GPS doesn't work on Cingular phone

[BHA]

I have an 8800 (originally a Cingular phone) that I have flashed with Rogers firmware and I'm using on the Rogers network.

I am unable to get the GPS working. I've done a search and saw the usual problem with this model (modify the LBS.ALX vendor file) but I don't have that file on my desktop in the location it should be found in.

Does Cingular disable the GPS in this model, and wouldn't the Rogers firmware flash fix that? Is there any way to get this working?

I've tried MGMaps (mobile GMaps) and have also loaded BBTracker. Neither of them gets a GPS signal, so I'm sure it's disabled somehow.

Thanks!

[funkyp56]

I have an 8800 (originally a Cingular phone) that I have flashed with Rogers firmware and I'm using on the Rogers network.

I am unable to get the GPS working. I've done a search and saw the usual problem with this model (modify the LBS.ALX vendor file) but I don't have that file on my desktop in the location it should be found in.

Does Cingular disable the GPS in this model, and wouldn't the Rogers firmware flash fix that? Is there any way to get this working?

I've tried MGMaps (mobile GMaps) and have also loaded BBTracker. Neither of them gets a GPS signal, so I'm sure it's disabled somehow.

Thanks!

Worked good for me. Not that I think it would matter but try putting your carriers software back on. if it works then you know it was a software issue. make sure you have the GPS device set to internal GPS, you can accidentally set it to a bluetooth headset.

[John Clark]

Go outside where you have a clear open view of the sky. Go to Options >Advanced Options >GPS and set it to Internal GPS. Then continually refresh until your location comes up. If it's the first location acquisition (or first in quite some time) then it can take quite a while--like 10 minutes or so.

[Klotar]

I too, am running a Cingular branded 8800 on Rogers. Unlike Verizon(?) where the GPS is disabled except for when running VZNav, the way I understand it, is that for Cingular (and AT&T?) phones, the GPS has no such restriction BUT Blackberry Maps is [somewhat] prevented from being loaded onto the phone.

That is, you can still download it and install it via desktop browser while usb-connected to the PC, but it uninstalls itself every time you use desktop manager and deletes the icon from your BB. My memory is a bit hazy on it, since I no longer use BB Maps, but that's what I recall. Changing the LBS.alx allows one to use and keep using BB Maps so that it doesn't do what it did for me (I hadn't altered LBS.alx at the time).

Summarily, the gps works fine on all applications that I have tried it with (Find It!, Infospace FindIt, Google Maps, Wayfinder Navigator 7, BBTracker, etc.). I doubt it's related, but I am running the Indonesian 8800 OS, 4.2.1.101.

[Sith_Apprentice]

also if you get the GPS LAT/LON coordinates and its still not working in mapping applications, make sure that you have your APN/TCP settings in place

[Dubdub]

I have a Cingular BB 8800 and use both BBMaps and GoogleMaps. I also have the BB data plan which is required for the map applications to work. That might be part of the problem, no BB data plan?

Also as John mention, make sure you are outside with a clear view of the sky and let the device find itself. It seems to help if you can locate yourself on a map as close as possible to your actual location. Older handheld GPS units usually specified that you needed to be within 500 miles of the last known GPS location for it to sync and find you. Not sure if that is still a need or not.

[BHA]

OK I tried scanning for satellites again but still get nothing.

I go into Options>Advanced>GPS and pick the "refresh" option.

It comes back with all zeros for every option (latitude, longitude, etc.)

I've tried it in 5 different places and it came back with zeros. The phone is from 500+ miles away and has not been used in months, so technically it's a "new" GPS acquisition. Tried it today over and over - 5 or 6 times (maybe 10 mins total) but it still didn't find anything.

[Dubdub]

OK I tried scanning for satellites again but still get nothing.

I go into Options>Advanced>GPS and pick the "refresh" option.

It comes back with all zeros for every option (latitude, longitude, etc.)

I've tried it in 5 different places and it came back with zeros. The phone is from 500+ miles away and has not been used in months, so technically it's a "new" GPS acquisition. Tried it today over and over - 5 or 6 times (maybe 10 mins total) but it still didn't find anything.

Turn it on and leave it sit for 10-20 minutes. Every time you restart it has to start everything all over again.

[BHA]

OK I finally got the GPS to get a sync.

I left it outdoors for 10+ minutes and it finally picked it up. Didn't move the phone the whole time so maybe that helped (I had tried it at walking speeds before, so maybe moving around was messing it up).

However, now I'm still having the same problem with the apps...

I see the positioning data in the GPS screen (Options>Advanced>GPS) so it looks like it is getting GPS data.

But BBTracker still shows me not moving and says it is waiting for more positioning changes. MGMaps shows "no data for your location" and wants me to move.

Data connection works fine. Seems that the GPS is working, but these apps aren't picking it up. I checked the setting in both apps, and they are set properly to use the internal GPS.

Any thoughts?

[Dubdub]

I assume you have a BB dataplan? Try it with GoogleMaps or BBMaps.

[F3RGUS]

Trying to get GPS going out of the box, and I'm finding that under Options > Advanced > GPS on my device, the only settings visible are "GPS Data Source" with "Device GPS" as the only choice, and "GPS Services" with Location set ON.

No data, co-ordinates, etc. Is this where any received coordinates show should show?

(Using BB Maps, the message "Searching for satellites..." is shown endlessly.)

Thanks in advance.

[carpenter75]

Trying to get GPS going out of the box, and I'm finding that under Options > Advanced > GPS on my device, the only settings visible are "GPS Data Source" with "Device GPS" as the only choice, and "GPS Services" with Location set ON.

No data, co-ordinates, etc. Is this where any received coordinates show should show?

(Using BB Maps, the message "Searching for satellites..." is shown endlessly.)

Thanks in advance.


same thing I get.. using the BB on a CDMA carrier.

[JSanders]

IF your GPS is enabled, you will have the refresh option on the device as described above (Options > Advanced > GPS > Menu > Refresh GPS).

If it is not there under Menu, you can assume, it is not enabled.