[jtmac]

Hi!

I'm new to this group & new to Blackberry all together...

Got an 8130 from Alltel, and am having difficulty figuring out the GPS on it. When I originally purchased it they told me it had an internal GPS receiver on it..

I'm a fairly technical guy, and got everything set that I could find, and still no GPS...

I went back into Alltel & inquired - and they contacted their support desk, and he said that the GPS in the 8130 that I have is only for the E911 tracking.

My question is this - is this correct? Is the GPS only an "option" on the 8130, or is it included w/it. Does it depend on the carrier (Alltel vs. Verizon, etc..) as to whether it is included or enabled?!??

I'm confused & Alltel isn't helping much!

Thanks for your help!

"map-less"

[NCbb8130]

Hi, I have the 8130 from Alltel as well. You can use the GPS for more than E911. First, do Options ---> Adavanced Options ---> GPS and make sure GPS Services is set to location on. Now, you can use Telenav or any other program you'd like, or you just can just use the free Maps program to find your location. To do this, click Maps, click the menu key, click Find Location, and click "Where I am". This will let you know the GPS is working properly.

[jtmac]

AWSOME!

I honestly thought I had "been there, done that", but suddenly this works!

I added the blackberrytracker.com app (very cool!) & all seems happy this a.m.!

Thanks for your assistance!

"41.1 Deg Lat/-96.1 Deg Lon" : )

[thackstonns]

actually if you install telenav on the phone, but dont call telnav to set up the account. so basically go through every thing that the telnav icon says to. it will download a couple of service books and then you can use google maps with it also and it will unlock the gps function for other programs. I work for alltel and have done this numerous times.
Have a good day and if you are around the Gretna Ne area stop by my store if you have more questions. We are independantly owned but all of us have worked for corporate alltel for years. We are more than happy to help with anything that we can. Have fun with your new pearl.

[jtmac]

Even more good info! I've been by your shop off the highway there in Gretna many times - I'm just East of Tiburon!

I had a difficult time getting assistance from Alltel, even after I went in to an office in Lincoln to ask "where is my GPS?"... they called their tech support line, and he told me that it was only for E911. I was a little disheartened that I had to PAY for any use of the GPS!

Good to hear the there are some helpful Alltel folks around!

Thanks for the good info - I'll swing in sometime!

[thackstonns]

Well good to know im helping someone. We are alot more customer oriented at our store. If you have any more questions just ask or stop by. I also am in a pearl. Alltel gets the phones that verizon does. We arent a big enough company to get blackberry (or any vendor) to make us custom phones. So usually what Verizon limits on the phones we have to too. Although we dont lock our phones. but just like the new htc touch. No wifi with it thanks to verizon.

[jtmac]

Stopped in the other day (& honked driving by a few times!) for a question on my ZOOM function not working on my Pearl... your folks hooked me up fine! (thanks!)..

One thing I found out is after installing the Blackberry GPS Tracker - Home tools, this enabled the GPS on the phone, as well as unlocked the tools to use w/Google Maps! (didn't have to install the TeleNav stuff even!)

Now I can see my speed & catch the # of satellites I'm seeing from the Blackberry Maps tools too!

Thanks again for the help!

[thackstonns]

Good to hear we are helping people. I remember that pearl with the zoom problem. Are you still having problems with it or did the reset take care of it?

[myntrpd]

Hi. Very informative thread, thanks for the great info. I have gotten my GPS to work with the BB Maps app, but when i back out of it and open up Google Maps on my BB Pearl 8130, Google fails to lock my position, it only gives me the My Location with the blue circle around it (which is over 1/4 mile off and doesn't follow my position. I had 5 satellites in BB Maps, but its like it's not even trying to use the GPS at all in Google Maps. Any ideas?

[icetime7]

i download bb tracker and now im at the log in screen and it's been saying logging in for about 20 mins now

[Jreneking]

@icetime7: I've been just trying to get to the page to download the client for a long time. I am stuck on "requesting". Something must be wrong with their server??