Nokia N97 GPS Problems

N

nk1

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Anyone else experiencing issues?
When I first received the phone, it was brilliant could pick up the satellites with 30 seconds and was very accurate but after a couple of weeks something is very wrong. Sometimes it takes about 5minutes to pick up a GPS lock, sometimes it does not even lock on and when it does it seems to be off by about 200meters or on the wrong road. This is both on Nokia Maps and Garmin XT. Having searched the forums in Europe this seems to be a common problem altough Nokia is not admitting to it.
Also have the latest firmware running.
 
yes i have read about the extra wire but I will not go the route of modding for a defective device.
I'm sure the 24month warranty will cover this but I believe that this is hardware related and affects all Nokia N97, what bothers me is why it worked fine and suddenly just stopped.
 
The GPS on my E90 did the same ... degraded to the point where I completely stopped using it. I just don't have any faith left in Nokia. There was a time when they had complete market dominance (outside of the US) doing things on their own terms (could release solid products on their own time table). That's all changed and Nokia's now under severe pressure to keep up with companies better suited to the fast pace. Nokia's therefore releasing stuff to market that's half complete - trusting their old faithful customers/fans to stick with them as they finish the product over the next 12 months. On the E90 they unfortuantely gave up early. The E90 turned out to be a great device overall, but I saw a side of Nokia that I don't appreciate.
 
I'm beginning to feel the same way now, as I only had Nokia's all my life.
I was torn between this phone or waiting for the HTC Hero Andriod - guess I should have waited a bit longer.

2 other issues that annoy me to no end:
-charging via laptop usb, once the keyguard is active the phone goes into lock down and you have to remove the battery to get it going again.
-the photo's when viewed on the phone looks crappy however when copied to the PC is fine.
-low battery reminder is pathetic.
-drm bought music sometimes hangs when re-aquiring licence - why it needs to this all the time is beyond me.
 
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This issue seems to be very limited.

I have used my GPS several times after after v11 and then ver 12 Firmware updates and to date still works fine.

Initial Sattellite acquesition is still pretty long ( 3 - 4 minutes ) but after that no issues at all.
 
I have been reading up this morning on the Nokia Europe forum and it seems this problem is more widespread as the Tread topic has been on the front page for weeks now.
 
Well Im typing this from my N97 and I have just been using GArminXT while driving down to DUrban. i must first say that this is the first time Ive used it on the new version 12 software. It seems a little quicker although still not as fast as when I first got it.
 
that's not too bad, was it always like that - when I first got mine it was to at least 5meters
 
Nokia N97 GPS Problem

I am facing exactly the same problem with my Nokia N97 (Made in Finland), GPS was working perfectly when I bought it two weeks ago (approximately 10 seconds to get connected), now It's taking so long (5-6 mins).

Do you think it is a software problem? If it's something wrong with the hardware, I believe it shouldn't work good not even for 5 minutes! why it worked for two weeks??
 
Well yesterday, it just would not connect after 20minutes.
The is still a debate about whether this is software or hardware.
 
I had the first chance to test my N97 GPS this morning as I had to go see a client in rural Mpumulanga. I have driven in the area before and know that the roads were covered by the Nokia Maps installed on my N95.

Since there is no 3G or Edge coverage in that area and the normal GPRS coverage is also very intermittent, I selected "No" when the Nokia Maps app prompted me to "go online".

After about 10-15 minutes without getting a satellite lock, I restarted the Maps application and selected "Yes" this time when prompted to "go online"

After about two minutes I got a GPS lock, but then it seems the Maps app insisted on downloading the map via the connection although the SA maps is installed on the memory card and the app is set to use the memory card for storage. Due to the slow and interrupted connection, the maps loaded so slowly that the app was unable to direct me anywhere.

Question to other N97 users – Does this mean the N97 with Maps 3 is unable to function without a data connection? My N95 never had any of these issues.
 
