Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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...

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

idk what it was but i tried to use GM last night and holy h3ll my location was within 2500 meters :( usually its like 40meters or less

edit: i soft reset my phone and my settings didnt save. "use gps" was not checked. now its working :)

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

Still on an Alltel plan with an Alltel TP here. Due to my last JuicyROM expiring at the end of Nov, I had to find a new one to use. I've now tried 4 different Energyroms and haven't been able to get a single one to lock on GPS. (it seems everyone else gets really fast locks on this rom)
I thought it was the ROM at first, but now that you mention it, a few days ago I got a text from Verizon that they were making changes in this area and I'd have to setup my voicemail again after they make these changes. I know I was able to get a GPS lock as recently as Thanksgiving on the Juicyrom and before Verizon's notice that they were making a changeover. I think you may be on to something here...
QuickGPS downloads without any problems, but Google maps just sits on searching forever and never locks on.

edit: guess I just had to complain about it, just went outside and pulled Google maps up again and it locked on to 6 satellites for the first time in since Thanksgiving?! Not sure what to think right now...it wasn't working 3 hrs ago when I tried it..

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

I have a TP2 on an Alltel plan, GPS works fine.

Most of you did not say what ROM you're using. Make sure you don't have any reg keys at HKLM/Software/HTC/SUPL AGPS

If you do, delete the entire thing, and I bet donuts your GPS will work. I bet it works on some, and not on others because most people still use tweaks and cabs and OEMS from their old TP's which needed this key to work on older radios, the newer TP radios, and all TP2 radios do not, and will not work with this key.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

digi- you're not in SW FL, either. I'll take one jelly, please:mrgreen:. I deleted those registry keys and tried it- no love. I am running the great MightyROM, but had no GPS on stock either. Radio is stock.

Alltel refugees with Verizon hardware from Naples and Tampa, it seems, do not have GPS regardless of their plan. It's a Verizon authorization problem from what I can surmise, perhaps to do with the PRL, IDK.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

I'm going to return four phones late next week under the 30-day WFG and go to Sprint if this Alltel - Verizon - SW FL - GPS problem is not fixed by then. It's amazing how tight-lipped Verizon is being about this problem. They're gonna take a bath on returned phones and lost customers, and won't even acknowledge an issue. I'd stay if they would at least admit to the problem and commit to fixing it. All I've gotten from VZW support is a canned response to check my settings. Gawd I miss Alltel!

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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...

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

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."

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

Anyone following this thread will be happy to know that Verizon silently fixed this issue yesterday. No need to update my PRL or anything, it just worked when I checked it last night and still works this morning.

Re: Former Alltel users and GPS problems
 

I noticed quick locks today too (and I try just about everyday on the way to work). It locked near my house and then picked up again after a long drive and warm start, which usually causes it to take as long to lock as a cold start (minutes for me). I've had times when it seemed to work better than others, so I'll keep checking it for the next week or so before I jump for joy (though I very much hope you're right).

I still don't understand how any network issue would cause a GPS problem without using aGPS (requiring PDE server authentication). Maybe there is a feature in gpsOne that can require some type of authentication from the network, but in that case what happens when you're out of network or in airplane mode? Maybe that's not the use case GPS is there for on your phone, but it seems limiting anyway.

Edit: I don't need a week. Something's definitely changed for the better. It works reliably now. Hallelujah.