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Old 05-26-2008, 08:15 AM   #1
ChainsawDude
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Default Does anyone use a Blackberry GPS on O2 in UK?

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Please would someone confirm or deny if a Blackberry with a built-in GPS on O2 in the UK is possible? and if so, do you have a 3rd party service?

I have an 8110 and I just can not get the darned GPS to get a fix. Each time I call O2s support, I get a different answer. Sometimes they tell me that although the device has a built-in GPS, it will not work without a 3rd party service, other times they do not mention this.
On one hand I can not find such a service, on the other hand I can not get it to work, so I would like to find out one way or the other.

Last edited by ChainsawDude; 05-26-2008 at 08:17 AM..
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Old 05-26-2008, 08:36 AM   #2
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I have a curve 8310 on O2 and it works with GPS. Although I use my TomTom, the BB does work.
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Old 05-26-2008, 08:48 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BadWolf View Post
I have a curve 8310 on O2 and it works with GPS. Although I use my TomTom, the BB does work.
Thanks for the reply.
Do you use the standard blackberry tariff only or do you need anything more such as a 3rd party GPS service?
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Old 05-26-2008, 08:52 AM   #4
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A friend of mine has the 8110 on O2UK, he's had the GPS working perfectly on several occassions.
Might sound like a stupid question, have you config'd it properly? I found i hadnt actually set it up properly. I.e. first time you use it it has to gather certain data and can take up to 10 minutes.
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Old 05-26-2008, 08:58 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doe4040 View Post
A friend of mine has the 8110 on O2UK, he's had the GPS working perfectly on several occassions.
Might sound like a stupid question, have you config'd it properly? I found i hadnt actually set it up properly. I.e. first time you use it it has to gather certain data and can take up to 10 minutes.
How do I know if I have config'd it?
The basic option of
options->advanced options->gps->refresh gps
only allows 3 minutes before it times out.
otherwise I try via BB maps which just sits there saying 'searching for satellites' for ever.

A standalone GPS has to download the almanac the first time and this makes a cold start take a long time but I have been told (ie I'm not certain) that Blackberry GPSs are assisted GPS and download the almanac via the data network.

I am encouraged by seeing other users who have it working. Still not certain if they had to pay for something extra though?
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Old 05-26-2008, 09:06 AM   #6
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This
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChainsawDude View Post
How do I know if I have config'd it?
A standalone GPS has to download the almanac the first time and this makes a cold start take a long time but I have been told (ie I'm not certain) that Blackberry GPSs are assisted GPS and download the almanac via the data network.
Is true.
Its a case of starting up the BB Maps software in a very open area, i.e. stand on the pavement outside your house, menu - Start GPS Navigation
This will collect all the data (Both GPS and GPRS/EDGE) needed. It will take some time, mine took about ten minutes.
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Old 05-29-2008, 03:37 PM   #7
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i am on o2 and when i am in the UK my GPS doesnt work at all. When i am in the united states it works perfectly. Problem is I have not figured out how to get Google Maps to use GPS and not Cell tower tracking. I have no need to know that I am within 1700 meters of a location :d
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Old 05-31-2008, 05:40 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doe4040 View Post
A friend of mine has the 8110 on O2UK, he's had the GPS working perfectly on several occassions.
Might sound like a stupid question, have you config'd it properly? I found i hadnt actually set it up properly. I.e. first time you use it it has to gather certain data and can take up to 10 minutes.
Thanks for that. I was starting to wonder what I was doing wrong myself.
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Old 05-31-2008, 07:44 AM   #9
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Sorted : I got my 8110 on O2 (UK) working, it gets a fix in about 10 seconds and is great for when I am out on foot.

The problem I had must have been hardware, the replacement phone I got from O2 booted up and got a fix straight away in BB maps (less than a minute). I followed the same operating procedure for both phones.

This talk of waiting for 10 minutes in an open space for the first fix was misleading and had me standing in the middle of a large field for 15 minutes at a time thinking this would help. The back garden standing 10 feet from the house is fine and shows 6 satellites.

Ofcourse, I did not know what to expect never having a working BB GPS, I just thought the BB 8110 had a crap GPS but it doesn't. It is not a replacement for a TomTom in the car but its worth having.

O2 support was generally good, but once when I called, I had someone say they did not support GPS and gave me RIM's support number and wanted to wash their hands of me, the RIM support is chargeable! When I called O2 again because I bought direct from O2, I got someone else to say they did and send me a new phone.

Last edited by ChainsawDude; 05-31-2008 at 07:59 AM..
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Old 06-04-2008, 02:35 PM   #10
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I have repeated my success with another phone, this time a new 8820 on Orange in UK. GPS got its first fix in about 30 seconds via "options->advanced->gps->refresh gps". with this phone, BB maps was not installed.

