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Why does Verizon cripple the GPS on the BlackBerry 8830 and lie to customers about it?
The RIM BlackBerry 8830 features a perfectly good built-in GPS functionality which should work with the built-in RIM mapping software as well as with Google Maps and third party GPS software. The device, as sold by Sprint has this functionality intact.
After initially advertizing the phone as GPS-enabled, Verizon, locked/encrypted the GPS access and allows it only to their Verizon Navigator application which they sell as a subscription for $10/month.
Customer service has been lying to customers about the reasons GPS is locked... False reasons vary from "Security issues with our network" to "The phone does not have fully functional GPS receiver." and "The GPS is only 911-emergency location enabled."
Here's an ad for the phone from Verizon's own Connect publication from spring 2007 listing GPS as one of the features of the phone. For the record, all phones on the page have 911-location enabled GPS, and only the BB8830 is advertized as GPS-enabled.
There are discussions by disappointed and enraged verizon customers at
http://forums.crackberry.com/f61/proo...
and at
http://forums.crackberry.com/f61/gps-...
So, Dear Verizon, when are you going to un-cripple the phones you sell to the customers who trust you with their money and keep you in business?
To say that this behavior is disrespectful, is an understatement.
After initially advertizing the phone as GPS-enabled, Verizon, locked/encrypted the GPS access and allows it only to their Verizon Navigator application which they sell as a subscription for $10/month.
Customer service has been lying to customers about the reasons GPS is locked... False reasons vary from "Security issues with our network" to "The phone does not have fully functional GPS receiver." and "The GPS is only 911-emergency location enabled."
Here's an ad for the phone from Verizon's own Connect publication from spring 2007 listing GPS as one of the features of the phone. For the record, all phones on the page have 911-location enabled GPS, and only the BB8830 is advertized as GPS-enabled.
There are discussions by disappointed and enraged verizon customers at
http://forums.crackberry.com/f61/proo...
and at
http://forums.crackberry.com/f61/gps-...
So, Dear Verizon, when are you going to un-cripple the phones you sell to the customers who trust you with their money and keep you in business?
To say that this behavior is disrespectful, is an understatement.
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Inappropriate?That sounds like misleading advertising for sure. Nothing makes me angrier than mobile phone providers taking away features and charging more for them. I always had decent experiences with Verizon when I was with them, but this definitely makes me wonder.
I’m a former Verizon customer
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Inappropriate?First, every sole cell phone on every carrier is "GPS enabled" as required by the FCC. At a minimum they must have E911 compliant.
Second, Blackberry Maps is not "Built-in and just disabled" it is not available period on the 8830 per RIM
Thats what VZnav is for. Which by the way , is freakin awesome.2 Comments
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This answers the question
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The issue is Verizon's decision to encrypt the GPS driver on OS level and make it inaccessible to any third party apps, incl. Google Maps and BB Maps (which by the way does come with the Verizon edition of the phone).
The phone has a standalone GPS chip. The non-crippled edition of the phone (from AT&T and Sprint) works great with 3rd party GPS apps.
The GPS Type: Standalone GPS; supports LBS (carrier-dependent) / GPS can work assisted, autonomous, or simultaneous (see http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phon...
and
http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/... ) -
I guarantee you that after my contract is up, I will move to a different provider if you do not fix this problem. I'm rather young now so you will lose me as a customer for the rest of my life.
I do not like being treated so poorly and you can not do this to your loyal customers. My bill is about $200-300 a month since we have multiple lines and your company is being stingy on $10 a month so people are forced to buy VZNAV.
If you offered VZNAV for free, then I wouldn't be upset but you are treating us horribly just to get that $10 a month. -
Inappropriate?Another instance of the same problem with Verizon (phone crippling).
I had a cheap Samsung clamshell that could act as a tethered usb cell phone modem. I upgraded to a Palm Treo 700p, never dreaming that I would lose functionality. On the Treo, they wanted 15$/month just for enabling the capability for it to act as a tethered modem (without addressing digital airtime), even though the phone has the capability out of the box.
On the Samsung, using it as a modem only cost me regular airtime minutes. On the Palm, the only way to use it for internet connectivity was to purchase additional internet connectivity beyond regular airtime ($45.00 a month). Bottom line: I ended up in a situation where, with a much more expensive phone, it would have cost me $60.00 a month more to have what I had before with a cheap Samsung clamshell. True, for the $60 I'd have gotten EVDO speeds instead of 1xRTT, and unlimited internet minutes. But to get something equivalent or better than what I had on the Samsung would still have been $60.00 dollars more a month.
The Treo has ended up being the worst cell phone purchase I ever made. It was expensive to buy and I can't use any of its advanced features, because I can't afford to use them.
I dream of the day where I am free of Verizon (end of contract).
I’m angry
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Inappropriate?Upgrade to the newest version of the operating system (call customer service and they'll walk you through it) using your desktop computer. The GPS receiver has been unlocked and now works with the built in FREE BlackBerry Maps application just like a stand-alone GPS unit!!! -
Inappropriate?Yes, it works with BBMaps, but it still does not work with Google's location based products like Google Maps or Latitude.
I’m grrrr
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Inappropriate?I just want third party developers to be able to utilize the GPS on my BlackBerry Tour for their awesome features such as the GPS feature on ReQall which I can't use because Verizon blocks the GPS API.
I’m frustrated
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Inappropriate?Thanks for the information- I was actually planning on switching from AT&T to Verizon, but I am going to stay put.
I’m informed
1 Comment Add a comment
This answers the question
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You may want to consider Sprint. They don't lock any of their features, not even the SIM portion on their world phones.
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