Droid 3 - Flaky GPS, 3G coverage, cell reception

[ab20852]

 Hello, 

Has any other users noticed the Droid 3's GPS REALLY SUCKS!  I upgraded from a Droid 1 which occasionally needed a battery pull in order for the GPS to locate me, but with the Droid 3 - I always have to pull my battery for 10 seconds in order to  use any type of location service - such has Google Maps, Navigation, Geo Tagging (Camera), Web Browser (use my location). 

My running app CardioTrainer is pretty much useless with this phone, if I have it in my pocket - no GPS reception,  where as my Droid 1 worked perfectly fine. 

I've used an app called GPS Status in order to reset the GPS state (on both Droid 1 and Droid 3) - which doesn't resolve anything, and unless I've recently pulled the battery - it will never acquire GPS signal. 

Speaking of crappy GPS Signal coverage - If I'm driving in my car and I close my sunroof visor - NO GPS signal. I mean COME ON seriously! 

This is actually my 2nd droid 3 - I returned my brand new one for a recertified hoping it would be better.  Well I was wrong. Also I've watched my 3G turn to 1x whenever I'm browsing.  This also wasn't resolved with my used replacement.  My cell phone reception constantly? jumps between 1bar to 3bars, NEVER 4 bars.  That was the same behavior with my old "new" phone and my new "used" phone.  With that said, I've dropped at least 3 calls now, whereas my Droid 1 NEVER dropped a single call.

I live in MD work in VA, both areas with extensive VWZ coverage.   I travel a fair amount for work, my GPS was absolutely did not work in Seattle Wa, nor did it work in Palms Spring Ca.  Also in Palms Spring I my coverage was so bad, I dropped calls and had voicemails randomly showing up. 

Basically I hate this phone so much because of the spotty cell reception, and garbage GPS and data service.  I'm tempted to reactive my Droid 1 and use this stupid Droid 3 as an expensive paper weight to remind me how far Motorola has diverged from making quality products.

[GortsBud]

I tried using the GPS on my droid3 today and it its still not working. Has moto fixed this yet? Had same thought as other poster: go back to my original Droid and forget this thing. What a disappointment.

[Androidguy]

Same GPS issues- brand new phone, blue arrow showing my location jumps every few seconds to a new street or a new town, even if I am standing in my driveway.  Trying to use Goggle Maps or V Maps is a fail- no way to know where I am so directions constantly recalculate, then the phone thinks I am in the next town, the directions recalculate again, repeat. 

Spoke with tech support, they said get a different phone, no solution for Droid 3.  OUCH.  Love this phone after 2 days, except this wacko flaw.

Adjusted every setting, tried every trick mentioned in this and other forums, no change, problem seems systemic.  

Without solid GPS, its not a smartphone, just a phone. Not worth the price, the hassles.

[ddavidn]

Any updates? This is the perfect phone for me....except that I need to use it for the GPS. Most of the time I get zero GPS, leading me to read directions and try to drive at the same time.

[ghenry512]

VERIZON SUPPORT - This is not 'Answered'!  It needs to be fixed!

[frustrated22]

Just got the droid3 2 weeks ago, and the GPS sucks.  always get the blue circle around my location, and its always WRONG!  My DROID 2 was always spot on right. So disappointing that this phone can't get GPS apps working properly.  Now what do I do?  I use GPS all the time!

There are no updates available for my phone, I just checked.  my phone is up to date. 

who will fix my phone.... google?  motorola?  verizon?  or me, by getting a different phone?  such a shame.

[AnEternalEnigma]

I just got a Droid 3 off eBay and the GPS is HORRIBLE. Easily the worst I have ever seen. Even on my piece of crap HTC Eris, the GPS worked perfectly.

This thing is abysmal. Never keeps a lock and often times says I'm in a spot on the side of the road where I am.

Was this ever addressed?