Samsung Galaxy Note 3 GPS Issue

Realize this is about the Note 3, but the Galaxy Mega post from 3/24 noting similar issue is kind of orphaned so here I am and here I go...

Two week old Galaxy Mega 4.2.2 with the latest AT&T OTA update already installed when I got the phone (i527UCUMK2/3.4.0-2052936/JDQ39.I527UCUAMK2).  So, not rooted or flashed.

Won't go into all the gory details as the major symptoms I am having with GPS dropping are nearly identical with others here using the Note 3.  In fact one of the secondary reasons I opted for the Mega over the Note 3 was the ongoing GPS issue.

It's not the case (Otterbox Commuter) - it drops naked too.  It's not the vehicle - drops when I walk too.  Drops for Waze and Google Maps.  Matters not if GPS Status (free) is set to keep GPS on when screen sleeps.  Does it even with GPS Keeper Lite running.  I am not 100% sure it will drop with just GPS Keeper, GPS Status, and Location Service running (e.g. no mapping/navigation), but it does not seem so.  Can't really correlate with tower or mobile network change or sniffing out available WiFi (but turned WiFi detecting off) - still running with Location to use WiFi or mobile network.

I honestly cannot recall if the problem existed out of the box or after I installled-updated my PlayStore apps and wonder if, illogical as it may be, if the new LightFlow (paid version) might be stomping on something.  Thinking about dispabling or removing LiteFlow.

Based on GPS status, GPS lock is usually less than 30 seconds and normally fix on 18+ sats outside and even 10+/- sittign in the home office.

Trying to resist a factory data reset.  Haven't logged a call with At&T support yet.  Figure they will want me to reset it.

edit...

GPS still loses signal even after a full factory rest/restore. I did a couple of tests and might have figured it out. Every time I put my phone on my lap, the GPS lost signal 10/10 times. Every time I put my phone on my dash, in my hand or passenger seat it regained signal almost instantly 10/10 times. This sounds like a hardware issue now.

Had MAJOR GPS issues prior to 4.4.2 update....after update mow my location shows up somewhere between 20-50 feet from where I actually am and I too notice when I have my phone in my lap that the GPS is worse...I did NOT to a factory reset...just the update.

This is ridiculous...

Follow up to my Galaxy Mega post above....debated whether to call AT&T Business Support and did so.

Got all the way to a "level 3 technical support person.  No surprise that they feigned ignorance of the problem on any phone much less the existence of this thread. 

But I pesuaded them to try to help 😉

Which included various suggestions that they would have to conference in Samsung, or maybe it was a Waze or Google Maps problem or if I used the (pay for) AT&T Navigation (TeleNav?) they could do more.  

I held my ground.

So someone had the idea fo me to try it with the SIM card removed.  What the heck...did that and...GPS held lock. 

So, with that, was told to go get a new SIM card, which I did, and if that did not work then also do a backup-reset.

Well, I am happy to say that with the new SIM card all seems to be healed.  Have not - yet - done a backup-reset.  Used Waze for 2+ hours this AM all over Southeast Florida and not one drop.  Before, I could not evenwalk around my block withouth numerous drops.

Now, I was always able to fix on at least 10 satellites even in the home office and routinely 15-20 outside.  But fix time has dropped from 30 seconds to under 15 seconds (GPS Status).

How could a SIM card - with no other obvious issues with mobile data, Wi-Fi, call, texts, etc - be the problem?

We'll see.

Pete

FYI:  The Kit Kat 4.4.2 update  DID NOT WORK!!!

- I got a Replacement phone (since my phone was/is under warrenty).

- I did a Software Update (I belive this is an AT&T only update since after the update my phone was still 4.3)(I had to wait 24hours before being able to attempt another update)

- I did another Software Update. This took my Note 3 to version 4.4.2 (KitKat).  The GPS worked 'pretty good' for 1 day.  It was not perfect.  I tested the GPS using Google Maps Navigation on a 40 mile trip down 101 north of SF.  I did got a 'GPS Signal Lost' error once while driving, but it quickly picked up the GPS signal on it's own and finish the trip with no more errors. WhooHoo!!! BUT---

- The next day I did the same exact driving route.  This time I got 5 x 'GPS Signal Lost' errors.  2 errors quickly recovered on it's own. 3 errors required me to stop/start GPS from the pull-down menu.

So, the UPGRADE to KitKat 4.4.3 DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE!!!