GPS question (please don't laugh)

violent31601 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 04:56 PM

does a GPS on a cell phone go off of GPS towers or cell towers.

so if i'm out in the middle of nowhere will the GPS not work for me?

this is just something that i've always wondered

**rainfreak** · #2 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 04:58 PM

hahahaha...

Sorry, couldn't resist

violent31601 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 05:04 PM

although i'm smart on a lot of stuff on my cell phone/computers/everything else, i'm still VERY new to GPS

**Geekcop** · #4 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 05:14 PM

The GPS most people are familiar with operates off of satellites. I would assume that phone based GPS would be the same

violent31601 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geekcop

GPS operate off of satellites

thanks, I knew that. I just didn't know if it operated the same using a cell phone GPS

blackwrx · #6 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 05:18 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_Phone

violent31601 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackwrx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_Phone

hehe Wikipedia has a page for everything

dsmith5237 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 06:02 PM

GPS on phones generally needs a live data connection to pull maps and other associated info. If off-network the GPS may get coordinates, but those coordinates won't tell you much if the phone has no maps stored internally or no connection to the web to pull maps on the go.

dj_mysha · #9 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 06:17 PM

Hey violent,
Check this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gps
Basically, GPS works using satellites, cellular works using towers. As far as I know, there is no such thing as a GPS tower.
To expand on that, Assisted GPS (aGPS) works by using the cellular data connection on a mobile phone to assist the on-board GPS hardware in getting faster satellite locks.
So if you're in the middle of nowhere and don't have your cellular data connection available, you should still be able to get a GPS lock, as long as you have a clear view of the sky. It just may take a little longer because you won't have aGPS to help you get a quicker lock.
Hope that helps!
Myke...

dj_mysha · #10 (**permalink**) 10-17-2008, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsmith5237

GPS on phones generally needs a live data connection to pull maps and other associated info. If off-network the GPS may get coordinates, but those coordinates won't tell you much if the phone has no maps stored internally or no connection to the web to pull maps on the go.

This is a good point. I use Tomtom, which stores the maps on my device, so I'm good with or without a data connection. Users of Google Maps Mobile, or other services that download maps of the current position using the data connection, may find themselves out of luck.
Myke...