I know there are lots of posts already about why VZ disables the GPS except for VZ Navigator etc. I'll stay away from that, but keeping in mind that VZ Nav is the only choice for Verizon BB users...

Why does VZ Nav suck so bad?

Here are my complaints about the software. Does anyone else share the same frustration?

• The directions it gives are horrible - often times in my hometown it suggests I take several back/side streets instead of the 4-lane interstate (I can confirm that my preferences are set to prefer highways, etc)
• Why is the BB VZ Nav version so old? There is VZ Nav 4.0 out there with much more features and such, but us BB users are still stuck with 2.9.9
• And finally, maybe Verizon can't open up the GPS because their "network" can't even handle the limited VZ Nav traffic. It seems like 50% of the time I try to use VZ Nav it gives me an error that the GPS service is down. What it should say is the Verizon "network" is down, because the GPS satellites are still flying high.

I'm about to cancel this POS application and $10/mo service, but am wondering if others have the same frustrations.

For me, Google maps with triangulation serves me much better than VZ Nav sending me down alleys and side streets, only working half the time, and being a 2-year old version of software.

I really need something on my phone for navigation, because I travel for work and can't lug along a Garmin or other device all around the country.

Bad enough that I bought a TomTom Go 920!

Guys - get a key-chain GPS unit. They are small, portable, and use BT to comunicate with your BB. I use Google Maps, AmazeGPS, and Microsoft LiveMaps with my 8330 and the directions work anywhere there is a GPS signal.

VZ Navigator is for the birds, even if it becomes free.

That is only part of the problem. I have a Bluetooth GPS receiver, too (the Freedom Keychain GPS 2000), but cellular navigation still requires reasonably strong cellular coverage in order to function -- the maps are downloaded OTA in near real time. In areas of marginal coverage, cellular navigation is worthless, and, of course, it always fails at the wrong time! Additionally, Bluetooth GPS "pucks" often conflict with Bluetooth headsets or car kits (NYS as well as a growing list of other states have enacted handsfree laws), making the use of both at the same time to be difficult at best. Of course, YMMV...

Good Point! So this begs the question, if my Navigon GPS unit in my wife's car can fit all the maps on a 512MB SD card, why aren't any GPS software vendors putting the map on a miniSD for me to pop into my BB so I don't have to rely on data coverage?

Gotta be honest with you, I use VZ Navigator and find it to be both accurate and dependable. Now, do I wish it was free? Absolutely, but it's not and so that's a personal choice I make every month. For me the convenience of not having to carry extra components or a separate system make the additional cost irrelevant.

I use VZ Navigator often. The directions are reliable and accurate for me. I probably had the network error something like 2% of the time. All I had to do was restart VZ Navigator.

I definitely would like the latest version of VZ Navigator. They supposedly were testing it and were going to release it by the end of July.

Try going to a Verizon store and complain about not having the latest version. They might give you a credit for the service for a short period of time. I did that when I first bought my BB. The guy that sold the device to me also showed me VZ Navigator 4 on his phone (I don't remember if it was a BB or not) and that was what sold me on getting VZ Navigator. When I found out I couldn't use that version, he gave me a 3 month credit (without shutting down the service) in anticipation of the latest version being released by July.

I've been too busy to go back to the store to find out why it wasn't released and maybe getting another credit.

--Ariel

If there's any VZ management out there, I would pay $20 per month to just get the damn GPS opened up for any program. Cost isn't an issue....freedom of choice is!

I agree completely. If VzW management is anything like VzB management then your SOL. Like their thinking behind getting the current devices last, their ideas on change and reception to new ideas based on customer input take way to long. This comment is based on all personal experience as I am a VzB employee.


VzW = Verizon Wireless
VzB = Verizon Business (formerly MCI & Verizon LD)

There is a new version available from Verizon....4.1.0.

Just tried 4.1 for BB. Still sucks. Gave me the worst directions in 5 seperate trips. VZNav sucks so bad...

C'mon...tell us how you really feel.

As reported on other threads, Verizon has opened up GPS for Blackberry Maps application on the Curve and Pearl 4.5 OS. I thought anyone following this thread might be interested in the news.

Wow... it does work. Thanks for the post. It would be nice if they unlocked it for Google Maps too.

Didn't you mean to say "Jeepers...it does work!" :D

Being held hostage by Verizon, I signed up for VZNavigator. However, I found the directions it gave to be mostly unusable. Stopping and asking for directions was actually more effective.

I dropped VZNavigator. At the same time, I asked them if I could sign up for Telenav which Verizon provides to Corporate Accounts. However, as a non-corporate account they would not take my $9.95 per month.

Now that Verizon has finally (somewhat) unlocked the GPS on my 8330, I am using Blackberry Maps (for free). Verizon still refuses to sell me Telenav for $9.95 per month.