The Samsung Galaxy S24
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Mentor

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58 Messages

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013 4:12 AM

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 GPS Issue

Anyone else having issues with their Note 3 GPS? I'm having an issue were every time I plug or unplug the charger from my phone the GPS drops out. I have to then toggle the GPS on/off in my quick settings to get it working again while navigating. It also seems to drop the signal when I get an incoming phone call while using the navigation app. I have confirmed this same behavior on 2 other friends Note 3's. I'm hoping this is just a software issue that will be fixed in a future os update.

Master

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5.1K Messages

10 years ago

Thanks Danny. I'll test this out when I pick my son up from school today and report back.

Master

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5.1K Messages

10 years ago


@lbDanny wrote:

@Eileen89   I hope you do not have the problem...   and it is POSSIBLE that AT&T stopped pushing the "bad" GPS Dirvers over the air...  but if they did that, all they woudl have needed to do was to tell us ALL to do a factory reset.

 

As for making calls while driving, I completly agree with you  (I so,  but only with at headset).    but even if you refrain from MAKING calls, you can not control someone ELSE callng YOU...   which turns off the GPS.

 

So..  the test to do...  drivign or not driving...   put on any GPS software (google maps,   WAZE,  etc..)...  and have somone call YOU..   

 

There will be no obviouse issue...   your screen will look exactly the same,  but in very small print, on the top of the screen, it will say "no GPS detected"   (or soemthing like that.)

 

Good luck!!  and please let us know your  results!!!   If the phoen work fine,  please let us know the hardware/firmware version....

 

D


I ran Google Maps on the way home and had my son make 2 test calls while GM was giving me voice directions. One call I answered and the other I didn't. There was absolutely no message listed at the top of the screen or anywhere else saying "no GPS detected" or anything like it. After I ended the voice call the voice directions continued at my exact location.... I DO believe this is an issue for people, but for whatever reason my new GN3 is not experiencing any issues with GPS at this time. 

 

My GN3 info:

 

Baseband version: N900AUCUBNB4

 

Kernel version: 3.4.0-1625098

 

Build number: JSS15J.N900AUCUBNB4

 

Android version: 4.3

 

Master

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5.1K Messages

10 years ago


@toja3 wrote:

You do not need to accept calls. It is enough to loose GPS when your WAN radio switch between LTE and 3G


As I posted above. My son ran a test call 2 times for me while GM was running and there was absolutely no issue at all with the GPS function on my GN3. 

Mentor

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24 Messages

10 years ago

You won't notice if you're in a consistent coverage area. I used it for a short trip recently and it was perfect. This is why people are saying they don't have the issue. However, take a longer trip or go to an area where the coverage is different and you'll see. Anything that causes the cellular radio to flip back and forth between LTE and anything else will cause the GPS to lose signal. Even plugging the device in while navigating will cause it to lose signal. This is so frustrating that it hasn't been fixed yet. I want to throw my phone out the window. I'm SO ticked off I switched from Verizon to be on my fiancé's plan with AT&T. A company couldn't fail its customers any worse. I should have learned my lesson before. It's unacceptable it takes so long to fix. Last phone on AT&T!!!!

Scholar

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56 Messages

10 years ago

Everyone monitoring this thread .. here is a tip so you can stay on top of the issue as we are experiencing it:

 

Sign your self up for a subscription to this thread by clicking the TOPIC OPTIONS drop down at the top left of the thread (next to the blue REPLY button). Click SUBSCRIBE. Then, watch your email CAREFULLY for the thread updates.

 

There are more reasons behind this suggestion than I am able to mention here in this post

Master

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5.1K Messages

10 years ago


@BaeckerX1 wrote:
You won't notice if you're in a consistent coverage area. I used it for a short trip recently and it was perfect. This is why people are saying they don't have the issue. However, take a longer trip or go to an area where the coverage is different and you'll see. Anything that causes the cellular radio to flip back and forth between LTE and anything else will cause the GPS to lose signal. Even plugging the device in while navigating will cause it to lose signal. This is so frustrating that it hasn't been fixed yet. I want to throw my phone out the window. I'm SO ticked off I switched from Verizon to be on my fiancé's plan with AT&T. A company couldn't fail its customers any worse. I should have learned my lesson before. It's unacceptable it takes so long to fix. Last phone on AT&T!!!!

