Help GPS no longer locks

[ctriegel]

I have had my Avid since January. Other than a screen sensitivity issue (see other thread) I have really enjoyed it. I have been using it as a GPS (Google Navigate or Waze), and for tracking bike rides with Endomondo, and for tracking weather with Weatherbug.
About 3-4 weeks ago the GPS started struggling. It just won't lock. It knows where I am with 1k-2k feet but just can't lock, or if it does lock it loses it within 15 seconds. The strange thing is that my wife's Avid is doing the same for the same amount of time. It makes me wonder if some app update hosed things up a few weeks back.

Anyone else experiencing a similar issue? Any ideas what's going on or how to remedy it?

Thanks

 

[BraceForImpact]

I've been having similar problems. This is a replacement phone and it also had the issue. I've tried various other gps apps, factory resets, unrooting & going back to stock, etc. to no avail.

Then it starts working again yesterday. Only thing I did was install xposed installer and x-blast tools... Shrug.

 

[Vasolini]

Same problem. Just started 2 or so weeks ago. GPS never locks on. I even had the phone replaced, and the new one does the same thing. I'm starting to wonder if the merging of the MetroPCS and T-Mobile networks changed something for this make and model phone...

 

[starxpilot]

I have the same issues, I cannot depend on any application that requires the use of GPS.

I am ashamed that it looked like it would work so perfectly, yet I am traveling farther than Google Maps is able to keep up, sometimes, even when I am standing still, it fails to lock onto me.

I hope it is not due to the merger, if so, I think this will be one of the 'problems' that will never be addressed due to it.

 

[Vasolini]

I have the same issues, I cannot depend on any application that requires the use of GPS.

I am ashamed that it looked like it would work so perfectly, yet I am traveling farther than Google Maps is able to keep up, sometimes, even when I am standing still, it fails to lock onto me.

I hope it is not due to the merger, if so, I think this will be one of the 'problems' that will never be addressed due to it.

It makes me wonder if it is due to the merger since Metro has dropped a lot of phones including this one.

 

[starxpilot]

It makes me wonder if it is due to the merger since Metro has dropped a lot of phones including this one.

Could be likely. One of my family member's phone has started to act in the weirdest manner since the merger, calls constantly dropped, phone call quality went from fair to poor...

I am not certain however, it is related to that. The N9120 does not have any 'aged' specs, it is somewhat still relatively new, but it was pushed out so quickly...

Well, if that is the case, I can only imagine what other horrors other users are experiencing that are not active here on AF.

 

[Qmoney]

Having the same problem with AVID not locking GPS. I have change my phone twice and problem still persist. Could this have something to do with updated Google map?

 

[Qmoney]

Anyone have any idea how to fix this? GPS is the main reason I use a smart phone.

 

[ctriegel]

Having the same problem with AVID not locking GPS. I have change my phone twice and problem still persist. Could this have something to do with updated Google map?

I originally thought it had something to do with the new Google Maps. I uninstalled that and returned to the stock Maps & Navigation on the Avid. Still had the same issue. And all my GPS apps are affected (Waze, Endomondo, etc). I do think either some other software/app update messed it up, or MetroPCS has somehow interfered with the GPS by restricting data or something. I think I will try resetting the phone to see if it will lock with only the stock apps installed. . . .

 

[Qmoney]

I originally thought it had something to do with the new Google Maps. I uninstalled that and returned to the stock Maps & Navigation on the Avid. Still had the same issue. And all my GPS apps are affected (Waze, Endomondo, etc). I do think either some other software/app update messed it up, or MetroPCS has somehow interfered with the GPS by restricting data or something. I think I will try resetting the phone to see if it will lock with only the stock apps installed. . . .

Factory reset will not help, I tried. I wonder if this is effecting all Metro phones or just the Avid.

 

[Vasolini]

My GPS started to work today.. I had to take my daughter to a party and even though the GPS would not lock onto a signal I put the address in there anyway.. Along the way it would occasionally catch up to me and show where my location was but it would not show any direction.. Once I got to where the party was the GPS caught up to me. While I was sitting in the driveway I put my home address in the GPS even though I know the way back. Along the way on the way home the GPS started to work its like I was forcing it too download new data! Works flawlessly now.

Update: Nope, it still doesn't work. I guess it was just that one day it worked, and then nothing.

 

[BraceForImpact]

This is my second replacement for various reasons. None of them have had a working gps, but eventually it does seem to start working, although I can never pin down a reason why. Whenever it streets working I can't reproduce the effect on the new phone. Factory resets, going back to stock, updating/not updating, any number of apps doesn't seem to have any effect. Damn annoying since all Metro will do is replace the phone with the same model.

