- Report: #1052499
Complaint Review: Virgin Mobile - Internet Internet
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Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Virgin Mobile
Internet, Internet, USA
Phone:
1-877-877-8443
Web:
virginmobileusa.com
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Virgin Mobile GPS doesn't work on Virgin Mobile Galaxy Sii Internet
I bought the Virgin Mobile Galaxy Sii thinking that it had working GPS. However, I was sadly mistaken. When I went on a trip out of the US, I was flabbergasted to find that the GPS doesn't work without WiFi !!! I complained to their support site and here's their reply: "As we do not provide GPS service, you will not be able to use it while you are within an area with no Wifi service."
In other words, GPS doesn't work when you need it! If you have WiFI, you know where you are. All of the Galaxy SII literature states that it has GPS and works with Google Navigation. Even the lists of questions and answers that the VM web site links to say that the GPS works. Apparently it works for other carriers but somehow it is not activated completely in the Virgin Mobile version. It needs to have access to location information from WiFi on phone signal. I find that it does work to some extent if you don't have WiFi but do have a good phone connection. This is pretty useless in Michigan, however. There is no service outside of cities and in other countries you won't get a signal.
You can check this for yourself with GPS Status. Turn off WiFi and put it in Airplane mode. You won't ever get a location. When not in Airplane mode, you might get a location if you have a good signal. This is true no matter how Location Services are set up.
Virgin Mobile should find a fix for this problem or let people return phones. Not informing potential buyers up front that GPS only works when you don't need it is false advertising. Until they do something, I strongly advise anyone thinking about buying a Galaxy SII from Virgin to think very carefully before they do. It may be okay if used only in the limited areas with good 4G but that's it.
Only a few big cities have 4G service so this is useless to me in Michigan and elsewhere on the road. In addition, the WiFi doesn't seem to be as sensitive as it was on my old iPhone which further limits the phone's usefulness.
