Pantech Pursuit and GPS with 3rd Party Software

K

Ke (R.I.P. MJ)

New member
Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a Pantech Pursuit from AT&T. I was very excited to find out that the cell phone was GPS-enabled. Unfortunately, AT&T charges $9.99 a month to use the AT&T Navigator App so I chose to download some third party software that seems to run on my phone but it gives me an error message saying that it can't access the internal GPS device. Does anyone else have this problem?:confused:

I've been researching about this issue but I can't seem to find any solution other than the fact that people are saying that you can only use the internal GPS with AT&T software...:flamemad: Is this true? Does anyone know a way around purchasing their software and using the internal GPS device with third party software???

Please Help,
bmw328igrl:)

(P.S... I called customer care at AT&T already and since my device is so new, no one knew what to do...):confused::(:rolleyes:
 
I'm no expert, but the way i understand it, the GPS in cell phones works differently from a normal, stand-alone GPS.

A normal GPS sees the closest satellites - at least 3 of them - and figures out its position. That's how it locates itself on the maps in its software. The GPS receiver is designed to locate and triangulate satellite signals.

The cell phone GPS only sees the closest cell towers (not the satellites). A cell phone GPS receiver is designed to locate cell tower signals. The towers actually see the satellites, and tell the cell phone where it is. That is, the towers are the ones that have "normal" staellite signal receivers.

So the GPS location mechanism is indirect...i.e. satellite -> tower -> cellphone.

That's why a GPS embedded in the cell phone can't work with software meant for "normal" GPS units.

Hope this helps. Others feel free to correct or enhance as necessary.

-Ravin
 
Thanks for the reply rasar.

I actually have a cell phone app that is supposed to work with your cell phone's internal gps. That is what I meant. When I turn the app on, it always tells me that it can't use the internal gps unit... do you know why it would say that? AT&T can't give me an answer...:(
 
This is what I been trying 2 find all week myself. If any one can help please do
 
Hey everyone!

After being upset for the past month about this whole situation and I found an answer that i'm not happy with. I called Pantech and they said that the GPS is not supported with third party software. They said that the GPS feature can ONLY be used with AT&T Navigator software! I am so upset to find this out.

When I bought this phone I was not made aware that the GPS function ONLY works with THEIR software!!! What a ripoff!!! next time I get the chance, I'm going to buy a phone that doesn't make you pay for EVERYTHING!!! Too bad I now have to wait two years to buy another phone!!!

Hope this helps!

BMW328igrl
 
That information was probably available in online reviews or in the manual. If you are buying a phone because of a certain feature, the onus is upon you to ensure that that feature works the way you expect. You have thirty days to exchange the device for another or to cancel the contract completely.
 
I actually looked at the manual, the online specifications, and the in-store product description and it doesn't say anything about the internal GPS ONLY working with their software.

I also have been constantly trying to figure out a solution for this issue by contacting AT&T hoping that they could come up with an answer for me but of course I didn't think of contacting Pantech until it was too late. I didn't buy the phone specifically for the GPS capabilties but I thought that it would be cool to have a phone that did that. I do love the phone for other reasons and I still want to keep it despite this issue.

I still find it shady though that AT&T doesn't tell you that your internal GPS ONLY works with their software because they have it locked so that you can't use ALL the features that your phone has to offer without paying lots extra. I think next time I will buy a phone that is not tied to any specific carrier so that I can keep my options open. As it is, I am already paying for the text messaging plan and for the multimedia plan which costs $30 extra on top of the bill for the cell phone.
 
This is from the AT&T Support Forum Tutorials for your model phone:
Tutorials

Do you think that a seller of a GPS product will tell you that you can also use a rival's product? Each publisher is only obligated to tell you about its own product.
 
To me, I find that to be very shady. That is like someone buying a car and only being able to use the stereo system that comes in with the car; pretty much not being able to add a nicer stereo or sub woofers.

There are always other ways i'm sure that a person can find out how to use the gps besides paying an extra 9.99 a month. If AT&T would have offered to let people buy the app for 9.99 (like ringtones are purchased) then i would have bought the product. It is a ripoff to pay 9.99 a month when you could buy a gps device outside of your phone that you could use for a lifetime for as much as it would cost you to pay for a years worth of service.

Once again, AT&T Navigator software is what is supported... it does NOT say that the internal gps is not supported by other software. This does not refer to the internal gps device. Here are the exact words from the website that is posted in your reply:

IMPORTANT: AT&T Navigator is the only GPS products supported by AT&T. To obtain technical support for a different GPS product, please refer to the manufacturer or vendor of that product.
 
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