.

GPS lock time problem

Hi,When I use my phone for finding my location without using data connectivity - without relying on A-GPS so my phone finds my location after a lot of time or sometimes google maps can't find my location.
How can I solve this?
Thanks.
After day or so it won't get fix at all. Samsung just did something wrong I'm afraid. Looks like the GPS in SG2 NEEDS data to work. I found the hard way on my trip to Japan. I know no solution.
So I cant change my gps settings?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
GPS in the S2 is weird. Some days it locks in seconds other times it takes forever. I never use A-GPS.
Today I couldn't get it to lock but last night it was instant. So I restored a CWM backup from last night, rebooted and it locked instantly.
I played around with MIUI for a couple of days and found lock time much better than stock or custom rom.
Also, changing server with fasterfix makes no difference when its having problems locking.
I just don't get it.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
GPS Aids in Market. It will take a bit of time on first lock but from then it will be fast.
sxi200 said:
GPS in the S2 is weird. Some days it locks in seconds other times it takes forever. I never use A-GPS.
Today I couldn't get it to lock but last night it was instant. So I restored a CWM backup from last night, rebooted and it locked instantly.
I played around with MIUI for a couple of days and found lock time much better than stock or custom rom.
Also, changing server with fasterfix makes no difference when its having problems locking.
I just don't get it.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
How do you 'never use AGPS' ? Btw. my problem is not time of the lock. But the fact, that without network, I don't get fix AT ALL. With network AGPS reset helps (many apps can do that). But without network GPS works only for some time (AGPS data still valid). After that you just won't get fix. It even looks like wifi connection won't help, it has to be mobile network.
It's because of crappy gps reciever or it can be improved by another rom?
Thanks
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
It seems the problem is that GPS is in mode, where it simply relies on AGPS. In older ROMs there was app called LBSTestMode where you could change the mode to stand alone, or just AGPS based. This application is not in newer ROMs, so it cannot be switched. It clearly is just a software thing. Except it looks that there is no solution which does not involve flashing roms and/or rooting.
Dr.Sid said:
How do you 'never use AGPS' ? Btw. my problem is not time of the lock. But the fact, that without network, I don't get fix AT ALL. With network AGPS reset helps (many apps can do that). But without network GPS works only for some time (AGPS data still valid). After that you just won't get fix. It even looks like wifi connection won't help, it has to be mobile network.
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Click to collapse
Yeah I never use it. I don't tick 'use wireless networks' at all. To me that's fake GPS.
Since my last post, GPS has been perfect. Am able to lock up to 11 satellites sitting on the couch. On average it takes about 10 seconds to lock. Tested it at least 20 times today.
But who knows what will happen tomorrow!!!
Man, if you can only get a lock using wireless networks then I think your GPS might be stuffed.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
sxi200 said:
Yeah I never use it. I don't tick 'use wireless networks' at all. To me that's fake GPS.
Since my last post, GPS has been perfect. Am able to lock up to 11 satellites sitting on the couch. On average it takes about 10 seconds to lock. Tested it at least 20 times today.
But who knows what will happen tomorrow!!!
Man, if you can only get a lock using wireless networks then I think your GPS might be stuffed.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That does not mean you don't use AGPS. AGPS is method, where data about GPS satellites are not downloaded from those satellites via GPS receiver, but rather from server via. mobile network. So I'm afraid you do use AGPS, unless you disable mobile networking (and wait about day for current data to become obsolete).
One thing I've noticed is that when I run Z-DeviceTest and bring up the GPS status display, it shows that none of the satellites have almanac data, and very rarely have ephemeris data. If that's accurate, that would suggest that if you've turned off AGPS and mobile networking, you could have some trouble.
3waygeek said:
One thing I've noticed is that when I run Z-DeviceTest and bring up the GPS status display, it shows that none of the satellites have almanac data, and very rarely have ephemeris data. If that's accurate, that would suggest that if you've turned off AGPS and mobile networking, you could have some trouble.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice find. First app I know which shows this. Now I can test if that almanac is downloading via GPS satellites or not.
Dr.Sid said:
That does not mean you don't use AGPS. AGPS is method, where data about GPS satellites are not downloaded from those satellites via GPS receiver, but rather from server via. mobile network. So I'm afraid you do use AGPS, unless you disable mobile networking (and wait about day for current data to become obsolete).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. So does that would mean it's impossible to get a GPS lock without data enabled? Or just harder to?
Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned AGPS, but instead wireless networks which show your position even though GPS is not locked.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
sxi200 said:
