GPS not working all the time, and 3G radio not turning on

[Axe_1]

Alright,

Here's the situation in a nutshell.  I have done extensive trial and errors trying to troubleshoot my own phone.  And by the way, I’m on my 4th Incredible.  I have come to the conclusion it’s not my phone, at least for now.  When I’m in a Verizon area (towers), my GPS works the best.  Locks on to signal within seconds.  Ok, where i live we have the Alltel towers yet which are being divested to ATT.  So, when i bring up the GPS/Nav/Latitude etc, etc. the GPS never locks on and just sits there searching.  Now, if i leave a Verizon coverage with my NAV on it works fine all the way home.  Next, i turn off my NAV and wait a few seconds or minutes and then turn it back on, i get nothing.  There is something wrong with the towers or something where i live.  Does the Incredible download the GPS assistance from the towers to better locate the satellites?  Also, most of the time if i do a reboot, i have to place my phone into Airplane mode, wait, then turn it off to get my radio to turn on.  I was in a Verizon area this past weekend and restarted my phone like 4-5 times and the 3g Radio would turn on no problem.  I think I’m getting close to the problem at hand.  I just need some assistance from a techy at Verizon.  I hope I explained this thoroughly.  As everyone knows this screws up all my location apps to show the wrong location.

Thanks

[moates]

. I have provided some steps below that may help.

Step 1 – Ensure that all option are check marked when using GPS. I have provided the options below:
-Select Menu
-Select Location
-Select all GPS locations for optimum results

• VZW Location Services
• Standalone GPS Services
• Google Location Services

Step 2 – Clear out the cache and data from the devices Maps application. I have provided the instruction below:
-Select Menu
-Select Settings
-Select Applications
-Select Manage Applications
-Select Maps
-Clear Data

Step 3 – Try a soft reset. To complete this step, please follow the instructions below:

-Power off the device
-Remove the battery for 15-20 seconds
-Place the battery back into the device
-Power the device back on

Step 4 – Update the device. To complete this step, please follow the instructions below:
-Dial *228 and press Send.
-Select option 1 once the recording prompts you
-With in 45 seconds to one minute the activation should complete. Once completed, repeat the step with option 2.
-Dial *228 and press Send.
-Select option 2 once the recording prompts you
-With in 45 seconds to one minute the activation should complete.

Step 5 – In addition to the troubleshooting steps you have already taken (Airplane mode and Resets for 3G), I would recommend the following:

Ensure Mobile Network is selected. Menu><Settings><Wireless & Networks><Mobile network checked> **I would recommend cycling this off and on for obtaining 3G

Ensure System select is Automatic. Menu><Settings><Wireless & Networks><Mobile networks><System select><Automatic>
Ensure Data roaming and Always-on mobile data are selected. Menu>Settings><Wireless & Networks>Mobile networks><Data Roaming checked><Enable always-on mobile data checked>

[Axe_1]

Well,

I have tried all of those.  The 3G is working better though.  I do have a ticket with Verizon to check it out.  Seems like its coming down to the non Verizon towers giving me the problem.  Gonna give it a couple more days before i call VZW back to see if there was a solution.  I do appreciate the steps you have outlined for troubleshooting though.

Thanks

[Axe_1]

Looky what i found.  I found this on another forum that a guy figured out.  Verizon, please get a patch for this or a permanent fix.  We shouldn't have to do this to make the GPS work.  My phone doesn't say i'm roaming, but i do live in an Extended Network.

Here it is:

One way to get a GPS lock when Roaming.

Like some others in this thread, I can track myself with the GPS on the satellite map from home (in Verizon service area) to our cabin in NE Pennsylvania (Extended Network in the white area not covered on the Verizon map). The tracking is accurate. It even follows me down the path to the water. But, when I turn off the map so save battery, I can't obtain a GPS lock when I turn mapping back on. GPS Test sees the satellites, but won't lock. By trial and error, I discovered that if I put the phone in Airplane mode and turn it off, (wait a while), and turn it on while still in Airplane mode (Signal Strength 0dBm - Not Roaming - because it doesn't know that it's in Extended Network with radio off), I can get a GPS lock just as quick as I can at home (in Verizon territory - not roaming) - usually less than minute using GPS Test. Once I have the lock, I can turn Airplane mode off and the map and tracking work perfectly (I have 3G and 1X, to download maps, depending on location), and continue to work until I close the map, at which point I have to do the Shutdown in Airplane mode work around.

Answers in this and other forums as well as Verizon and HTC support are all over the map (no pun intended). Verizon says I need a cell signal to lock while HTC says not necessary at all, and others have various solutions. Clearly, the phone is able to obtain a GPS lock without any cell signal since it locks in Airplane mode. It seems to be some sort of software problem in that IF it thinks the phone is Roaming it must be waiting for some sort of A-GPS signal, and won't lock. Also, it won't work if I simply put in Airplane mode without re-booting because it's still in Roaming status. But when it's booted in Airplane mode and it doesn't know it's in a Roaming area, it relies on the internal GPS to get a lock. (For some reason, I have to leave it off for a while for this to work). So the hardware seems to be working fine.


I got this phone to eliminate the need for a separate GPS, and I have figured out how to use it when out of Verizon's area. But it's ridiculous to have to go through the shutdown in Airplane mode, wait a while, and reboot just to get a GPS lock. If Apple can do it, why can't Verizon? It seems like this would be pretty easy to fix by writing a software patch that uses the standalone GPS if a A-GPS signal is not available. Does anyone know if Google is looking into this? Does anyone have any other ideas on how to get the GPS to work without rebooting while Roaming?


HTC Incredible
Android 2.2