When I activate the GPS application on the N95 it does take a while, upwards for 5 minuites for the receiver to locate my position, is this normal? Is there any way of speeding it up?
How long should it take for the GPS to find position?
Yes, this is normal. It can take upwards of over ten minutes for your phone to lock onto a signal.
Make sure your key pad is clearly exposed to the sky on a 45 degree angle and that there are no tall buildings or other objects blocking the line of sight to the sky. Your phone must communicate with atleast three satelittes before it coordinates it's position.
Usually it takes my phone about 2 minutes to get a lock, and once, while driving on a highway, it took about 4.
Usually it takes me about 2 minutes, it depends on how strong the signal is and if its a built up area. I wish it was quicker tbh
It's not normal if you're on firmware 12.x.
12.x has A-GPS support, with it enabled I get a lock within 15 sec everytime.
On previous versions (without A-GPS) it could take everything from 1-10 minutes. On some occations I did not manage to get a lock at all.... So upgrade to firmware 12.x is highly recommended.
I'm on the newest firmware and even with A-GPS enable, it still takes around 1 to 2 minutes for a lock.
superswede wrote:It's not normal if you're on firmware 12.x.
12.x has A-GPS support, with it enabled I get a lock within 15 sec everytime.
.
A-GPS costs money to use! Some of us are happy with the average 2 minutes non-AGPS Signal lock and no network charges.
Also worth mentioning, the first time GPS is used after formatting or firmware-updates, the initial lock can take 15-20 minutes.
waxup wrote:I'm on the newest firmware and even with A-GPS enable, it still takes around 1 to 2 minutes for a lock.
I assume you have checked this but just to make sure...
It's not enough only to enable 'Assisted GPS' under 'Positioning methods'.
In addition have to set/select a valid IAP under: Tools\Settings\General\Positioning\Positioning server\Access point
(+ Server address should be 'supl.nokia.com'😉
Yup, it's 'supl.nokia.com'
...and you have set a valid IAP under: Tools\Settings\General\Positioning\Positioning server\Access point
?
I don't allow network usage while using my GPS. Although, even when I do use it over WLAN at home, it still takes around 1 to 2 minutes for a lock.
We have to make sure that we are talking about the same thing here... 😉
I'm not talking about the "allow network usage" setting within Nokia Maps (which enables/disables the download of maps etc..). I'm talking about the IAP setting for Assisted GPS. Theese are two different settings and the Assisted GPS network settings does NOT allow you to select a WLAN so you (..once again...) have to check your setting here because you cannot have tested it with WLAN...:
Tools\Settings\General\Positioning\Positioning server\Access point (= which is only for A-GPS, not for the ability to enable/disable downloading of maps....)
I'm aware. I don't use A-GPS. I've disabled it after I did the firmware upgrade but when I do, it still takes about a minute or two for a lock. It could be my area, maybe some kind of interference, who knows....
All GPS units carry out what is known as either a warm or cold start and without using A-GPS I'd imagaing the N95 would act in the same way. A simple explanation is that when first switched on or when it hasn't been used for sometime a GPS unit has to aquire data from the satellites that tell it where the satellites should be and thus be able to work out where the unit is, this is called a cold start.
If the GPS unit has been used recently, the data will still be valid and doesn't need to be aquired again for a period of time, this is called a warm start.
What I have seen is that like most GPS units the N95 needs five satellites for a cold start, four satellites for a warm start and three satellites if it losses a fix.
Now In the week I was in a built up area and the status showed only three satellites and I had to move before the unit picked up another satellite.
What makes thinks worse is that when I was involved in GPS development I saw what I basically nicknamed an alignment, where at a particular time the satellites would be arranged such that a fix was possible but a cold start would be virtually impossible for a certain period of time.
dez_borders wrote:A-GPS costs money to use! Some of us are happy with the average 2 minutes non-AGPS Signal lock and no network charges.Also worth mentioning, the first time GPS is used after formatting or firmware-updates, the initial lock can take 15-20 minutes.
It does cost data (not necessarily money, depends on your price plan) but as has been discussed before, an a-gps lock only requires a 6kb data transfer so might be worth the cost to you depending on how your billing works.
3Shirts wrote:It does cost data (not necessarily money, depends on your price plan) but as has been discussed before, an a-gps lock only requires a 6kb data transfer so might be worth the cost to you depending on how your billing works.
Agreed, but as Orange don't give me any free data allowance, it would cost financially each time A-GPS accessed the network.
Personally I am more than happy for 1 to 2 minutes lock time without A-GPS.
P.S. I used to have a genuine TomTom MK III Bleuthooth GPS Receiver and it often required 2 minutes or more to lock on to my position. I don't actually get why everyone thinks the N95 lock time is so bad... I can't tell the difference myself.
I agree with you dez.......I get a lock consistently in about 30 seconds and usually get between 7 and 10 satellites. My other half has an in-car gps and I always beat her to a lock.
Usually, using Route 66 I also get a better route than her.
I'm happy with it.....does the job until TomTom release version 7.
dez_borders wrote:I don't actually get why everyone thinks the N95 lock time is so bad... I can't tell the difference myself.
Its a behavioural thing. I always turned on my Tomtom in the car, so it tended to always be in the same place each time. The phone GPS I might turn on miles from where it last locked, so it will take longer to lock.
Always remember to extend the casing upwards, exposing the keypad, apparently this enables better GPS reception.
Also, remember to be in a clear open space to get the quickest lock on to GPS satellites. Avoid, trying to initially lock-on, in the middle of tall builds etc.
i've got a-gps activated, two things that really effect the lock time for me are:
1- built up areas, if i'm in london around tall buildings and / or with trees around it takes up to 3/4 minutes to get a signal
2- if i'm already moving when i try to get a signal, for instance if i'm on a bus or train and want to check how far i've got to go on my journey it takes an extra minute or two
must i've ever waited since getting a-gps on the go has been about 3/4 minutes, the majority of the time it's under a minute these days.
Longest time to lock for me is about a minute and that was moving, while it was sat in the car mount on the dashboard air vents. It was just a trial because my old Sirf Star II bluetooth GPS couldn't lock while moving. I was shocked.
I find the GPS on the phone brilliant. Admittedly Route 66 isn't the best, but I can wait for Tom Tom. I use it for geocaching and it's great!