"GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
EMRobbins
Newbie

I received a notice that my GPS is possibly going to become inaccurate ( https://www.verizonwireless.com/legal/notices/global-positioning-system/?dup=copy&CMP=EMC-UPG_AD_HOC...

the notive recommends I upgrade, i.e., buy a new phone.  This applies to all phones manufactured between 2006 and 2016.

Is this for real, or is it a scam to sell phones?

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Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
vrichards63
Newbie

I am also curious about this notice.  Especially since the notice lists this event as happening November 3, 2019, but the DHS website says it happened April 6, 2019.

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Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
Cortica
Enthusiast - Level 1
According the linked doc in the email I received, the roll-over occurred in April. So either: 1) Verizon sat on this warning until 2 weeks before the "deadline", or 2) Verizon is trying to instill a panic so people will dump their perfectly good phones and buy the insanely priced $800+ models that have been a tough sell.
Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
Cortica
Enthusiast - Level 1
Forgot to mention that either way it pushes any resulting sales into the 4th quarter earnings...
Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
MGSHOLAAS
Enthusiast - Level 2

According to Wikipedia article "GPS Week Number Rollover" (consistent with the DHS article the warning page from Verizon linked to) the rollover happens every 1024 weeks (slightly less than 20 years), with the first one happening August 21-22, 1999. The second happened April 6-7, 2019. I haven't calculated exactly when the next one should be (in late 2038 or early 2039), but it definitely would not be coming November 3, 2019, only 7 months after the previous one. That would be about 19 years too soon. I hope this is just a really stupid mistake (it's troubling; how could this happen?). If this is a deliberate lie to attempt to frighten people into upgrading, it's really evil.

Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello, MGSHOLAAS. We appreciate your efforts in researching the GPS Rollover. It is very important to ensure that our customers do have accurate information regarding all of their inquiries. As the Verizon Wireless network advances as well as the industry as a whole does, the devices that are used with the mobile network call for more advanced technology as well. For more information that Verizon Wireless has on this topic, you can refer to the link below. http://spr.ly/66021H87C

 

BrettA_VZW

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Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
MGSHOLAAS
Enthusiast - Level 2

Yes, I got the email with that link, and that's what started me researching. I concluded it's grossly in error. I would welcome correction if I am the one who is mistaken. Thank you!

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Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
JursyGurl
Enthusiast - Level 2

So, if this is a known, persistent, industry-wide problem, (as referenced in Wikipedia) - surely, someone in the industry must have written a patch, where do we find it? 

If there is no patch, will the insurance plan sold through Verizon cover this problem? 

This sounds like it was a predictable problem, I hardly see why I need to buy a new junky generic phone when I took good care of the expensive one I already bought at the end of 2016... maybe this is a Class Action thing?  Especially if this is a known problem and the "industry" continued selling bum phones without a notice advising of this issue.

There is NO way I will continue with Verizon if the only way to continue using all the services that were originally sold to me, without giving another penny to Verizon.

Thanks to the other member who have provided their personal research.

Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
MAPLEST1
Enthusiast - Level 2

I also found this curious that Verizon has a link to the Homeland Security site that only mentions the April date regarding the rollover.

I decided to just plug in a search for November 3, 2019 and found out that that is daylight savings time day.  So, now I'm guessing the concern is that when our phones change the time back one hour this could create problems.  Why Verizon couldn't just say this in the email they sent is troubling and puzzling.

 

Re: "GPS Rollover" to make some systems innacurate
JursyGurl
Enthusiast - Level 2

That's an interesting observation.

What Verizon did is just a sleezy way to treat customer's!

The Wikipedia info was good: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_Week_Number_Rollover

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