topic Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot) in XPERIA archive

Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

mvogl — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:50:56 GMT

Posting here in the hope to get some response from Sony. Like many others I have a problem - the GPS on my Xperia U only gets a lock when the phone has access to the internet.

This means when I'm overseas and don't have mobile internet I can't download a map on Google Maps and then walk around a city with the help of GPS. Something you can do on any other Android phone.

A support rep just confirmed to me in writing that the Xperia U's GPS won't work with an internet connection. Screen shot attached.

When is Sony going to do something about this? I think it's reason enough for no one to ever buy an Xperia U again.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

pradeeprk4 — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:43:48 GMT

yes, it is a good enough reason.

I'm very disappointed with the gps.

My lg optimus one, which costed half of this phone's price works much better.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

JulioGeordio — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:32:04 GMT

What?! This is not true! i know for a fact it does work, I have used it when out of signal in the Welsh hills, and on areas of Anglesey with absolutely zero signal, alongside downloaded google maps!

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

adams00 — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 14:19:05 GMT

yes it doesn`t work without internet connection

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

pradeeprk4 — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:07:26 GMT

It will connect, but the time it takes is totally random. In most cases it'll take much longer.

But If you've connected to gps some time back(up to few hours), It can still fix faster as usual.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

Rado77 — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:25:37 GMT

Google Maps is real sh*t, that's the problem. It's still on-line navigation which uses wifi. Yes, you can download maps around your location before....strange!

Use normal navigation which uses pure GPS and no problem And if you are in areas with network signal, just use network connection for downloading AGPS data. The best way is to update gps.conf with file for your concrete location (root needed). I'm from Slovakia and updated gps.conf for my coutry. I enabled network data, and my GPS founds appr. 14 sattelites during 3-5 seconds and fully fixed after 20-30 seconds I'm using iGO MyWay. Anyway GPS must work everywhere on this planet. But Google Maps is one big world mistake, you still need wifi for it

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

Kotschyi — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:28:12 GMT

This means that the phone doesn't actually have a working GPS ?

Wow, that's why it was so cheap

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

JulioGeordio — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 00:26:12 GMT

The GPS DOES work, I use it all the time! As I already stated, it also works without internet connection if you have offline maps downloaded.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

Murdock — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 02:10:07 GMT

This is the official online support screenshot?

What a big lie... ups!

LOL

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

JulioGeordio — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 14:32:36 GMT

Yeah, I smell a rat!! lol

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

saraX — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 02:44:42 GMT

i think it does

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

Johan — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:08:09 GMT

As I understand you should be able to use GPS without using Internet, but it might be hard to find any app's that supports this and I would suggest that you use it with Internet access to get location faster.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

JulioGeordio — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 21:00:52 GMT

Google maps supports this, as long as you download the maps before you are out of internet coverage.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

mvogl — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:19:57 GMT

I can assure everyone that what I posted at the start of this thread was a real screen shot.

There is a real problem getting a GPS fix on my Xperia U when it doesn't have a internet connection. If you read this forum much, you'll know lots of other customers have the same problem too. And Johan from Sony admits as much in his response to this thread.

Again this week I found myself in a foreign city... so mobile internet wasn't an option (high roaming costs) and so no GPS fix!! Impossible to use my phone to guide me around. Really disappointing. Other phones work fine.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

Uliwooly — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:21:43 GMT

@Johan Google maps should work w/o a data plan, I use google maps when I'm abroad and my GPS work fine on all my Xperias.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

JulioGeordio — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:27:48 GMT

I don't understand why you have this problem, it works fine for me with or without 3G coverage/nearby wifi.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

Johan — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 06:30:49 GMT

@uliwooly

But you will have to download a selected region first don't you?

BTW, Rikard Skogberg says hello.

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

jatinrungta — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 06:44:32 GMT

Whatif you survive a plane crash in the middle of a ocean? and ofcourse the phone survives unharmed. Where to get the internet working?

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

Uliwooly — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 06:44:42 GMT

@ Johan

the way I did it last time, google maps wasn't allowing to download a section of the maps, so this is what I did

turn on my wifi > open google maps > move the map around so it will be stored > turn off the wifi and (data plan of course) and voila, now it's a lot easier, since google maps allow you to download the map

Say hi to Rikard, is he back or still on sabbatical? it's been quite a while since he last posted something on the official forum (that I'm aware of )

Re: Sony admits GPS on Xperia U doesn't work without internet (with screenshot)

Johan — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 07:01:45 GMT

@uliwooly

OK. But still at some point you will need an Internet connection to get the maps. I was starting to wonder how to get the maps without any Internet connection.

I will, I'm not sure if or when Rikard will get back at our social media channels. I think he's got plenty of other things to handle at the moment.