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Help a question about gps

Androids that use GPS use a-GPS, meaning that the initial attitude and empheris tables (used to get and maintain a lock) are downloaded on demand by wifi or 3G or 4G, rather than from the satellites.

If you don't have that data loaded, you can leave your phone outside in a good reception area and wait - typically a very LONG time - and it will eventually find a satellite, get the updates, and start working.

So - Internet preloading of the satellite data significantly reduces time to first fix. That's assisted GPS, or a-GPS.

Once you have the initial lock, a-GPS is the same as GPS.

GLONASS is Russian GPS.

Most new phones today use both.

Check out "GPS Status & Toolbox"

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2

In the main screen, numbered circles inside the compass are GPS satellites, rectangles are GLONASS.

Galileo (EU GPS) just started providing services and won't have a full constellation to rely on for the next several years.

If your phone is using BeiDou then you're in China and would be the first person I've met using it.

What phone do you have?
 
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