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Just got a Cincinnati Bell Vibrant today (running froyo) - phone, etc., is just fine, absolutely no complaints, but I noticed almost immediately that the GPS won't acquire a lock. Not even on a single sat. I'm a GPS power-user (navigation, biking, running, etc. - I use it constantly), and this is a serious problem for me. I've never had a problem getting an instantaneous lock in this area on any of my previous phones. I tried the various fixes for the T-mobile Vibrant that are floating around the internet and all they do is grind my phone to halt. I grabbed the .apk for Samsung's GPSRestore app (because Cincinnati Bell won't make it available for us to download from the app store), but after "restoring" my settings, it tells me it can't acquire a lock and that I need to contact Samsung. Seeing as many people report improvement from the other fixes for their non-Cincinnati Bell phones, I just wanted to see if anybody has found anything that works for the Cincinnati Bell phones.
Thanks.
Cincinnati sucks for vibrant users. I've tried many roms and fixes and have never had adequate locks at all.
If gps is seriously important to you I would suggest returning the phone if possible.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
If none of the GPS fixes worked for you just like me. Try the hardware fix below it works wonders !
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=878970
I use my Vibrant on Cincinnati Bell and have never had a problem with gps.... Just try a couple of the GPS fixes here... Obviously you'll have to mod the phone to be able to flash.... The hardware and software is identical... T-mobile even appears in the build version under phone info... lol. Obviously if none of the fixes work then return the phone and get a new one.
What's more
Even more hilarious. If you take a bit of isopropanol and rub out the ugly "Cincinnati Bell" logo that they printed on, you will see it says T-mobile underneath! I laughed my a$$ when I saw that.
jahganja said:
Even more hilarious. If you take a bit of isopropanol and rub out the ugly "Cincinnati Bell" logo that they printed on, you will see it says T-mobile underneath! I laughed my a$$ when I saw that.
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I actually just scratched it off with my fingernail when I got mine. CBW got a bunch of Vibrants and HTC Penaches (aka MyTouch4g) from TMo. As we know, CBW is notoriusly stubborn about their simlock policies. Once my contract is up (a few months), I am going flash it back to the Ultimobile 2.2 that was on there, unroot it and say to them, "You got this phone from TMo, simlocked it and you are telling me that you can't unlock it" I call BS.
Side Note: I had the Motorola XT720 which was manufacturer locked on 2.1 (with no upgrades ever planned). We were able to upgrade it ourselves by building 2.2 from the original Milestone A853 source. Few months later, CBW decides to give its customers Root and an "official" upgrade. Guess what, it was a hacked version of our version. We even saw some of our source buried in there. It was realeased by a sub-company Ultimobile. Now for the bad part. Because it was not really stolen (it is open source), from us, they put in a tracking code that if XT720 users outside of CBW market updated their phones, it would send data back to Ultimobile about who was using their product. Dirty Dirty Dirty. As soon as I got my Vibrant, i rooted it, found the code and instantly flashed a new ROM to get rid of it. Just an FYI
Going back to OP's issue, I have no problem whatsoever with GPS on CBW Vibrant. I just looked this morning and mine was made in Jan 2011.
Ditto what Woodrube said. While GPS with the Vibrant isn't stellar, it works reasonably well outdoors or in a car. The only issues I've run into were when using MIUI or CM7. The only fix I needed was to add an extra step (Angry GPS) before using Google Navigation and it was smooth sailing.
Try picking up a copy of AngryGPSMod.apk and doing a GPS test. It may suddenly start working as intended.
Im assuming nobody knows yet, but just in case.
I voided my warranty and your mum.
Any atnt sales reps on xda?
I voided my warranty and your mum.
Why wouldn't it? Samsung doesn't lock the bootloaders like htc/motorola.
because atnt and verizon are control freaks like that. i'm leaning towards samsung isn't, but you never know with atnt. and htc has changed their policy and i'm thinking motorola has too because i guess they realized they were losing niche market share to xda'ers like us who like to 'tinker' with ****. and i'm also asking because i have a friend who works for atnt and i might actually bug her to get me an employee discount on this phone since i actually like the carrier design better than samsung's physical home button design.
I am fed up with the Nexus One and this chronic power button problem I've sent it in for four times, and no GPS. No more HTC for me.
Looking for a newer phone for T-Mobile that gets 3G or 4G. No hardware keypad, and working GPS. That's all I ask.
I thought the Moto Atrix might be it, but it can't do better than EDGE. The Photon (Sprint) seems to be only WiMAX.
It seems that T-Mo has only LG and Samsung phones, and I am not enamored with either brand.
Recommendations?
Quantumstate said:
I am fed up with the Nexus One and this chronic power button problem I've sent it in for four times, and no GPS. No more HTC for me.
Looking for a newer phone for T-Mobile that gets 3G or 4G. No hardware keypad, and working GPS. That's all I ask.
I thought the Moto Atrix might be it, but it can't do better than EDGE. The Photon (Sprint) seems to be only WiMAX.
It seems that T-Mo has only LG and Samsung phones, and I am not enamored with either brand.
Recommendations?
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I swore to myself I would never buy another samsung phone, but I ended up with a white galaxy s2 since it was the best phone at the time and it has been great so far (if you don't mind not having ICS). Perfect actually.