 

[ctriegel]

This is my second replacement for various reasons. None of them have had a working gps, but eventually it does seem to start working, although I can never pin down a reason why. Whenever it streets working I can't reproduce the effect on the new phone. Factory resets, going back to stock, updating/not updating, any number of apps doesn't seem to have any effect. Damn annoying since all Metro will do is replace the phone with the same model.

I have had mine since January (both the original and a replacement due to other issue) and the GPS worked very will until 4 weeks ago. I could blame the phone hardware, but my wife's Avid, bought at the same time, has the exact same issue at the same time. That's why I think it's either some other app update or a MetroPCS network issue. I first blamed the new Maps app from Google. I still don't really like it, but I don't think it's the problem.

 

[ctriegel]

OK. This morning I decided to uninstall the Google Maps update. Returned to the stock Maps/Navigation app on my Avid. Within seconds the GPS locked for Navigate and it maintained lock during my drive. I also shut that down and tried Waze. Same good results. Finally opened Endomondo and it locked too. I will continue to use it over the next few days, but I am now thinking it IS the new Google Maps app that is hosing the GPS.
Next question: is it just in the Avid, or ICS,or what?

 

[telefunken]

Ditto GPS never worked well, now with Google maps update its nearly useless.
I did notice if I turn on wifi location assistance for GPS it tends to work.
I hate google maps, the old navigator worked great.

I think I removed the stock navigation app from my rooted Avid.
Anywhere I can download it?

 

[starxpilot]

Ditto GPS never worked well, now with Google maps update its nearly useless.
I did notice if I turn on wifi location assistance for GPS it tends to work.
I hate google maps, the old navigator worked great.

I think I removed the stock navigation app from my rooted Avid.
Anywhere I can download it?

MetroNavigator was retired. https://www.facebook.com/MetroPCS/posts/574247752613694 http://androidforums.com/metro-pcs/743712-metronavigator-will-no-longer-offered.html I received the text sometime in August, that it was being phased out.

It looks like they are pushing to use Google or other GPS applications. I am not certain if it is indeed the phone, or Metro, at this point, due to the mixed results that other users are getting with swapping applications. I will continue to use Google, until I can either find a better device, or find a way to feed it more data.

 

[ctriegel]

OK. This morning I decided to uninstall the Google Maps update. Returned to the stock Maps/Navigation app on my Avid. Within seconds the GPS locked for Navigate and it maintained lock during my drive. I also shut that down and tried Waze. Same good results. Finally opened Endomondo and it locked too. I will continue to use it over the next few days, but I am now thinking it IS the new Google Maps app that is hosing the GPS.
Next question: is it just in the Avid, or ICS,or what?

Well, it gets stranger and stranger. The morning I returned to stock Maps/Navigate, all the GPS apps worked fine. Both Navigate and Waze locked & did fine on my drive to work. Neither would lock on the way home. The next morning the GPS locked again without issue, but after work, no. So at this point,I have better behavior with the stock Maps/Navigate apps, but still not right. I reboot the phone each morning (see my other thread), so thought maybe it has something to do with that. But rebooting the phone yesterday afternoon did not bring the GPS back to life.
I appreciate everyone's comments. Maybe we'll figure this out. . .

 

[BraceForImpact]

Same here, it's spotty at best. The gps will lock almost immediately almost every time now, but will not maintain the lock, making navigation useless.

 

[rlugo29]

I'm having the same prob. GPS isn't working for any apps. Very frustrating.

 

[rlugo29]

I posted on the Metro forum to see if anyone else is having the same issue with different Metro phones.

 

[BRAINZ2013]

Its a new google map out its on google that many changes are affecting every day use . Give it a few days but open up on you pc/laptop and see it has a total new look very clear .

 

[rlugo29]

Its a new google map out its on google that many changes are affecting every day use . Give it a few days but open up on you pc/laptop and see it has a total new look very clear .

We know it's a new Google map. That doesn't explain why GPS isn't working on any other apps.

 

[ctriegel]

Its a new google map out its on google that many changes are affecting every day use . Give it a few days but open up on you pc/laptop and see it has a total new look very clear .

I put a post out there today (on Google Maps forum). After reading through some of the posts, it seemed there were people having similar problems, but it was back in June. They have now closed the discussion, claiming it was resolved. So I stuck a new post out there specific to the ZTE Avid to see if any new info comes through.

 

[rlugo29]

Just out of curiosity, how many of us having this issue are rooted? I'm rooted

 

[BRAINZ2013]

I am rooted also but as i said they claim it was fixed how cause google maps just updated recently