[joerodd]

Well with my latest upgrade to the .51 beta, BB maps has allowed me the option to use GPS navigation. However, it doesn't locate the satillites. This pretty standard, I am guessing that VZW has disabled the phone's ability to do this to force you into buying VZNav, but i am hoping maybe there is a fix. Any ideas on where to look?

[kebema]

As far as I know, there is no current fix to this problem. Verizon has unfortunately crippled this function so that it only works with their navigation service. They claim it is for "personal security" reasons.

[teylini]

Please call *611 from your phone and tell them you would like this feature to work. Maybe if we all do this, Verizon will change their position on allowing applications to get a fix from the internal GPS.

I called *611 yesterday (July 23, 2008) and told them that my phone must be broken because I could not get a location fix using Google Maps. The customer service person said "that should be working, but we don't support Google Maps"... however, she still transferred me to Tier 2 support.

The Tier 2 support person (named Rob) walked through the Google Maps installation with me on his own 8330. He said he had never used Google Maps before. He was pretty impressed, especially when he turned on the satellite picture view. He confirmed that the GPS was not allowing Google Maps to get a fix but did not know why that would be... especially since he had activated the "Location On" setting in the 8330 options. Of course, he then suggested that I subscribe to VZNavigator, but I told him I wanted to use Google Maps for hiking and looking at satellite photos of the places around me. VZNavigator is more for driving directions. He was very impressed with Google Maps.

He said he would make the suggestion to one of the big-wigs that he knows (apparently they ride motorcycles to work together) to somehow open that up. He said "maybe we can make a buck, or two off of this" (ugh!! - but better than nothing).

I find it interesting that Rob did not know immediately that the GPS location fix was blocked for third party apps. I also think it is odd that a Tier 2 support person would never have installed something as cool as Google Maps.

Who knows? Maybe something will come of this, probably not. But if all of us who want the internal GPS to work properly call them, maybe something will change.

[MangoGT]

Please email the executives at Verizon Wireless and politely request that they unlock the internal GPS. (For those of us with external Bluetooth GPS pucks, Verizon's restrictions are especially malicious. They do not lose any money by enabling the internal GPS--they merely inconvenience and annoy their customers.) Remind them that it is easier for Verizon to retain customers than it is for them to draw new ones. Blocking the GPS on the Blackberry is the biggest problem many people have with VZW.

Executive Leadership at Verizon Wireless:
http:// aboutus.vzw.com/leadership/executive/index.html

Verizon's email format is:
first name.last [email protected]
(For example, John Doe would be [email protected])

These are the people that you should contact:
Your regional President - see the Executive Leadership page
Charlie Falco - Vice President of Customer Relations
Steven Schwartzman - Works in the office of Charlie Falco
Mike Lanman - Vice President of Marketing
Lowell McAdam - President and CEO

If you can't help yourself from ******** or whining, then don't contact the execs--call customer service at 611. Do NOT demand anything, do not write a massive letter. Just write a nice, polite note voicing your concern.

[teylini]

^^^Exactly MangoGT. I found that they will listen (or at least pretend to), as long as you are polite and reasonable. That is very good advice! And thank you for the the email address information.

[Zabi]

I still find myself unable to get "true gps" even while playing the $15 fee. Anyone know what's up? That seems kinda absurd.

[teylini]

^^^Zabi,verizon blocks the gps from everything except VZNavigator, even when you pay the $10 a month fee. Yes it is very absurd

[tymonc]

Yeah I've been trying the same thing. I would rather use google maps rather than bb maps and I'm not so anxious to pay for vznavigator.

Hopefully they get their heads on straight soon so we can all have our internal gps unlocked

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com