Using bell GPS in the US

[amad99]

Can someone explain to me how to turn off my data connection and not the phone part because i'm going to the US soon and i don't wanna pay for data roaming charges, but i want the phone to be on.....

Thanks in advance...

[mfpreach]

Originally Posted by amad99

Can someone explain to me how to turn off my data connection and not the phone part because i'm going to the US soon and i don't wanna pay for data roaming charges, but i want the phone to be on.....

Thanks in advance...

If you open connection manager , which can be found in the cube, you can disable data connection.

Also, if you open the phone app and go to options, somewhere in there you can put on a roaming alert.

[QkSi1ver]

Originally Posted by rk25

Thanks for the response. I will just turn off the data and hope for the best!
I will update when i get Aug bill

You can get the modaco nodata cab and have it on your htc everytime you want to make sure you are not using any data...

[Wikky]

More on preventing Data Roaming.

Select Settings > Phone
Select the [Services] tab
Select "Network Service", then press [Get Settings...]

Set "Data roam guard:" to "Always Ask"
Press the [ok] button

[tichi]

Originally Posted by rk25

If i use the gps in the US will they charge me for roming fees or somthing for using their towers

I'm also curious about it... as far as I understand, the
AGPS for bell phones does NOT use the data network,
instead it somehow connects to "PDE IP" server (as found with QPST)
via voice network...

I wonder:

- if it will cost anything (how much time does AGPS really need - is it only during initialisation of GPS, or it connects periodically during the GPS use too?)

- and if this PDE IP server will be accessible from the US at all..
( if not, not a big deal, one still can survive without AGPS,
just to wait some more minutes while plain GPS obtains a fix..)

[SiRPower]

Originally Posted by tichi

I'm also curious about it... as far as I understand, the
AGPS for bell phones does NOT use the data network,
instead it somehow connects to "PDE IP" server (as found with QPST)
via voice network...

I wonder:

- if it will cost anything (how much time does AGPS really need - is it only during initialisation of GPS, or it connects periodically during the GPS use too?)

- and if this PDE IP server will be accessible from the US at all..
( if not, not a big deal, one still can survive without AGPS,
just to wait some more minutes while plain GPS obtains a fix..)

I am currently running the new Bell radio settings with DH's rom. With the data connection turned off, whenever I initialize TomTom, the data connection turns on and gets instant satellite locks. I can close out of TomTom, turn off data connection and open it up again and it works fine. I downloaded the "no gps" cab from Modaco and tried it with data connection turned off. TomTom can't get anything. So I'm assuming it needs data connection to get the instant locks (agps?). So going to the States would incur a small roaming charge if you remember to turn off the data connection once you launch a gps program. I'm going to the States this weekend so I'll see when I get back.

[aspalaasn]

Originally Posted by SiRPower

I am currently running the new Bell radio settings with DH's rom. With the data connection turned off, whenever I initialize TomTom, the data connection turns on and gets instant satellite locks. I can close out of TomTom, turn off data connection and open it up again and it works fine. I downloaded the "no gps" cab from Modaco and tried it with data connection turned off. TomTom can't get anything. So I'm assuming it needs data connection to get the instant locks (agps?). So going to the States would incur a small roaming charge if you remember to turn off the data connection once you launch a gps program. I'm going to the States this weekend so I'll see when I get back.

I'm finding this as well. I use iGO or oncourse now. I find that when I have data connection on, I get fast sat locks and am able to find many sats as well but when I have the data turned off using "no data", I can't even get a lock. I can see fewer sats and it's already been running for close to 30 mins without a lock. I'm guess it also needs data to at least get an initial lock. That kind of sucks if you wish to use the gps in other countries besides canada (data is free only within canada).

I don't know how "small" the roaming data charge would be, but seeing as how the wireless communication companies in canada like ripping off their consumers, I bet it's quite hefty and I'm not really willing to try.

Anyone know of a way to make it work just as well (maybe not as good) or at least better than now without data?

edit: ok, I tried it again...took a long long time to lock onto sats when I had data off and blocked by "no data", but it did eventually lock on, and when it locked, the signal strength arent as strong nor are there as many sats as when I had data on. But I'm going to try this again since I only waited several hours before trying it again. I'll try this tomorrow without using gps and see if it can get locks when it's a cold start. Anyone else getting these results too?

edit2: so I tried it again with data off and blocked, and it took a long time to lock onto sats. I was only able to get a max of 4 sat locks and see 4-5 sats only. I tried it again with data on and not blocked and now I can lock onto more than 4 sats and I can see more than 4 sats as well. Currently seeing 12 sats, locked on to 6 sats. Data does seem to be needed to get good gps signal but is not needed. I do find that without data, it does disconnect a lot more often than when data is on.

[SiRPower]

I tried running TomTom with the new Bell ROM and it locked onto satellites without activating the data connection. There must be something in the reg settings on older build roms that require a data connection to find satellites quick.

[tichi]

Originally Posted by SiRPower

I tried running TomTom with the new Bell ROM and it locked onto satellites without activating the data connection. There must be something in the reg settings on older build roms that require a data connection to find satellites quick.

yes, that's what I observe - NO data needed for fast AGPS in NEW BELL ROM..

hm... curious thing... so ... this choice
(whether to use data or voice for AGPS)
is not strictly determined by the carrier, but
instead it merely depends on some reg settings in WM6.1 ..

Interesting, WHICH ones?

this could be very useful to know for cross-border occasions...

[tichi]

Originally Posted by aspalaasn

I'm finding this as well. I use iGO or oncourse
edit2: so I tried it again with data off and blocked, and it took a long time to lock onto sats. I was only able to get a max of 4 sat locks and see 4-5 sats only. I tried it again with data on and not blocked and now I can lock onto more than 4 sats and I can see more than 4 sats as well. Currently seeing 12 sats, locked on to 6 sats. Data does seem to be needed to get good gps signal but is not needed. I do find that without data, it does disconnect a lot more often than when data is on.

so, which rom are u using ?