Last edited by ChainsawDude; 06-04-2008 at 02:36 PM..
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Old 08-20-2008, 04:12 AM   #11
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O2 have told me they dont support GPS on the 8110 and you need to subscribe to a 3rd party application? Im really confused by this whole issue!

on BB maps, all i get is 'searching for satellite' then 'unable to aquire gps lock' if i go to options>advanced options>gps>refresh gps it scans for satellites, but never picks any up!!! PLease help, this is driving me nuts!!!

Alright so after a day of trying, the 8110 GPS has decided to work! Not sure what I did, but I kept refreshing GPS service and also starting GPS navigation - suddenly its picking up 10 satellites and finding my location - its quite a neat little tool.
Update to post...GPS works fine!!!
when o2 say they dont support GPS, what they mean is the 8110 does not have a built in sat nav system. the GPS works fine at finding where you are etc and giving a long/lat reference. Mine is nearly always accurate to 1.37meters. If your having problems, keep trying to refresh GPS service (options>advanced options>gps>refesh GPS service. as well as starting the GPS navigation in BB maps. I assume it needs to somehow set itself up but keep trying these things in various locations and it will work. Once the sats are picked up for the first time, it will subsequently find your location within a few seconds. Dont try it in the office surrounded by computers (like i did!! ) as this will interfere with the set up.

Last edited by Kieran30; 08-21-2008 at 04:37 AM.. Reason: Update to Post
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Old 08-22-2008, 01:55 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kieran30 View Post
O2 have told me they dont support GPS on the 8110 and you need to subscribe to a 3rd party application? Im really confused by this whole issue!
On my first call to O2 they told me the same thing. My advice is call back later and get someone else because if the GPS does not work, its a fault and they should supply a new phone. I did get a new 8110 as a replacement and it worked immediately the first time I tried.
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Old 08-22-2008, 02:59 PM   #13
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chainsawdude........

I am probably hours away from transfering my normal mobile service to o2 and the BB 8110.

are you able to confirm that it is possible to use the GPS on the phon ewith some map software without there being any "subscription" to some mapping software, or some data transfer?

There has been talk on some forums that the GPS uses traingulation from telephone masts - but if this was the case, what would be the point of the GPS chip?!
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Old 08-22-2008, 06:01 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 50020 View Post
are you able to confirm that it is possible to use the GPS on the phone with some map software without there being any "subscription" to some mapping software, or some data transfer?
BB 8110 on O2 in UK, yes. NB It is assisted GPS (aGPS) which first gets a rough idea of position from the cell masts and then uses the GPS satelites to get within a few metres, i.e. aGPS is better than GPS as it gets a fix quicker. The whole process takes just seconds.

A blackberry from O2 comes with blackberry maps which gets installed over the air, and I also use google maps which uses the GPS and fails back to cell tower triangulation if you are inside a building etc. There is no cost for either of these.

There is some data transfer as the maps themselves are downloaded as they are needed but this data is covered in the BB plan.

Last edited by ChainsawDude; 08-22-2008 at 06:16 PM..
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Old 09-15-2008, 09:51 AM   #15
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I have now purchased the 8110 on o2 uk and having tried the GPS application, I can't get it to work.

I have installed google maps, and the aGOS get's my location immediately, but if i go to

options -> advanced options -> GPS -> refresh - it searches for satellites, but never gets a fix.

am I doing something wrong?

I have spoken to 02 and they say I must subscribe to telemap or something?

I thought GPS would work without subscription?
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Old 09-15-2008, 02:41 PM   #16
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See attachment, its O2 and I have no subscription except usual Blackberry BIS tarif. AFAIK if you can not do advanced options -> GPS -> refresh, the GPS is not working and google maps will not get a GPS fix.

Ensure you have BB maps installed, it should install automatically over the air with your service book and then do a "find location" -> "where i am" to test its working.

>>> Just noticed the 4.5 software is on the O2 site now. <<<
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Last edited by ChainsawDude; 09-15-2008 at 04:22 PM..
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Old 09-16-2008, 01:46 AM   #17
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thanks chainsawdude........

after trying for two weeks to get a GPS fix, after calling in the o2 shop I got the device from where they tried another device, unsuccesfully I might add, I suggested that I try one more time in the open in a field befire swapping the hanset for another.

in trying this second device in the store, the salesperson pulled the battery and put my sim in another device. As I left, I put my sim back in my handset, and after another 5 minutes of trying - it fixed on 5 satellites.

I have no idea what had changed - but it was the first time since I put the battery in that it had been removed.

anyway, it's working now. not as good as tom tom, but very useful in finding your location, and directions to places in strange citys etc etc.

one thing I was surprised with was the lack of knowledge that the o2 call centre had.

1 person "The phone does not have GPS"
1 person "You need to subscribe to telemap for the chip to be active" - there's even an entry on the 02 website which suggests this is BULL
1 person correctly said, the phone does have GPS, but it's a feature on the phone that we cannot determine if it's working correctly. If you believe you have a faulty handset you should return it to the store for replacement.
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