Family Locator Problems

[mwb]

When I set up arrival/departure updates, they work correctly only for a day or two.  After that, they become very erratic.  Sometimes they are a couple of hours late, frequently they don't arrive at all.  Deleting the updates and then recreating them seems to get them going again, but only for a day or two.

I have been to tech support numerous times, but they don't seem to see a problem.  I think it because the first thing they do is create an update, which, of course, works for a day.  They then observe the update working for that day and pronounce the problem fixed, and close the trouble ticket.  I have had 5 trouble tickets opened so far, but still have the same exact problem I began having in January.  Locatee phone is LG Touch. 

Has anyone else had this problem?

[bosslady85]

A few questions for you mwb.  Is the locatee phone turning the location on setting to off? Is the device getting a signal at the time the settings are set? Have you had the locatee phone, uninstall the application and re-install it?  

[mwb]

Locatee phone location setting stays on.  Yes, it is getting a signal when settings are set.  Not only has the locatee phone application been inistalled and re-installed, the parent phone has been re-installed as well.  In fact, both have been done several times.  The phones' operating software has been updated.  The locatee phone has even been replaced by Verizon with a refurbished unit.  If you give me an email address (or contact me directly), I'd be happy to send you a list of the 5 trouble ticket numbers that have been opened and closed on this issue.

Also note that the 'locate' function works correctly - the problems are confined to the arrival/departure updates.

Thank you for your help.

[LeonardM]

@mwb

A few more trouble shooting questions:

1) do any of your arrival & departure updates overlap, to see if conflicting locations are the issue

2) when you say it fails after a few days, is there anything you do in the days, like add additional arrival & departure updates, to see if # of arrival & departure updates is an issue

3) can you try to set up arrival & departure updates in different areas then you usually do, to see if 3G coverage within the location area is the issue.

4) can you please make your areas set to 1 mile, so that the 1/4 mile is not an issue

Thanks for the extra information!

[mwb]

1)  None overlap

2) No, leave everything as is and they will quit after 1 to 3 days.  Conversely, adding a new update, or deleting and recreating an old one will usually result in all of them working, but only for another day or so.  Sometimes asking hte system to locate the locatee phone will result in one or more 'missing' updates arriving.

3) not sure how big an area I would need to test.  If 15-20 miles away work do, then I don't think that's the issue.  I have not tried it outside the metro area I live in.

4) update radius set to 1 mile doesn't result in any difference.

Hope this helps.

[LeonardM]

@mwb

I looked into this further and it is caused by a fault GPS chip in that phone.

You have explained that you have replaced the phone before to no avail.

Please try a different phone model, the model you have has provided you little luck.

A working GPS chip will continue to monitor where your child is beyond 3 days. The Arrival & Departure Update is intensive upon the GPS chip, as it must constantly track where the child is and where they are relative to the various locations you have set up.

Sorry to ask you to change phones.

[mwb]

Leonard,

Thank you for continuing to look into this.  If I may ask - do you work for Verizon?  I'm just asking so when I talk to tech support again I can accurately describe your interest in this.

Interestingly, this is the same conclusion that I (as a very non-technical layperson) reached some time back.  I haven't been able to get the tech support folks to agree yet.

Unfortunately, this phone was an upgrade, after already having the locator service for some time.  I would not have purchased this model if it was not specified as one of the 'family locator enabled' models.  I'm hoping Verizon will recognize the issue and work with me on some sort of exchange.

Thanks again.

[LeonardM]

@mwb

You have a very simple case, it just requires patience on your part.

1. recognize the rep who greets you knows nothing of your issue or the deffective gps chip

2. assure the rep that the gps is faulty on this phone, and if they write a trouble ticket, the subject matter expert will verify to them that when Arrival & Departure Updates succeed 3 times then fail, it is a well known issue to heavy Family Locator users; indicating a GPS chip failure. So the phone must be replaced. Be patient, as soon as they check with those who know this will be confirmed and your phone will be replaced.

3. Be patient as the rep does not have this knowledge of this very uncommon condition, which you have had the misfortune of occuring twice. My suggestion would be to ask for the replacment to be of a different model if possible so you dont fear it failing when you need it most.

Good luck

[evillhog]

I have the exact problem and then some on my phones. The biggest problem is that the accuracy is off by several miles sometimes. I was told by a Verizon rep that it is accurate to 150 meters. That is significantly less than 4 miles. I have driven over 20 miles in the last week double and triple checking this. Same results. One moment it works great, the next it places the phone 4 miles off the coast in open water while it is in my hand.

 I have tried all the trouble shooting suggestions and none have worked at all. This has caused some seriously heated conversations until we realized this service just sucks. I pay for this as a safe guard not a a destroyer of family trust.

I have encountered 5 other families across the state that are experiencing the same difficulties. I want to know what is being done about this. 

[gannelle515]

---

evillhog wrote:

I have the exact problem and then some on my phones. The biggest problem is that the accuracy is off by several miles sometimes. I was told by a Verizon rep that it is accurate to 150 meters. That is significantly less than 4 miles. I have driven over 20 miles in the last week double and triple checking this. Same results. One moment it works great, the next it places the phone 4 miles off the coast in open water while it is in my hand.

 I have tried all the trouble shooting suggestions and none have worked at all. This has caused some seriously heated conversations until we realized this service just sucks. I pay for this as a safe guard not a a destroyer of family trust.

I have encountered 5 other families across the state that are experiencing the same difficulties. I want to know what is being done about this. 

---

wondering if you ever got a resolution, because i'm having the same problem. all of the sudden it stopped the updates and when i try to locate it is way off...my daughter was at school yesterday and the locater said she was in another state! today she was home (i was with her!) and it was saying she was in another part of town. what is going on?