If this is the case then I would have had the issue the other day when I tested it on my 45 minute drive  home from work as there are a few locations where my signal goes from LTE to 4G and at the lowest point it drops to 3G for several minutes before returning to LTE. As I said, I do not think my GN3 has the GPS issue at this time. But I do hope that those of you who do get it fixed soon.

 

Scholar

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56 Messages

10 years ago

As I usually do about once a week, I chatted with AT&T support. I also added Samsung support this time.

 

It is very funny that Samsung says

" Valerina: I should inform that as of now we haven't received issues regarding GPS."

"Valerina: As of now there are no known issues."

 

But, while chatting with AT&T at the same time, they say:

"Thomas Anderson: We have been working with Samsung to analyze the situation and identify a solution. A software update will be released soon that will address the issue and improve the customer experience. Thank you for your patience."

 

I confronted AT&T about what Samsung was saying, and AT&T responded:

"Thomas Anderson: I can't comment on what you are being told by the Samsung representative.  I have some internal documentation though that we are investigating an GPS issue together with Samsung.  At this time, there is no information beyond that."

 

So, clearly, AT&T is the one to blame here. Samsung phones are just fine without AT&T

Scholar

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102 Messages

10 years ago

Ok also please if your using google maps navigation and you test again,

 

Look to see if the GPS icon on top left of your screen if its either blinking or icon just disappears . If the GPS icon is blinking it means GPS signal is lost . There is SOME chance it will stop blinking and you GPS signal back and it might hold longer. Now if the GPS signal is gone it won't come back and you'll get signal is lost msg eventually . This is the case with me... Navigation will still run without signal sometimes and I won't know if i'm traveling on a straight highway during short travels . As soon as turn down a different road or eventually after long travel time blue arrow disappears, or arrow jumps to another part of the map and phone has lost poistion . Have to keep an eye on your GPS icon to tell if GPS is working properly. Thanks and please report back anything. Thanks for posting also all your feedback 🙂 

 

Scholar

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56 Messages

10 years ago

adding to the info above..

 

for me, when it occurs, google maps just sits there not moving. I almost can't tell the issue is occuring unless I watch my position on the map and see that it doesnt scoot along the highway as quickly anymore. Only after several seconds (maybe 45+?), will I get the notification that "GPS Signal lost". It is an audible notification.

 

In the beginning, I missed some turns because it has frozen, and I was just focusing on driving, but have not yet been notified there was an issue.

 

Now that *I KNOW* theres an ongoing issue, though, I am constantly checking the icon that is my position arrow, to make sure it is moving along the highway as quickly as I am. That way, I can see it is occuring and fix it (by toggling GPS on and then off) wel before I miss any turns (and well before I am notified)

 

Several factors contribute: The area you live .. this means interference received/ distance between cell towers/ cell tower technology/ etc ... the manufacturering variances in the hardware of your specific phone ... and your traveling/navigating habits ... all contribute to give this issue to some but not all Note3 owners.

 

For me, I can easily reproduce the issue at least once during my work-home commute (about 20 miles one way, 25-35 minutes). Sometimes twice. But NEVER with any phone other than the Note3.

 

I encourage everyone with note 3 to use navigation even when they know where they are going. If everyone did so, (kind of like a reliablilty test), many more people would notice this issue....... and the symptoms...

Mentor

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47 Messages

10 years ago

@Eileen89, Didn't read if you already tried this. Open Maps or Waze and wait for the GPS get a solid lock as indicated by a solid white circle at the top of the screen. Then plug or unplug you charger. If your phone doesn't lose that solid GPS indicator, it will be the first ATT Note 3 I've heard without this GPS issue. Everyone I spoke to in person claimed their ATT Note 3 was not affectedb until I showed them the different ways of triggering the problem. Even ATT store employees were shocked to find their own personal phones and the ones on display have the problem.
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