Database Users

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 ?
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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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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

Does gps use data?

Question in title.. the other day, I went to the mountains and did not have any signal but my gps worked just fine. This leads the question, does using the gps use any mobile data at all?

I'd guess no, but I'd be more curious to see if an app like GPS Essentials works when you're in that situation. It pulls a lot of info from GPS.
There is an app that caches a large map file on your SD card so you can do basic map (not google) navigation without any data connection at all but the name of it escapes me at the moment. If that app is even possible then I'd guess GPS can function independently of data as long as it doesn't need anything beyond basic location info.
Today's Google Maps update in the market kinda deals with this. It adds caching options so that if you lose your data connection (which is required for things like driving navigation) you don't lose everything else too. It caches data so the phone can continue working for a few minutes even without a data signal.

The GPS has a function which access the internet to help it lock on for the first time. It looks up on the internet where the satellites might be. If you have a standalone GPS that you have not used for a while, it takes several minutes to lock on. Looking up where the satellites are on the sky through the internet speeds this up significantly. I believe that is what is called A-GPS. But I believe any GPS works standalone, without data.

forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=819394
YES .......

how does gps work on da phone

oi guys ive had a look at a few of those suggested threads about gps and yeah nah they dont really answer my question so feel free to link me to a thread if it answers my question
ok so, what the go.. the phone has gps.. but it doesnt work like a gps device eg navman, tomtom etc.. or does it? i've tried stock froyo and cyanogenmod using that google car app and then going to navigation, but it just keeps searching for a signal for ever. i dont want to use data cause it costs money and defeats the purpose of having a gps.. that is if the phone gps actually works like a gps device. if not then thats pretty bad advertising. anyways let me know, cheers

Mine gets connected to satelites on few seconds,performs as good as my Tom Tom does,i am using Navigon app&maps.

the latest google maps has offline support so you wouldnt need data...

what??! thats rediculous! i left mine in that navigation mode where it was looking for navigation or something like that and the gps symbol was flashing for like 15 min straight as i drove to work and nothing! is it meant to take that long?
EDIT: ok i opened up maps with wifi and it went through all that first time use crap. and so it was using wifi and gps it looked like and that was working. but then when i disabled wifi none of the maps load. only the maps that i had previously loaded while on wifi. wtf? arent maps installed..????????? therefore it should just load them.. what the #%^% im starting to get really pissed off with how stupid this design is. the maps are there, cause theyre installed, and the gps is there so.............. what the ^%#* is its problem?

your right it will only save maps you have browsed while on wifi...i believe there is a setting that overrides this though...

nolook said:
your right it will only save maps you have browsed while on wifi...i believe there is a setting that overrides this though...
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Click to collapse
do you know where this setting is? oh and i got the gps to work ie i got it to find me and all that. i did some reading and with gps on most phones the first time they connect it takes a while cause its gotta do all this satellite scanning and then eventually it goes yep ok hes in this part of the country, lets set him up with these satellites and so from then on it connects with gps a lot faster

First of all: the design is just great, you are the stupid.
How GPS work on dah phone ? well just like any other GPS: it receives signal from a few satellites around and it find your position based on the time laps between the reception of each signal (signal come with a time sync).
Now, how WELL does the Legend's GPS work ? as good as any other GPS: very nice in a car or outdoor, but very badly indoor and if it was unable to find your position for 15 minute I'm pretty sure you were indoor (or maybe outdoor in a big city).
Also on smartphone's GPS the data connection can help the GPS itself by downloading some data which will speed up the localisation by satellite, but this is not mandatory and if you're not connected you will end up being positionned. It will only take a few minutes (less than 15)
Finally about the navigation system (which is a bit different of GPS itself) Google's is fairly different than other software because it doesn't come with maps but it download them as you need them:
pros:
-maps are always up to date
-you don't have to waste 2Gb or more on your microSD to store them
-it's free !
cons:
-requires data connection (unlimited download recommanded)
If you prefer usual navigation software, feel free to use co-pilot or navigon or tomtom or any of the other regular software. But you'll have to pay (or crack) them.

