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Verizon Iphone - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
- Thread starter JustLeft
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mpossoff, that is a good question and one I can't answer. BryanLyle, do you have a link that you could point us to about TomTom acknowledging the issue?
Update: Just found an article on Tuaw - http://www.tuaw.com/2011/02/10/navigation-app-sales-and-verizon-friendliness/ which covers the TomTom "Connect to GPS" issue. They state the following:
TomTom also notes that new iPhone users on Verizon will be seeing a "connect to GPS" warning when they start up. TomTom advises users to just hit continue, and all will be well. The glitch doesn't affect your navigation, and will be fixed ASAP.
So the issue they are fixing appears at start up, then does not reoccur. This doesn't sound like the same issue that we are encountering.
Update: Just found an article on Tuaw - http://www.tuaw.com/2011/02/10/navigation-app-sales-and-verizon-friendliness/ which covers the TomTom "Connect to GPS" issue. They state the following:
TomTom also notes that new iPhone users on Verizon will be seeing a "connect to GPS" warning when they start up. TomTom advises users to just hit continue, and all will be well. The glitch doesn't affect your navigation, and will be fixed ASAP.
So the issue they are fixing appears at start up, then does not reoccur. This doesn't sound like the same issue that we are encountering.
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I wonder if they also changed the location of the GPS antenna. My iPhone is in a bumper case and when in the car, it's in a vent mounted housing that covers up both sides.
So far, this is the ONLY issue I've had with my phone. It's just nice to have solid 3G (albeit slower 3G) coverage every place I have gone so far.
So far, this is the ONLY issue I've had with my phone. It's just nice to have solid 3G (albeit slower 3G) coverage every place I have gone so far.
I tested Navigon on the way home from work. As far as I can tell, it worked exactly like my previous ATT iPhone 4. No inaccuracy, but I will say I live in a suburban area, so no densely-packed buildings like in downtown NYC.
But so far, nothin' but goodness for me from my VZW iPhone.
But so far, nothin' but goodness for me from my VZW iPhone.
Was your phone in a case (or bumper) or was it naked? My issues occurred with a clear view of the skies and was in a rural area.
Naked. Sitting on the console by the gear shift for part, and held in my hand for part.
Wait, I think the likely reason for the difference in GPS performance is the fact that the GPS locator is now built in to the built into the broadcom chipset.
In other words, the AT&T version has a dedicated GPS chip, the VZW one doesn't. This must surely be connected to the issues that some people seem to be having with performance. Think- discreet video card, vs. that built-in intel crap!
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2379633,00.asp
In other words, the AT&T version has a dedicated GPS chip, the VZW one doesn't. This must surely be connected to the issues that some people seem to be having with performance. Think- discreet video card, vs. that built-in intel crap!
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2379633,00.asp
Certainly the change in GPS chip could account for some problems, especially if there are bugs in Apple's software. Since this particular baseband chip is used in other phones without GPS problems, I suspect a firmware update could squash any bugs.
Same problem here
I'm experiencing the same exact issue on Long Island (don't think the location matters - just providing all the information I know). Went to the Verizon store last night and after 30 minutes, I had an erased phone and the rep telling me that the iPhone isn't designed to be used as a GPS. She then suggested that I get a Droid X. Been there, done that.
GPS Status app confirms a bad fix periodically.
I'm experiencing the same exact issue on Long Island (don't think the location matters - just providing all the information I know). Went to the Verizon store last night and after 30 minutes, I had an erased phone and the rep telling me that the iPhone isn't designed to be used as a GPS. She then suggested that I get a Droid X. Been there, done that.
GPS Status app confirms a bad fix periodically.
Gah, I'm glad she didn't try to tell that to me.
I'd be telling her my AT&T iPhone does GPS just fine and serves perfectly well as a GPS. In fact my mom stopped using her dedicated Garmin GPS in favor of her iPhone 4 + Navigon on AT&T (and she's on Long Island so not the best AT&T coverage there. While she likes her iPhone she does prefer Verizon). Or in otherwords, she's full of ****. Especially when she recommends another phone... by her logic none of those phones were designed to use as a GPS (all of them have GPS as a feature, not the main thing. Except maybe Garmin's phone if they still make it. I could see Garmin making it more revolved around its GPS).
