1. snowsquirrel's Avatar
    Hello,

    Notices the other day that the Maps app was not able to get my location. Today under a crystal clear sky, I ran the GPS test on BBVE, and after 5 minutes, it could not find a satellite. I have tried rebooting multiple times. I have had the phone 1.5 years, so I doubt there is any warranty left, and unlikely Telus would do anything about it. While there has been some bumps, there has been nothing major, and I always have a bumper on it.

    Any chance this is a known issue, with a software fix?
    08-05-15 02:53 PM
  2. Carl Estes's Avatar
    Are you running an "Official" OS release, or a leaked version?
    Location services on?
    08-05-15 03:11 PM
  3. snowsquirrel's Avatar
    Official, from Telus. Which I believe is the latest any carrier has put out.
    08-05-15 03:49 PM
  4. FF22's Avatar
    And in Main Settings, you have Location Services ON?

    While I get location pretty quickly, it can sometimes take a while. I find a safe place and give 15-20 minutes or so left along.

    Any third party apps other than Mapping which might be using or locking the gps?

    In BBEV, are your other sensors working okay?

    Good luck
    08-05-15 04:18 PM
  5. snowsquirrel's Avatar
    I went through BB support, and they said it is likely a bad sensor, and to go through Telus. So I finally phoned Telus last night.

    The tech support guy said the solution was to download Google Maps, because they have better algorithms! He said if I Googled it many people were complaining about the accuracy of the native maps application. Not wanting to get into a discussion on the merits of mapping application, I said regardless of which application, I am not able to connect to any satellites. He then tells me that GPS doesn't use satellites! Long pause, and I say I am sorry I can't tell if you are joking or not. He says no GPS just uses Data! WTF. I assure him that GPS does use satellites, and in fact the Z30 can use GLONASS on top of GPS sats, and that maybe he was thinking that maps consume data to render the map on the fly to the user, but no data is required to catch satellite signal. Condescendingly he tells me that "Well technically all communications use satellite, so there may be some truth to what you say". I say no, communication goes to a cel tower, then through SaskTels infrastructure, and then potentially to a different back bone, but unlikely that it is satellite. It took all I had to not launch into full nerdery and explain how GPS and AGPS works. I say I need to talk to someone else. He says I can't, but if I really think it is a hardware problem I should go into a telus store to verify.

    In 7 years of Telus, this is the first truly negative experience I have had with customer service, so I'll call it a one-off. I have dealt with Rogers and Bell, so I do know what truly terrible customer service is.

    So I guess I'll go to my local Telus store.... which is in a mall, they are never going to be able to test GPS there.... maybe I'll try calling Telus again.
    FF22 likes this.
    08-13-15 09:16 AM
  6. DaFoxGrey's Avatar
    Wow, snowsquirrel......
    I think maybe Telus HR needs to know they are hiring I-D-10-T certified techs :P
    08-13-15 09:42 AM
  7. snowsquirrel's Avatar
    Yeah, I thought about filing a complaint. But they usually send out a survey after all phone interactions, so I'll make sure I do it this time (usually do anyway).
    DaFoxGrey likes this.
    08-13-15 09:58 AM
  8. FF22's Avatar
    Sorry about your experience with customer service (using the term loosely!)

    I'm sure that you have tested but one more app to give it a shot. Written by a forum member, HelloGPS immediately showed satellites when I just fired it up. Drag the guy out of the mall and show him/her that it is NOT working!!!
    08-13-15 11:06 AM
  9. snowsquirrel's Avatar
    Will do. Not sure what can be done for me anyway, as I just realized the warranty period is only a year. For some reason I thought it was two. I didn't buy extended warranty, and have 5 months left on contract. But I'll go in and see what they can do anyway.
    08-13-15 11:17 AM
  10. snowsquirrel's Avatar
    Phoned Telus again, got a great rep. He even said he ran into the tech who told me GPS did not use satellites, and we laughed about that. His last option was to suggest a factory reset, which I did to no avail.

    I have replaced blackberry keyboards, trackballs, screens, and speakers before. I wonder if any of those overseas parts places sell a GPS antennae?
    08-17-15 04:34 PM
  11. DaFoxGrey's Avatar
    Phoned Telus again, got a great rep. He even said he ran into the tech who told me GPS did not use satellites, and we laughed about that. His last option was to suggest a factory reset, which I did to no avail.

    I have replaced blackberry keyboards, trackballs, screens, and speakers before. I wonder if any of those overseas parts places sell a GPS antennae?
    The GPS "hardware" is part of the main board, so not serviceable in the general sense.
    Yes, you could change out the main board, however that would also be changing out the IMEI and such, so you would be basically getting another device.
    As for the physical antenna itself, I'll go out on a limb and say it too is part of the main board.
    Unless I'm completely wrong, please correct me anyone, the "waffling" that comprises almost all of the backside of the MB is the Paratek antenna. I think the GPS uses that.

    Image from:
    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...photos-885271/

    No GPS signal? Any fix?-5ugdw0b.jpg
    08-17-15 05:05 PM
  12. snowsquirrel's Avatar
    Thanks for the answer, this makes sense to me.
    08-17-15 05:26 PM

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