Nashan said:
First of all: the design is just great, you are the stupid.
How GPS work on dah phone ? well just like any other GPS: it receives signal from a few satellites around and it find your position based on the time laps between the reception of each signal (signal come with a time sync).
Now, how WELL does the Legend's GPS work ? as good as any other GPS: very nice in a car or outdoor, but very badly indoor and if it was unable to find your position for 15 minute I'm pretty sure you were indoor (or maybe outdoor in a big city).
Also on smartphone's GPS the data connection can help the GPS itself by downloading some data which will speed up the localisation by satellite, but this is not mandatory and if you're not connected you will end up being positionned. It will only take a few minutes (less than 15)
Finally about the navigation system (which is a bit different of GPS itself) Google's is fairly different than other software because it doesn't come with maps but it download them as you need them:
pros:
-maps are always up to date
-you don't have to waste 2Gb or more on your microSD to store them
-it's free !
cons:
-requires data connection (unlimited download recommanded)
If you prefer usual navigation software, feel free to use co-pilot or navigon or tomtom or any of the other regular software. But you'll have to pay (or crack) them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whoa whoa whoa hang on now. lets not go throwing the word stupid around especially if you didnt even understand what i meant or you assumed i didnt know how gps works in the first place.
my general question was that it wasnt connecting to gps and the maps werent showing so im thinking you need data for the maps to show even though you have the maps installed, and secondly im thinking something is wrong with my gps or maybe it doesnt work like a normal device navman, tomtom etc because its been half an hour and still no connectivity. then i answered my own question as usual via the internet from other forums i found using google which explained what i said above.
basically with normal gps devices they are already setup with a region.. thingy or whatever it is built into the gps device. this means the first time you connect its actually quite quick because it already has an idea where you are in the world. however with phones, they apparently dont have this so the process of connecting for the first time can range from 3 min, instantly or up to 3 hours like numerous people claimed it had taken for their phones. as for mine it took just over half an hour and now it works fine.
the only question left over now is apparently you can get the maps to show without a data connection through some option change in the settings as someone mentioned a bit earlier.
dont go throwing stupid around mate or assuming anything cause now who looks stupid. besides the design is quite silly since none of this was explained. when they say the phone has gps people (like me) generally go oh wow like those car gps' and expect them to work like that. so when they dont we become a bit skeptical and i was right to do so because look at all this crap ^^^that ive discovered. anyways like i said theres still one stupid thing left about all this which is why data is needed to view maps that are already installed. its like those video games that you install and require you to be on the net to play

You were the one throwing stupid at the design while you still seem to misunderstand how google nav (quit calling it GPS please) works.
Maps are not completely loaded, they're only stored in the cache and that's true only for one scale, and around one place. You can hardly use that to explore the map offline not even mentionning navigating.
The new feature only allow google nav to keep guiding you if you lose connection for a little while. But you can't really use it offline.
I think that design is just awesome, although I have an unlimited data connection. If you don't have that kind of service you should take a look at usual GPS softwares.
And I'm not assuming anything, you asked "how GPS works" not "how google nav works"

Nashan said:
You were the one throwing stupid at the design while you still seem to misunderstand how google nav (quit calling it GPS please) works.
Maps are not completely loaded, they're only stored in the cache and that's true only for one scale, and around one place. You can hardly use that to explore the map offline not even mentionning navigating.
The new feature only allow google nav to keep guiding you if you lose connection for a little while. But you can't really use it offline.
I think that design is just awesome, although I have an unlimited data connection. If you don't have that kind of service you should take a look at usual GPS softwares.
And I'm not assuming anything, you asked "how GPS works" not "how google nav works"
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ugh forget it, i already answered my own question and now you're just being picky and all technical when no one really cares. i think 99% get what i mean so i dont care

GPS is working great. Google Maps is the "problem", more precisely not a real problem but the way it was designed. Unlike other GPS navigation software, the maps are not stored locally but in a cache. The latest version seems to have an offline mode but I didn't tested so I can't say if it's totally offline or not. If you want navigation without using your data connection or WiFi, switch to TomTom, iGO, or similar instead.
That's why Google Maps has only couple of MB and iGO for ex. has over 2 GB with all maps loaded...the difference is the space occupied by the maps.
P.S. And yes, first GPS lock is acquired a little bit later.