That issue is not just with the iphone I think its with Verizon, iono smh I use to have the same gps marking issues with my droid, but overall if I ever needed navigation help it was accurate. hope this helps
After 4 days of horrible data speeds, GPS that was unusable, a 3 day open unresolved ticket, I decided to go to a Verizon Corporate Store. Upon arrival I explained the situation to the Verizon Rep. I did a speed test with my Droid X next to the Verizon iphone. The Droid x was 16 times faster than the iphone. I also explained the issue with the GPS. The rep left and went in the back to speak with a 'tech'. He comes back after a few minutes and says that the phone is operating as expected. He says that speed tests aren't relevant between phones. The icing was that I should subscribe to Verizon GPSs monthly service as that is the only thing that they guarantee. Didn't matter that the GPS was recording me off by over a quarter mile.
I near lost it in the store. I asked how the 'tech' could derive this from a short conversation behind closed doors. My phone was never looked at, the 'tech' never spoke to me. There was no interest in finding out if this was really an issue. I was dismissed.
So I went back to AT&T and ported the Verizon numbers. The port worked flawlessly, visual voicemail worked immediately - something that took 2 days to get resolved with Verizon. Further, the AT&T reps were interested in why I ported the number across to Verizon in the first place. I mentioned that it was a result of dropped calls in my home and when I travelled to NY. They offered me a Microcell free of charge. I know AT&T has given these out free to some individuals, but I wasn't one of them.
So back with AT&T and happy.
I near lost it in the store. I asked how the 'tech' could derive this from a short conversation behind closed doors. My phone was never looked at, the 'tech' never spoke to me. There was no interest in finding out if this was really an issue. I was dismissed.
So I went back to AT&T and ported the Verizon numbers. The port worked flawlessly, visual voicemail worked immediately - something that took 2 days to get resolved with Verizon. Further, the AT&T reps were interested in why I ported the number across to Verizon in the first place. I mentioned that it was a result of dropped calls in my home and when I travelled to NY. They offered me a Microcell free of charge. I know AT&T has given these out free to some individuals, but I wasn't one of them.
So back with AT&T and happy.
Congrats, I had some similar problems, but now all is good. I agree Verizon didnt impress me with customer service. AT&T is almost completely useless in my area though. So I am gonna ride it out and hope competition sorts out both companies.
Right now I have AT&T and really don't like it. It has been getting better, but wondering if the Verizon iPhone is much better. My service at home is anywhere from 1-5 bars. Speedtest vary from .50 - 3.0 on downloads. Is it possible to "try" the Verizon iPhone and return if not happy with?
Yes you can 'try' the phone, but you have to pay to play. That is what I did. Go into Verizon, pay for the phone and sign a 2 year contract. You have 14 days to decide. During that 14 days you can return the phone and get a refund. You pay for the time you used the phone.
Regarding whether it is better or not, that all depends on where you are located. I wanted to keep Verizon, but in my situation there were too many issues that I didn't feel would be resolved in 14 days.
Regarding whether it is better or not, that all depends on where you are located. I wanted to keep Verizon, but in my situation there were too many issues that I didn't feel would be resolved in 14 days.
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Sorry to hear people are having trouble on VZW.
My phone activated in 2 minutes via iTunes, VVM works, FaceTime works, data averages 1.5Mbit/sec with low ping times, Navigon has been working accurately the two times I've used it so far, and I've got 5 bars everywhere with no dropped calls since the phone came Tuesday morning. My AT&T iPhone 4 wouldn't go 4 days without multiple dropped calls.
So for me (just me we're talking - not assuming for anyone else), where I live & work, VZW is the better choice. And I get a nice 19% corporate discount, too.
My phone activated in 2 minutes via iTunes, VVM works, FaceTime works, data averages 1.5Mbit/sec with low ping times, Navigon has been working accurately the two times I've used it so far, and I've got 5 bars everywhere with no dropped calls since the phone came Tuesday morning. My AT&T iPhone 4 wouldn't go 4 days without multiple dropped calls.
So for me (just me we're talking - not assuming for anyone else), where I live & work, VZW is the better choice. And I get a nice 19% corporate discount, too.
I'm not saying don't go with Verizon. I'm saying it didn't work for me. I would have loved to have you experience with Verizon. I was intent on switching to Verizon as I experience frequent dropped calls with AT&T. With them throwing in a microcell for free, that solved many of my dropped call problems. With only 14 days to evaluate a phone, and no progress on my issues for 5 days, I didn't want to chance waiting longer. Beyond the slow downloads, my ping times often were > 5000 ms. When I went into their store today and did showed them the issue, they dismissed it. Hence my reason for leaving them. I could just be jinxed. Glad things are working for you!
Mark, thanks for catching my mistake. I corrected it in my post. Hate to think I caused someone to miss canceling within their trial period.
