Want to test which network has the best 3G in london - Is this do-able?

[peterjmay]

The gps is not quite accurate enough for my liking with the o2 network. So I have just got new sims from 3 and vodafone but is there a way i can test each sim for a month without having to add all my contact numbers manually? Can I save them to the phones memory?

Which has the best london coverage out of 3 and vodafone, and o2?

 

[john_g]

A GPS receiver gets its position from a system of satellites in geo-stationary orbit so its accuracy has nothing to do with the phone network. The only time the network does play any part is when you are using A-GPS, which tries to get a faster position fix by getting an approximate starting position from knowing the location of the masts your phone is connected to. But this is about time-to-first-fix, not accuracy.

 

[peterjmay]

what do you mean about time-to-first-fix ?

 

[peterjmay]

so if i put in the 3 sim, id have to enter all my numbers in the phone?

 

[anandv76]

you should be able to copy all your sim contacts on to your phone, that way you can keep changing sims as many times as you want. go to people --> click menu --> import/export --> import from SIM card.

" time-to-first-fix " means the time taken to get a "good" gps lock, a-gps assists in getting a lock to the gps satellites...

dont forget to thank in case you find this post useful...

 

[RED_]

vodafone are probably the best with tmobile close by. tmobile offer a 3G FUP too which is massive. I would have said O2 but ive never used a smartphone on their network

 

[john_g]

The gps is not quite accurate enough for my liking with the o2 network.

Hi Peter. You're being good advice here regarding how to move your contacts around, but I'm not sure you've accepted the basic point that GPS accuracy will not be improved at all by switching network. Not at all!

I assume you have GPS enabled so that when you fire up Google Maps, for instance, the satellite dish icon appears? And are you waiting until the satellite dish 'waves' stop blinking, indicating that the GPS has acquired a proper fix? I don't know what accuracy you're expecting but 10 to 20 metres is about right in my experience.