Rapier said:
GPS is working great. Google Maps is the "problem", more precisely not a real problem but the way it was designed. Unlike other GPS navigation software, the maps are not stored locally but in a cache. The latest version seems to have an offline mode but I didn't tested so I can't say if it's totally offline or not. If you want navigation without using your data connection or WiFi, switch to TomTom, iGO, or similar instead.
That's why Google Maps has only couple of MB and iGO for ex. has over 2 GB with all maps loaded...the difference is the space occupied by the maps.
P.S. And yes, first GPS lock is acquired a little bit later.
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thank you. that clears it all up
now to that other guy, wouldnt it have been easier to just say that ^

I use Igo for my offline nav. It works just like a tom tom. For my geocaching needs, I use geobeagle.
Sent from my HTC Legend using XDA App

GPS ... without internet?

Before buying this set I want to know something about its GPS.
1. Can it get a lock on the satellites without an internet connection.
2. If yes, how much time it takes to get an accurate position.
Please can anyone test it.

GPS has nothing to do with internet. So yeah it works without internet.
I've read reports that positioning time is around 4-5 seconds.

GPS is not dependent on the internet, but my Tmobile Sensation 4G sure needed a data connection for it to function as a navigation device. I had to download the Google maps for my area to my phone so I could navigate without a data connection.

Gavin S. said:
GPS is not dependent on the internet, but my Tmobile Sensation 4G sure needed a data connection for it to function as a navigation device. I had to download the Google maps for my area to my phone so I could navigate without a data connection.
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This. If you pre-download whatever area you will need while on WiFi, it will make it so it doesn't need a data connection in use for navigating out in the "wild".

How do you pre-download an area?

Nitemare3219 said:
How do you pre-download an area?
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I know Google Maps has this function now, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Personally, when I'm hiking or going to a remote place, I use Backcountry Pro. It's a little pricey for a phone app, but they have lots of topographical and aerial satellite shots of the entire North America.
In short, GPS does NOT require an Internet connection to function (find your phone). The app that uses the GPS may need an Internet connection to work though.
EDIT: I found this for instructions on how to do offline navigation with Google Maps.

Open maps and hit menu and one option will be make available offline. Choose that and delineate the area you want. I think I had like a 80mb limit to the size of the file. It was a fairly large bit of map, though.

There is a 80mb limit but you can save 10 of these squares so it's more than enough. A large city can be covered in about 3 or 4 squares.

I've used Google Maps including a lock with navigation in a car without a SIM card in foreign countries, so yes.

Gavin S. said:
Open maps and hit menu and one option will be make available offline. Choose that and delineate the area you want. I think I had like a 80mb limit to the size of the file. It was a fairly large bit of map, though.
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Click to collapse
I have tried that but I don't see a way to save it with a given name and I could only save one image as the second replaced the first. Also the map when you are off line looses a lot of detail except for a small area in the center. At least it did when I tried.

donec said:
I have tried that but I don't see a way to save it with a given name and I could only save one image as the second replaced the first. Also the map when you are off line looses a lot of detail except for a small area in the center. At least it did when I tried.
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Click to collapse
Got me. Maybe you can only have 1 image at a time. Neotekz might have more information.

you could try the app - navfreeworld - that's offline open street maps. I use it with the GPS when overseas so I don't eat up my data connection. Its a free app so if you don't like it, all you lose is time

donec said:
I have tried that but I don't see a way to save it with a given name and I could only save one image as the second replaced the first. Also the map when you are off line looses a lot of detail except for a small area in the center. At least it did when I tried.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you can change the name, it just auto assigns the name of the area you are saving. I just checked with my gnex and I'm able to save more than one. You can go see the list of your saved maps by going to maps settings->my places->offline tab. There is an option there to add new maps too.