Mark, thanks for catching my mistake. I corrected it in my post. Hate to think I caused someone to miss canceling within their trial period.
This is just a bit of a guess on my part (and I realize that it doesn't help very much), but I think that the GPS issues (which I have with my Verizon iPhone and did not have at the end with the at&t iPhone) are due to the particular GPS applications and the way they are interacting with the Verizon iPhone. I believe that (in my case it's TomTom) they need to be updated to clear up some of the GPS issues we are seeing. I can recall (with my at&t iPhone) having some of these same GPS issues when I first used the early versions of TomTom and Navigon. Anyway, this is just a guess on my part.
Hopefully it's just a software update needed for you guys.
One thing though that I remember seeing on the pre central forums after the verizon Pre came out and that was that verizon had locked down agps, it would only work if you used vznavigator, so people had to open vz navigator first, and leave it running in the background while they opened up the app they wanted to use with gps. If they didn't, it was very finicky, it would take forever to get the location, sometimes would be way off or not connect at all, and wouldn't update the location.
I hope this isn't verizon up to their same tricks again, but you might want to test that out just in case. Just download vz navigator and open it to the home screen, you don't have to sign up or anything, just have it running in the back ground while you use your other gps apps, and see if that helps.
One thing though that I remember seeing on the pre central forums after the verizon Pre came out and that was that verizon had locked down agps, it would only work if you used vznavigator, so people had to open vz navigator first, and leave it running in the background while they opened up the app they wanted to use with gps. If they didn't, it was very finicky, it would take forever to get the location, sometimes would be way off or not connect at all, and wouldn't update the location.
I hope this isn't verizon up to their same tricks again, but you might want to test that out just in case. Just download vz navigator and open it to the home screen, you don't have to sign up or anything, just have it running in the back ground while you use your other gps apps, and see if that helps.
I have mixed thoughts about the article, since I'm doing my own test.
Now that I'm a few more days into my side by side testing of the AT&T vs Verizon phones, they are both so close that it's not even worth arguing over. The two of them are both very good. If you want an iPhone now, just buy one. You cannot go wrong.
If you wait, you'll always second guess, as there are rumors galore every day.
The concerning thing to me is that I tried a number of GPS apps, including Google maps. I also downloaded an app that another poster in this thread mentioned - GPS-Status. That relays the information from the GPS chip. This confirmed that there were wild swings in location accuracy when standing still with a clear view to the sky. The GPS chip jumped from <5 meters to >100 meters. This explained why when using any GPS application (Google, TomTom, Navigon) I would be on the road one minute and 100 yards off in a subdivision the next. This is in a rural area. No high rises.
Complicating matters is Verizon's 14 day trial period. Doesn't give you much time to wait for a solution. With the ETF being $350, it is a very expensive mistake.
I am hoping this gets resolved despite the fact that I went back to AT&T. My guess is that the ip5 will be using this same chipset. I won't upgrade if that is the case, unless this situation is corrected.
Has anyone seen a review of the integrated GPS chipset on the Qualcomm chip compared to the standalone GPS chip used on the AT&T ip4? That would be interesting to see.
Complicating matters is Verizon's 14 day trial period. Doesn't give you much time to wait for a solution. With the ETF being $350, it is a very expensive mistake.
I am hoping this gets resolved despite the fact that I went back to AT&T. My guess is that the ip5 will be using this same chipset. I won't upgrade if that is the case, unless this situation is corrected.
Has anyone seen a review of the integrated GPS chipset on the Qualcomm chip compared to the standalone GPS chip used on the AT&T ip4? That would be interesting to see.
This worry free guarantee is a joke. It took 2 months for me to get the credits I was due from Verizon when I cancelled my contract.
First, I sent back 2 ip4s to vzw 5 days after receiving them. They were shipped in the original box. They didn't open the box for 16 days. When they finally did the only receipted 1 phone. Two were in the box.
Second, they charged me retail price for the phone they lost.
Third, they charged me an ETF for the phone.
I am not exaggerating when I say I made over 20 calls to vzw over 45 days before I could get this resolved. It was not a pleasant experience and was definitely not worry free.
First, I sent back 2 ip4s to vzw 5 days after receiving them. They were shipped in the original box. They didn't open the box for 16 days. When they finally did the only receipted 1 phone. Two were in the box.
Second, they charged me retail price for the phone they lost.
Third, they charged me an ETF for the phone.
I am not exaggerating when I say I made over 20 calls to vzw over 45 days before I could get this resolved. It was not a pleasant experience and was definitely not worry free.