Hey all,

I bought my first blackberry on ebay last week and while it works great all unlocked and using it with a Telstra simcard here in Australia I can't get the GPS to work.

my phone is a 8830 World Edition from Sprint.
When I go to GPS source it only gives me bluetooth options, one of the reasons why I got this phone was for the GPS as i had a n95 and find I use it all the time.


Any idea on how to get it going??

Thanks
Steve

Make sure you have Location services "on".

Wirelessly posted

They're on, have been since I got the phone.

Is there something that needs unlocking?

To get a GPS signal, you need to be outside with a clear view of the sky. It can take 20 minutes or so to lock on. Have you tried that? It could take a while if this is the first activation or the device has moved a considerable distance from the last fix.

Download Google Maps. It uses cell tower triangulation (at least here in the US) to locate you within 2000 meters or so which should facilitate faster a GPS lock.

GPS should work. Verizon locked theirs down, but released a fix a couple months ago. AFAIK, GPS on the Sprint version worked from the git-go.

Wirelessly posted

so you're saying even if my phone GPS data doesn't have a option for the in built GPS I should still go outside and try it?

in the "GPS Data Source" option I get my laptop (bluetooth) as well as my old phone (bluetooth as well) but no in built GSP

You should have GPS if it really is a Sprint 8830. What have you got to lose?

If you have location services on, you should be able to get a GPS signal. Unless something else has happened to the device. Could be the reason it was for sale in the first place?

thats the thing, I never even get a option for GPS in GPS Data.

I've tried emailing them, will call when I get home and find out if the GPS wasn't working.

For what it is worth, I suspect that the GPS is tied to the use of CDMA. When I travel abroad and use the GSM signal I cannot get the GPS to work either. here in the states it works fine. I have never received a satisfactory answer to my questions regarding this, but I suspect that the design of the GPS is somehow married to the CDMA chip set.

Shouldn't be tied to the CDMA or GSM as it is independent of all that. My guess is it might be a defective unit. You never really know what you are getting with a used device. Verizon locked down the GPS, but recently opened it up for BBMaps. AFAIK, Sprint did not.

Have you tried it with Google Maps or BBMaps to see if it starts and gets a fix? Keep in mind that GoogleMaps uses cell tower triangulation to figure out where you are which helps the GPS lock on as it knows where to look for the satellites.

I honestly don't think that I've heard of anyone getting it to work abroad. Whether it is tied to the CDMA chip, or what -- nobody that I know that has used one in Europe has had any success.

Thanks for that.

Now do any of you know if there's gps software that doesn't need a network? I need my gps fix


Thanks steve

Check the GPS & Maps section. There is a sticky at the top that discusses many of the applications.

I am with Telus and I KNOW that they allow gps and mapping as I had a BB before this one.

I just bought the 8330 Curve, and when I go to start gps it says "unable to acquire gps lock".

Any ideas? I am desperate, I love the curve but I need my BB Maps! (Not a fan of google maps, tried that too with no luck).

Not nice to hijack another's thread.

You need to have location services on and be outside with a clear view of the sky. Could take as much as 20 minutes to lock on.

Download/install Google Maps. That uses cell tower triangulation to locate you and can speed up the process, especially if it is the first time.

this may sound stupid, but im a noob..

do you need a data plan in order to use my gps?

You need a BB data plan to sue the most of the map applications, such as BBMaps and Google Maps.

Most of them download maps as needed and cannot be stored on the device itself.

GPS is paid for by US tax dollars. If you can use lat/long alone, then you are good to go. Otherwise, you need the map app to turn that GPS data into useful information.

i THOUGHT my 8100 came with GPS built in, i go to GPS and its a blank screen, i press menu and it just says switch app and close.

the blackberry 8830 world edition has the maps but does it have wifi................and i know The 8820 Has both GPS and Wi-Fi But its a GSM phone.