Former Alltel users and GPS problems

AUTOSEALS · #1 (**permalink**) 11-23-2009, 11:30 PM

I am trying to get a feel for how many users out there are having problems with their GPS.

I have read over all the treads with Verizon unlocking GPS and how many other people have it working with no problems after setting the location to "ON" and running QuickGPS. I also know there are several people like myself that can never get GPS to get a lock.

From my searching I may have found the issue. It appears that Alltel customers who are now with verizon after the merge have a problem with getting locks on satalites. Even if that person changes their plan to a verizon plan they still have problems. It has to do something with how verizon sees the account and is somehow blocking still.

I have come across other forums decribing the same problem with the droid. I was hoping to see if other users on here were having the same issue as I am.

I have a verizon TP2 now, but had the same issue with the my TP.

Here is the link to the google forum about the Droid.
http://www.google.com/support/forum/...1586b8fb&hl=en

**jshaas2** · #2 (**permalink**) 11-23-2009, 11:53 PM

zero problems here. Most of former Alltel users that had issues were those that still had Alltel phones (Like the original Alltel TP). Since you have a Verizon TP2, i would assume you have transferred and you are on their network.

again, zero issues here. Also make sure this thread is only for ROM upgrades...as the page title indicates.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUTOSEALS

I am trying to get a feel for how many users out there are having problems with their GPS.

I have read over all the treads with Verizon unlocking GPS and how many other people have it working with no problems after setting the location to "ON" and running QuickGPS. I also know there are several people like myself that can never get GPS to get a lock.

From my searching I may have found the issue. It appears that Alltel customers who are now with verizon after the merge have a problem with getting locks on satalites. Even if that person changes their plan to a verizon plan they still have problems. It has to do something with how verizon sees the account and is somehow blocking still.

I have come across other forums decribing the same problem with the droid. I was hoping to see if other users on here were having the same issue as I am.

I have a verizon TP2 now, but had the same issue with the my TP.

Here is the link to the google forum about the Droid.
http://www.google.com/support/forum/...1586b8fb&hl=en

mikevolzer · #3 (**permalink**) 11-24-2009, 12:25 AM

I am a former Alltel customer and I am now on Verizon. The GPS on my Touch Pro with Alltel took a long time to get a lock with satellites.

However, now that I have a Touch Pro 2 and am a part of the Verizon network I've had no problems at all with the GPS locking. In fact, it locks within a matter of seconds, much much faster than the original Touch Pro.

It must be something else causing your problems with GPS lock. Mine works fine even inside my house.

csper · #4 (**permalink**) 11-24-2009, 01:16 AM

Alltel user now under VZW. Upgraded to a TP2 without changing to a VZW plan and still have plenty of problems getting locks. Works sometimes, sometimes not at all. Yes Location Service is on; yes I've run QuickGPS. Even after I get locks, getting subsequent locks later still is hit or miss. I thought flashing to new ROMs helped, but not really, though I should go back to the Verizon stock available here (that was a slight version downgrade) to say so with absolute certainty, since somebody here told me that it improved their GPS locking.

Based on everything I read here, I either have a defective phone or you're onto something. However, if the locks are non-assisted I can't quite understand how VZW/Alltel would make any difference.

Probably should be asked in that stickied GPS thread, but has anybody with instant VZW locks actually run QPST to see if there are actually nontrivial agps settings there?

I run GPS everyday to and from work, out at lunch, etc, trying to find a pattern, but not seeing it.

**clueless25** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2009, 12:20 PM

Technically you are still nan Alltel customer. You have to switch your plan to get full verizon. Problem is is it worth it to loose your cheaper plan. You can't switch back once you do.

When I had spoke to a tech it will be sometime 2010 when accounts are fully merged to verizon. Your current plan is grandfathered in but like I said, if you ditch it you loose it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by csper

Alltel user now under VZW. Upgraded to a TP2 without changing to a VZW plan and still have plenty of problems getting locks. Works sometimes, sometimes not at all. Yes Location Service is on; yes I've run QuickGPS. Even after I get locks, getting subsequent locks later still is hit or miss. I thought flashing to new ROMs helped, but not really, though I should go back to the Verizon stock available here (that was a slight version downgrade) to say so with absolute certainty, since somebody here told me that it improved their GPS locking.

Based on everything I read here, I either have a defective phone or you're onto something. However, if the locks are non-assisted I can't quite understand how VZW/Alltel would make any difference.

Probably should be asked in that stickied GPS thread, but has anybody with instant VZW locks actually run QPST to see if there are actually nontrivial agps settings there?

I run GPS everyday to and from work, out at lunch, etc, trying to find a pattern, but not seeing it.

galaxsat · #6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2009, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clueless25

Technically you are still nan Alltel customer. You have to switch your plan to get full verizon. Problem is is it worth it to loose your cheaper plan. You can't switch back once you do.

When I had spoke to a tech it will be sometime 2010 when accounts are fully merged to verizon. Your current plan is grandfathered in but like I said, if you ditch it you loose it.

Furthermore, switching to a Verizon plan does not fix the GPS issue. I know- I did it thinking it would. And you're right, there's no going back...

galaxsat · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2009, 10:18 PM

I just forced my TP2 to roam. A warning that I am registered to a voice service only network keeps popping up, which I have to acknowledge to make it keep trying, but the GPS works- first time ever on my 2-week old TP2! Unfortunately, once I set it back to standard setting and reboot, no more GPS. This is definitely the Alltel refugee problem! Now VZW just needs to fix it...

Here's a snippet from another forum which led me to try this:

A VZW support agent said "the problem is that my phone number is still linked to Alltel somehow and that it needs to be migrated so it will look 1st to the Verizon towers for authentication."

**psycho_maniac** · #8 (**permalink**) 11-24-2009, 01:41 PM

so your quick gps is working? i remember i couldnt even get that to download because my location was turned to off. did you talk to vzw what did they all say about this issue? i have a tp2 and i was alltel. works for me, also my gps on my tp when i was vzw but still had an alltel plan worked.

bsweetness · #9 (**permalink**) 11-24-2009, 04:18 PM

I'm a former Alltel customer with a Verizon Touch Pro 2. I'm still using my Alltel plan since I wasn't required to switch to a Verizon plan when I upgraded from my Treo Pro. I almost always get multiple locks within ten seconds of starting up any GPS program that I have (Garmin, Bing, Google Maps). No issues whatsoever.

galaxsat · #10 (**permalink**) 11-26-2009, 11:08 AM

I'm with you, AUTOSEALS. Exactly the same boat. I noticed in the Google thread there seems to be a geographical pattern to SW FL...by any chance are you in my neck of the woods? I can't quite understand the logic in that, though! I even tried 2 Moto Droids while still under my Alltel plan- no GPS on either one. Ever. I convinced myself it was due to the Alltel plan, so when I got my TP2 yesterday, I sacrificed my beloved Alltel plan, and of course there's no going back now!

I was so close to moving to Sprint, too- the $350 hardware price turned me off, and I still had 2 months left on my contract, so ETF would have been about $65 more. I just happened to stop in the Verizon store to see if they had gotten a TP2 in, and they had just received one and only one. I had to snatch it on the spot! Also got 3 new phones for the family, so I don't think getting out now would be very easy...

I can live with my impulsive decision if I can just get the GPS to work, though. I'm coming from a PPC6800 which also required considerable hoop-jumping to get GPS to work... not feeling the love from the GPS gods!

In summary, there IS an issue with GPS, regardless of the hardware, when you are an Alltel convert. It would be interesting to hear theories on the geographical pattern that's emerging...