Does GPS work on unlocked 8230 Flip (Bluegrass)?

:confused: I was wondering if any one knows if the GPS will work on a Blackberry 8230 Flip that has been unlocked? I am with Bluegrass Celluar.

The locked or unlocked condition of the phone won't affect the GPS. If your carrier supports it, it will work. If you carrier does not, it won't.

Right now the only one they have it working in is the Tour. I guess I need to know if it works on that one, why won't it work on mine?

The Tour and the Storm use a different GPS chip than the 8x30 series devices. The GPS in the 8330 and the 8830 works in Assisted GPS mode, which requires a signal from ground based computers provided by your carrier. It sounds like the 8230 has the same type GPS. The Tour and Storm have an Autonomous GPS Mode chip, which does not require any ground signal and operates like a handheld GPS. Autonomous mode is why those units work with 3rd party apps on Verizon phones, and your carrier as well. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to change the mode your chip operates in.

Thanks for explaining this to me.

I am on VZW and used to have an 8130 Pearl. On that BB, Poynt would locate movies, restaurants, etc near me using the BB's GPS. Google Maps would display my location using the GPS.

I lost that phone and now have a Pearl Flip 8230. GPS now only works with BB Maps, not with Poynt nor with Google Maps. I have decided not to pay $9.99 per month to get VZ Navigator.

I am puzzled as to why GPS worked on the Pearl but not on the Flip. Your discussion is the closest to an explanation that I have seen. However, if VZW can "assist" the GPS chip in one phone with ground based computers, why won't it do so for other or all phones?

Thanks,
wrnoof

I don't know how Poynt and Google Maps worked with the internal GPS in your Verizon 8130. Everything I know says neither app can. Verizon can assist the internal GPS in any device that uses Assisted GPS. I'm not a Verizon executive, but I assume they choose not to unless there is some revenue stream associated with the app. After all, it requires Verizon resources to assist the GPS. While we may wish they would enable all the old GPS devices for free, as some carriers choose to do, it's certainly understandable if they choose not to.

The Storm, Storm 2, Tour, and Tour 2 devices use autonomous GPS, the same as you'd find in a handheld Garmin or Tom-Tom unit. Autonomous GPS requires no assistance. That takes the decision out of Verizon's hands.

Thanks for your response. You confirmed my thoughts. I was disappointed when my 8230 did not perform just like my 8130. Some advance notice from VZW would have been nice. But, it is what it is and the 8130 isn't coming back.
Thanks again,

wrnoof