Join now - be part of our community!

GPS Signal low, no lock most times

SOLVED
Linwood
Visitor

GPS Signal low, no lock most times

I'm growing increasingly frustrated with my few day old ZL (C6506), in that it will take minutes to get a GPS lock, if it gets one at all.

Yes, I have all the location services enabled, wifi enabled running GPSTest with it shows very, very low signal strength.  I've changed the NTP setting but it's nota lock per se that is an issue, but enough satellites.   I've cleared and redone AGPS, no change.  This is a stock ROM latest version, not a 3rd party.

Two specific examples, comparing to a Samsung Galaxy SII (I777).   The I777 has NO SIM card, so it's operating with a handcapp in the AGPS can't work, it needs a real GPS lock.

This morning in my office at a wide corner window I started both at the same time.  The I777 had not been on in 3 days, so it was a cold start; the ZL had been locked only about 15 minutes earlier.   The I777 got a lock in 9 seconds, cold; the ZL had no lock after about 4 minutes.

Earlier that morning in wide open Chicago suburbs (no tall buildings, no obscuring anything) it took about 3 minutes to get the first lock, I closed it, opened, and it took 48 seconds from a warm start.  That's REALLY slow.  But more pressing is that frequently I can get no lock at all.

I've resolved just about every other issue (though I HATE what they ahve done to the camera's resolution with over-processing I can live with that).  But this is a real deal killer.  I'm starting to think I have a bad handset, since I am not seeing other people with similar reports?

Are there -- is everyone happy with GPS?   Time to average lock in good clear sky?   

Here's a screen shoot of mine trying to lock after about 4 minutes, while literally side by side with the I777 (a much older phone) in the same spot.

Return it?    or change phones?

http://www.captivephotons.com/photos/i-jLN9G6V/0/L/i-jLN9G6V-L.png

http://www.captivephotons.com/photos/i-XrR2GFM/0/L/i-XrR2GFM-L.png

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
GeoffH
Enthusiast

sounds like a hardware fault

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4
Linwood
Visitor

Called Sony support last night, they had me use PC Companion to redo the whole phone.  After grumbling a bit I did so, complete wipe and reload.

This morning I stood in open air in a parking lot for 10 minutes and could not get a lock.

Later in the morning, I got a lock in about a minute.

Still broken in my opinion.  I think it goes back today unless anyone has a better idea than 'full wipe again".

GeoffH
Enthusiast

sounds like a hardware fault

Linwood
Visitor

Replaced handset at local Sony store.  Works great now.  Definitely hardware.

GeoffH
Enthusiast

I am happy that worked out

I'm kindoff lucky as I haven't had any issues with my Z

pretty cool device Smiling_Face_with_Sunglasses