Busy checking out the new Beta of Nokia Maps....looks very good and is very responsive (only been playing with it for 2 hours). It seems that you can save the maps on the phone. 3D Buildings! no splash startup time!....but not in SA I dont think.

http://betalabs.nokia.com/betas/view/ovi-maps

@ben_thb ... If Im not mistaken "first use" of the Maps app needs to connect via GPRS. On the N97, once I have the first lock I can go ofline and use the phones maps. Like Ive said in other posts, I like the way Nokia Maps is layed out but the maps accuracy does not seem good for my area. They seem to be using some generic online source as most of the GPS apps have the same wrong roads in my area. Garmin XT has the correct maps and is still my "mainstay" for Navigation.


GOTTA TELL YOU TOO!.....my GPS problems seem to be out the window since V12 update?!.....I get lock in about 2 mins (after a cold boot) and then 20-30 sec normally. Accuracy is 100m after 20sec but then improves to 5-25meters in 3-4 mins. So A LITTLE FASTER AND MORE ACCURATE than my old N95!
 
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Ive had my n97 for 4 months now. I have never been able to get the GPS to work, so finally a technician had a look at it and said the 1st problem is that im using a 16k SIM card. LOL. it was my 1st SIM card ever (9yrs ago), so I got a Simswap for the new 3g card and VOILA!!!! I got a GPS fix in 5secs. FINALLY~!@!@!@!
 
My GPS works properly now!

At last....got my lens and Gps back section replaced!! :)

I went to the Nokia care repair centre in Chartwell Drive Umhlanga Rocks (Cel fix). What a pleasure these guys were, I walk in they smile, I tell them about my scratched lens and GPS problem and they acknowledge that Nokia has advised replacement under warrantee. So I ask the guy if he has the part, he says he does and its the new one....AND HE REPLACES IT IN LESS THAN 30MINS AT NO COST! Big up to you guys at CelFix!!!

In contrast, just an hour earlier, I went to Nokia Care Centre in the Gateway. They have never heard of the problem and Nokia does not have new parts cos the phone is too new!!! Also they might get parts in 2 weeks......this is the same message ive been getting from them for at least the last 2 months.

OK.....the end result of all this. I still think I have had the older backplate installed.....I don't see any visible screening on the GPS antennae and the camera has the same Blue plastic cover slide. Having said that, its a bit more springy clearing the glass face by about 0.5mm but when pressed it makes contact with the glass.

The GPS took 1min to get initial lock after cold start and now gets a lock in 3 to 30 secs and has a below 10m accuracy in the first 30secs. So all in all a good day!!
 
Leftfoot said:
At last....got my lens and Gps back section replaced!! :)

I went to the Nokia care repair centre in Chartwell Drive Umhlanga Rocks (Cel fix). What a pleasure these guys were, I walk in they smile, I tell them about my scratched lens and GPS problem and they acknowledge that Nokia has advised replacement under warrantee. So I ask the guy if he has the part, he says he does and its the new one....AND HE REPLACES IT IN LESS THAN 30MINS AT NO COST! Big up to you guys at CelFix!!!

In contrast, just an hour earlier, I went to Nokia Care Centre in the Gateway. They have never heard of the problem and Nokia does not have new parts cos the phone is too new!!! Also they might get parts in 2 weeks......this is the same message ive been getting from them for at least the last 2 months.

OK.....the end result of all this. I still think I have had the older backplate installed.....I don't see any visible screening on the GPS antennae and the camera has the same Blue plastic cover slide. Having said that, its a bit more springy clearing the glass face by about 0.5mm but when pressed it makes contact with the glass.

The GPS took 1min to get initial lock after cold start and now gets a lock in 3 to 30 secs and has a below 10m accuracy in the first 30secs. So all in all a good day!!
Click to expand...

Do you know if one can take one's N97 to Vodacare shops as well for these free replacements. I contacted Nokia SA about this, but no response.
 
Apparently u can. I'm going to on the weekend. Well atleast they said i can bring it in and they will do it free of charge.
 
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