PAYG mobiles with gps

[cyberknight]

I am considering a newer mobile phone, payg because £10 would last me maybe 3 months as we are not allowed to make phone calls during work time ad i have always believed that as i get free calls with my sky package i may as well use the land line .

Does gps cost anything to use other than the initial outlay on the phone?

I would be mainly using the gps if i got lost on a cycle ride / long trips etc .

I am drawn towards ..

http://shop.o2.co.uk/mobile_phone/pay_and_go/init/Samsung/Galaxy Mini Black

 

[Monsieur]

I would assume that the gps would be using data from somewhere so would quickly eat into your £10 unless you used it in a wireless zone...

 

[cyberknight]

According to o2 it does not use the mobile network so it does not use data.

I assume you need to download a map ?

 

[ufkacbln]

I would assume that the gps would be using data from somewhere so would quickly eat into your £10 unless you used it in a wireless zone...

+1

Some systems automatically download maps and this is costly on data

Also if you use "assisted GPS" then the added accuracy is achieved by sending and recieving data to multiple masts.


Worst of all off contract data is expensive (3 stated £1 per megabyte)

 

[montage]

I'm not entirely sure it does....I'll try and test it out a bit later and report back

 

[LosingFocus]

What do you want to us the GPS for? Tracking or live "you are here" maps? The former (assuming the phone is screen off in your bag/pocket) shouldnt use any network data if you have a-GPS turned off; the latter will eat in to data as each time you move it refreshes the map of where you are.

Source: Playing about with Runtastic on my old BlackBerry which no longer has a SIM in it. Recorded my walk to the shops, and then I could upload it via wireless at home.

 

[cyberknight]

I was going to use it as an alterantive to buying a new sat nav for the car and for the bike .

My phone is a very basic one with no apps , small screen etc etc. (samsung e 250 )

I had looked at getting a second hand garmin as well.

Would a contract be a better idea ? i have always shunned contracts as normally £10 will last me a few months .

£3 would gives me 100 MB a month on top of £10 for 50 minutes + 250 txts

 

[jowwy]

I was going to use it as an alterantive to buying a new sat nav for the car and for the bike .

My phone is a very basic one with no apps , small screen etc etc. (samsung e 250 )

I had looked at getting a second hand garmin as well.

Would a contract be a better idea ? i have always shunned contracts as normally £10 will last me a few months .

£3 would gives me 100 MB a month on top of £10 for 50 minutes + 250 txts

i have a samsung galaxy s i9000 on orange monthly contract - The gps does not use up any of my data allowance at all. It just connects to the satelites that are in the skies all over the world. so why not use them. i use mine to track my rides and speeds etc, saves me buying another bike specific piece of kit like a bike computer.

 

[cyberknight]

I was looking at the sumsung galaxy mini, the guy at 02 said it would charge me for downloading maps as part of my internet usage unless they were talking bollocks.

If it is free to use it as a gps then PAYG makes more sense for me for my usage.

Apparently you can buy the maps ( route 66 ) and save them on an sd card

 

[fossyant]

Any smart phone uses data - all the time, and if it has maps etc, it comes down as data live if you use it, so no good unless you get the right PAYG package with data.

 

[Wornout]

Hi,

Try a nokia, specifically 5230.

This has integral GPS, can be connected to a PC for maps & updates, anddata usage can be turned off (with a bit of fiddling).

It does use assisted GPS, but this cab disabled easily.

The satnav is good, maps are free from nokia (as with any other nokia GPSenabled phone), whilst not cutting edge, the 5230 is cheapish for what it does.

HTH,

W.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I have an HTC and it uses GPS to locate you (if you let it) when using Google Maps (integrated).

Google maps requires a live data connection though; as it downloads the maps on the fly.

I did look into downloading maps in advance when we went abroad recently to avoid the idiotic data charges for roaming, and you need to use other apps to do it. I've installed MapDroyd which allows this.

The inbuilt 'satnav' feature on the phone does not use either Google Maps or MapDroyd but something else entirely. I haven't used it much, but there was mention of a 30 day 'trial' or something. Not sure what happens thereafter.