Verizon Fascinate GPS Inaccurate?

[Kalnel]

I've noticed that my Fascinate's GPS is consistently 50-300 feet off. This seems to be the case whether I'm using Verizon Navigator, Bing, or Google Maps.

Anyone else notice this? Is this a software issue or a hardware issue generally? (Need to know, since I have only two weeks left if I need to return the phone.)

[gTen]

Originally Posted by Kalnel

I've noticed that my Fascinate's GPS is consistently 50-300 feet off. This seems to be the case whether I'm using Verizon Navigator, Bing, or Google Maps.

Anyone else notice this? Is this a software issue or a hardware issue generally? (Need to know, since I have only two weeks left if I need to return the phone.)

Do you have "Use wireless networks" enabled?

[Kalnel]

I don't have a setting for "use wireless networks" anywhere I can find. I've looked in VZW Navigator and Google Maps, as well as in the phone settings -- just can't find it. (I've even checked the user guide -- no word about it.)

Under Settings>Location & Security, my options are:

My location:
E911
VZW location services
Standalone GPS services
Google location services

Screen unlock pattern:
Set unlock pattern
Require pattern
Use visible pattern
Use tactile feedback

Passwords:
Visible passwords

Credential storage:
Use secure credentials
Install from SD card
Set password
Clear storage

[gTen]

Hmmm...maybe one of these has an equivalent under a sub catagory:

VZW location services
Standalone GPS services
Google location services

You can check it out and see...

It exists in the other Galaxy S phones as "use wireless networks"..maybe Verizon placed it somewhere inside.

[Kalnel]

Good thought, but no dice. I've found a thread on XDA that confirms the Verizon Fascinates do NOT have this menu setting anywhere.

After having read that thread, I feel lucky that my device connects to GPS quickly (or at all). Despite an upgrade pushed out by Samsung, the Fascinates are still having problems.

I've downloaded a program called GPS Test from the market, which should give me some info about just how inaccurate the GPS is. I'd guess it's 100-200 meters/yards off, based on where it thinks my home address should be.

Very frustrating. It locks faster than my old Touch Pro did, but it's nowhere near as accurate so far.

[darren.wlsn1]

my epic gps still blows, not even close using gm or stock.

[gTen]

Originally Posted by Kalnel

Good thought, but no dice. I've found a thread on XDA that confirms the Verizon Fascinates do NOT have this menu setting anywhere.

After having read that thread, I feel lucky that my device connects to GPS quickly (or at all). Despite an upgrade pushed out by Samsung, the Fascinates are still having problems.

I've downloaded a program called GPS Test from the market, which should give me some info about just how inaccurate the GPS is. I'd guess it's 100-200 meters/yards off, based on where it thinks my home address should be.

Very frustrating. It locks faster than my old Touch Pro did, but it's nowhere near as accurate so far.

That sounds like its using wireless networks be default :/..and I guess no way to disable it...

Originally Posted by darren.wlsn1

my epic gps still blows, not even close using gm or stock.

Idk mine has been fine..but I guess it varies...from what I read though, Epic and Fascinate have the same GPS chip as the Motorola Droids...so there shouldn't really be an issue as far as hardware at least :/

[darren.wlsn1]

Originally Posted by gTen

That sounds like its using wireless networks be default :/..and I guess no way to disable it...



Idk mine has been fine..but I guess it varies...from what I read though, Epic and Fascinate have the same GPS chip as the Motorola Droids...so there shouldn't really be an issue as far as hardware at least :/

i have co pilot now so im good.

[Kalnel]

I just spent a little time playing with GPS Test, and the results were better than I'd have guessed.

I was able to see 10-12 satellites and lock on immediately with no problem. The first 4 or 5 locked in less than 5 seconds and the rest within 20-30 seconds. The locks seemed to come and go, dropping as low as four locks out of six available satellites at one point.

According to GPS Test, the accuracy was anywhere from 5-50 feet, which I think may be a little generous. I was sitting at least 40 feet from where Google Maps placed me, 25 feet from the spot on the Bing map, and a good 200 feet from where Verizon Navigator spotted me. (Navigator gave me an address, not an exact spot.)

That's a very different result from what I used to get on my Touch Pro, where Navigator was usually spot on accurate and Google was 10-15 feet off. But, the Fascinate is much faster finding satellites and locking in.

I was testing from the roof of a high-rise, so I'm not sure if that would hurt or help the test. There aren't any other buildings around to block things, but much of the southern sky was obscured by part of the building. I always got accurate results up there for the Touch Pro, so I'd think this would be the same.

I was amused to see that it kept changing my altitude, even though I wasn't moving. The building is around 400 feet high, and it reported me anywhere from 340 to 395 feet up. I'd guess I was somewhere in that range, probably around 375 feet, so it was pretty close.