Seemonsters said:
GPS has nothing to do with internet. So yeah it works without internet.
I've read reports that positioning time is around 4-5 seconds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried it yourself...GPS position without internet in just 4-5 sec is impossible...
Please give it another try ...this time without internet...and let me know...
I want to make sure without internet GPS is good on this device before I buy it
Sent from my LG-SU660 using XDA Premium App

Seemonsters said:
GPS has nothing to do with internet. So yeah it works without internet.
I've read reports that positioning time is around 4-5 seconds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not necessarily. My epic 4g will not enable the GPS if there has been no data connection since boot. So if its in airplane mode because I'm somewhere with bad/no signal (sprint, so this was common) there's no way to use GPS with offline maps.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

zman0900 said:
Not necessarily. My epic 4g will not enable the GPS if there has been no data connection since boot. So if its in airplane mode because I'm somewhere with bad/no signal (sprint, so this was common) there's no way to use GPS with offline maps.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have used GPS on some samsung phones without internet...
but I am asking about Nexus 4...?
Has anyone tried GPS on it without internet?

I just tried it, phone in airplane mode and it grabbed 8/19 sats in the area in <8s. That is a HUGE improvement over my sensation which could never get a good (green) lock but it only grabbed ~3 sats in the area and it could take up to 30s with data on, it also constantly lost connection when on a drive so I'll see if that has improved later today.

threeclaws said:
I just tried it, phone in airplane mode and it grabbed 8/19 sats in the area in <8s. That is a HUGE improvement over my sensation which could never get a good (green) lock but it only grabbed ~3 sats in the area and it could take up to 30s with data on, it also constantly lost connection when on a drive so I'll see if that has improved later today.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You tried it over Nexus 4?
Thanks a lot...

If the mobile is saving information every once and then, it's not useful to turn of internet. I think it should be turned off several days until the "assisted" info gets out of date (A-GPS without A).
I have a TomTom GPS, and it downloads once a WEEK the GPS information. If Nexus4 does the same, it's not useful to turn down the internet for a couple of minutes. I think

Struck89 said:
If the mobile is saving information every once and then, it's not useful to turn of internet. I think it should be turned off several days until the "assisted" info gets out of date (A-GPS without A).
I have a TomTom GPS, and it downloads once a WEEK the GPS information. If Nexus4 does the same, it's not useful to turn down the internet for a couple of minutes. I think
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
threeclaws
Can you re test?
Can you delete your a-gps data before trying it again.
Use this tool
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2
Then try this software to check ur gps positioning
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chartcross.gpstest&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5jaGFydGNyb3NzLmdwc3Rlc3QiXQ..
Thanks in advance

[Q] How does Google Navigation work? Does it depend on GPS or cellular network?

How does Google Navigation work? Does it depend on GPS or cellular network or both?
I have a Tmobile Note 3 and sometimes, when my mobile data is showing "E" the Google Maps app can't even get a GPS lock?
Is it the phone? Do I have a lemon?
My friend has a Galaxy Note 3 on Verizon and her Google Maps worked just fine. Her data was showing 4G LTE.
Is anyone here an expert on how Google Maps works? I thought it only needed GPS? I tried all the different GPS settings ("full", power save, GPS only, etc) and none of them made any difference.

I m not an expert, just sharing with you what i know, Google maps can work only on gps but with data pcg locking to gps & loading of maps will be much faster, navigation is a feature now built inside Google maps required internet for navigat to certain destination.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app

Neo3D said:
How does Google Navigation work? Does it depend on GPS or cellular network or both?
I have a Tmobile Note 3 and sometimes, when my mobile data is showing "E" the Google Maps app can't even get a GPS lock?
Is it the phone? Do I have a lemon?
My friend has a Galaxy Note 3 on Verizon and her Google Maps worked just fine. Her data was showing 4G LTE.
Is anyone here an expert on how Google Maps works? I thought it only needed GPS? I tried all the different GPS settings ("full", power save, GPS only, etc) and none of them made any difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can use Google Maps without GPS also, its gets location from the cellular towers around you. but its not always perfect as towers can be near you or far away
So for perfect accuracy GPS is required. GPS lock depends on many reason.