Ok. So does that would mean it's impossible to get a GPS lock without data enabled? Or just harder to?
Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned AGPS, but instead wireless networks which show your position even though GPS is not locked.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems it may vary with ROM, and it is possible to switch it, at least older ROMs contain service menu module (LbsTestMode) to switch it. But my SG2 seems to be unable to get a fix without network. It simply does not even try do download Almanac or Ephemerides data from the satellites.
Also for AGPS, mobile network must be used, not WiFi. As I understand it, those AGPS server names are virtual, and network provider redirects them based on location .. which is not possible via WiFi.
I wonder WHY there is such option at all. Do mobile network providers want us to be unable to get a fix without them ?
Dr.Sid said:
It seems it may vary with ROM, and it is possible to switch it, at least older ROMs contain service menu module (LbsTestMode) to switch it. But my SG2 seems to be unable to get a fix without network. It simply does not even try do download Almanac or Ephemerides data from the satellites.
Also for AGPS, mobile network must be used, not WiFi. As I understand it, those AGPS server names are virtual, and network provider redirects them based on location .. which is not possible via WiFi.
I wonder WHY there is such option at all. Do mobile network providers want us to be unable to get a fix without them ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Dr, I think you have diagnosed my problem
Every so often I turn off data and use only wifi. One day my GPS locks in seconds then the next it takes forever.
So I have now tested it a couple of times over the last couple of days, when I can't get a lock I turn off wifi and turn on data. All of a sudden GPS locks again. Interesting!!
Hopefully that is it. Will test again the next time it won't lock.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Ha ! Breakthrough. I could get a fix without network ! But ..
I used newer version of 'GPS Status' app. It shows state of unconnected satellites with gray/blue/yellow based on how much data it has - none/almanac/ephemerides. So you can see if there is some progress or not.
So I disabled network (both wifi and mobile), disabled location from mobile network, left just GPS on .. run GPS status and used 'Reset AGPS'.
The connection has few 'phases':
1) you get signals from satellites .. you see it in power meter .. all are gray .. and their dots on the 'sky' view are all in the N. Sure, GPS does not know where the satellites are, and does not know where you are .. so it can't know where on the 'sky' they should show.
2) Some signals/dots turn blue. That means you have almanac data. Rough position of all satellites, which is transmitted by all satellites. That already means your GPS receiver was used to download some data from the satellites. Based on this, GPS can tell very roughly where you are, and will paint dots on the skyview.
3) Some signals/dots turn yellow. That means you successfully downloaded ephemerides data from that satellite, and it can be used in fix. Have enough of them, and you are done.
4) Some signals/dots turn green - you have fix. The error will get better over time as more satellites are used.
I took me over 5 minutes .. but thanks to this tool I could see I'm indeed receiving some data and there is some progress. Also it only worked outside, under open skies. I tried that in a car, in a bus, in a train .. after 10 minutes I did not get over phase 1. With AGPS I get fix in all such situations in few seconds.
It just looks like the data decoding module for almanac/ephemerides is not the same as for the time (which is used in fix itself). While time channel is quite sensitive and fine, data channel seems to have troubles with even slightest disturbances.
Still I'm happy I made it work in the end !
Btw. the fact that AGPS does not work over WiFi still holds.
ayosopov said:
Hi,When I use my phone for finding my location without using data connectivity - without relying on A-GPS so my phone finds my location after a lot of time or sometimes google maps can't find my location.
How can I solve this?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try fasterfix from market
I rarely have the data connection on (just to save battery) and WiFi is only on where I know I have a known connection - thus it is off when outside.
I put on the GPS then immediately run Sygic satnav program. I will have a fix normally within 30 seconds and a worst case of about a minute (that I can remember).
I have just tried switching off and on my phone, putting on the GPS (from the Pull down menu) and run Sygic. From switching on the GPS, I had a lock in about a minute.
KI3 Stock ROM
fred_up said:
I rarely have the data connection on (just to save battery) and WiFi is only on where I know I have a known connection - thus it is off when outside.
I put on the GPS then immediately run Sygic satnav program. I will have a fix normally within 30 seconds and a worst case of about a minute (that I can remember).
I have just tried switching off and on my phone, putting on the GPS (from the Pull down menu) and run Sygic. From switching on the GPS, I had a lock in about a minute.
KI3 Stock ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you try that with AGPS manually reset ? I recommend 'GPS Status' tool to do it, it's in 'tools' menu.
GPS lock time seems much improved in KJ4 firmware for me (i'm on orange 2.3.5)
all three DOP values in GPS Status now show figures (instead of infinity for two of them), and i'm getting reported accuracies of around 5 metres, instead of 14 - 20 metres on the older firmware.

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