Thanks! Is anyone else using Google Maps/Navigation on a Note 3 with Tmobile?
How good does it do GPS lock?

You know one thing? If your maps are cached, you don't even need internet to get a GPS lock......
Sent from my amazing Exynos Note 3.

Neo3D said:
How does Google Navigation work? Does it depend on GPS or cellular network or both?
I have a Tmobile Note 3 and sometimes, when my mobile data is showing "E" the Google Maps app can't even get a GPS lock?
Is it the phone? Do I have a lemon?
My friend has a Galaxy Note 3 on Verizon and her Google Maps worked just fine. Her data was showing 4G LTE.
Is anyone here an expert on how Google Maps works? I thought it only needed GPS? I tried all the different GPS settings ("full", power save, GPS only, etc) and none of them made any difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"E" mean edge which is 2.4g network and slower internet. with "E" the maps slower to download map images, sometime very slower it cant load the full map and it stuck. as the map not loaded the gps doesnt work.
I'm not on Tmobile but whenever I'm traveling on rural areas out of the city, it doesnt work properly until it get a HSPDA network. and for this situation its better to keep it in high accuracy mode, but without gps the navigation doesnt give proper location.

Google maps can work only with gps & data/wifi...But i think if you search on the internet, there is a way to work gMaps and navigate offline!!

google maps uses your data and GPS.
you can 'download' areas to make it work without data and only on GPS.
https://support.google.com/gmm/answer/3273567?hl=en-GB
I gave up on GM and tried various data free satnav type aps,I now use navfree

soumen.sam said:
"E" mean edge which is 2.4g network and slower internet. with "E" the maps slower to download map images, sometime very slower it cant load the full map and it stuck. as the map not loaded the gps doesnt work.
I'm not on Tmobile but whenever I'm traveling on rural areas out of the city, it doesnt work properly until it get a HSPDA network. and for this situation its better to keep it in high accuracy mode, but without gps the navigation doesnt give proper location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I'm on "E," it says "Searching for GPS" like forever and never locks. It's quite frustrating.

Neo3D said:
When I'm on "E," it says "Searching for GPS" like forever and never locks. It's quite frustrating.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try do the same thing on a high speed network like wifi, hspds. If that doesnt work go to app, clear all google map app data and cache and then try again.
Please make sure if you have the issue with the GPS hardware then it will does same on highspeed network too. Mine does something same, but i forgot how it does on Edge.
Also what type of cover you're using, if any. magnets of cover sometime malfunction hardware, like compass spen etc, mine effect on spen. So if you're using any cover with magnet the try with removing it.
According to me this phone could malfunction any hardware, its nothing weird, mine vibration doesnt working these days, its a 6month new phone and never dropped.

soumen.sam said:
Try do the same thing on a high speed network like wifi, hspds. If that doesnt work go to app, clear all google map app data and cache and then try again.
Please make sure if you have the issue with the GPS hardware then it will does same on highspeed network too. Mine does something same, but i forgot how it does on Edge.
Also what type of cover you're using, if any. magnets of cover sometime malfunction hardware, like compass spen etc, mine effect on spen. So if you're using any cover with magnet the try with removing it.
According to me this phone could malfunction any hardware, its nothing weird, mine vibration doesnt working these days, its a 6month new phone and never dropped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GPS lock works fine when I have LTE. But, the arrow thing looks like it's drifting when I'm driving sometimes. For example, it sometimes doesn't point in the same direction that I'm driving. I tried resetting my compass with the figure 8 trick already, doesn't help.
I have a TPU cover.

Let's start from the beginning:
You can set what is used for your location:
under KK my phone has following options:
1 High accuracy - uses GPS, wifi and cell network
2 power save - uses wifi and mobile network only
3 gps only
So the question is not "what is used for location", but "how is your phone set up?"
Any other setting but 1st, will have issues.
if settings are proper then try using GPS test or gps status program to see if hardware is working properly. if that's ok, maybe need to clear cache or reinstall program.