I have turned the Motorola site upside-down looking for a fairly current phone that would work 3G or better in T-Mo, but no luck.
Don't trust Samsung or LG, although I'm sure they make fine products. I've been very happy with Motorola phones since cellular services started. Wish for the Droid Razr, but Hate Verizon and ATT for cooperating with warrantless wiretapping.
Wow, nothing else?
Trying to determine if the Droid 4, Droid Razr, or Defy would work.
The Defy is a decent phone and really the only Moto on T-Mobile I could recommend, assuming you can find one. They are outdated as far as stock, but the Devs have kept the software up to date and are even working on ICS/CM9. I don't think the Droid models would work on a T-Mo network at all.
Get a HTC amaze and use the screen off and lock app.. then use go locker or something that allows using power AND volume buttons etc for waking.. thanks to the separate video and camera buttons you'll be up to 5 buttons configurable as power.. besides I think they (htc) are the best made phones
Sent from my MB525 using XDA
I have an HTC sensation, which HTC has made 2 updated versions, the XL and something else but i have the standard one, but its 4g, 4.3" screen, hd 1080p video recording, 8mp camera, and when running the elegancia Rom which is great quality you get ics plus lots of features, call recording, WiFi calling, volume button awake. It's really a great phone, id get the newer version XL, its got a 1.5ghz processor plus more ram, I think a gig over my standard sensation with a 1.2ghz and 756mb ram. Both are great, I'm sure you can get a regular sensation for 300 bucks somewhere on the web.
Also HTC released the HTC One, don't know if they are for t-mobile, but they are the cream of the crop for the HTC line. Gonna be pricey but well worth it.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using xda premium
Samsung Galaxy S2. Nuff said.
Sent from my T989 hunting for Siri Connor
If you really want to look for some more selection, try researching phones made for the Japanese market.
Many NTT Docomo phones have the needed 1700/2100 frequencies needed for T-Mobile 3G in the United States. I have heard of people running some of their Sharp and Toshiba phones here without issue.
Thanks all.
I have lost all confidence in HTC. GPS has never worked, mic quality is not good, and this chronic power button problem that I have sent it in four times for. Now they charge me. No more. They ditch me -- I ditch them.
I like the MIUI.us rom best, and have the vol keys set to wake. (built-in to the rom) Use Toggles to lock it. This is tolerable for now. Has recording and all the other niceties. I think it's the most advanced rom out there.
I've used Motorola phones since cellular service began, and they only ever failed if I broke them. I trust the Motorola phones and wish they worked with T-Mobile more. I will stay with T-Mobile as they did not cooperate with the government's unConstitutional warrantless wiretapping.
I'll check out the Defy. Maybe I can wait a while to see whether Moto comes out with something better. I wonder whether the Photon would work on T-Mo?
You are judging HTC off of a phone that is years old. There are many options for good phones on T-mobile. The Galaxy S2, the Galaxy Nexus if you want to pay for that, the Nexus S. I just came from the HTC Glacier which was amazing all the way around. Great GPS, no hardware issues whatsoever and a huge dev community. The Sensation is a great phone, better than the amaze from the research I have done. Almost all newer phones available aren't going to have GPS issues, so go to a store and pick which one feels better in your hands.
I am judging HTC for a phone that I paid $550 for which never could do GPS or compass, and which has a chronic and recurring power button failure that is a known design problem which HTC refuses to repair without ransom.
If a company intentionally refuses to correct their own glaring mistakes, it is dishonorable and they are no longer worthy of trust. Maybe I am just old-fashioned, and you youngsters see GETTING SCREWED BY CORPORATIONS as a natural state of life...
I do not. HTC ditches me, so I ditch HTC, and tell my friends.
A couple years ago I bought a Jaguar XK-8, a $76,000 car. Two years later it turned out that the timing chain tensioners (made of plastic) were failing on all those engines. Well that is a $15,000 repair. Jag refused to stand behind their car, and so many of us who can afford their cars, have turned our backs on them. As Dubya says, Fool Me Once... {splutter, gork} ... eh Ya Can't Fool Me Again.
Well, I hear the 2.3.5 update is coming for the MoPho. If you want to be able to flash custom roms, kernels, etc. you should read here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1620905 It appears if you flash this you may have the same issue the Electrify users had after they flashed 2.3.5.
Way to keep, I mean, break a promise Moto!
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
I actually have 4G at my office and thats why unlocking has been a deal breaker for me. This is also the reason I wont buy another Motorola device. I bought this device, I own it. Motorola said they would unlock the bootloaders and now its pretty apparent they arent going to. I wont make the mistake of buying another Motorola phone. They need to just go back o Verizon and stay there.
LexLuger82 said:
<MOD EDIT>
Sent from my MB855 using xda premium
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Maybe. I guess I can consider myself lucky. I mean, IMHO, Moto's hardware is better than most. They are well built, my reception is top notch, and I do have an unlocked device.
The part that makes Moto suck is the software end. They said they would unlock things, but it appears this is not the case. And who's to say that Sprint doesn't have a hand in this, either? I mean, if we unlock, flash, etc. we are using our devices how WE want, not how THEY want.
Just saying..............
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
Yeah,I kind of feel the same way.I was digging around in the ICS system dump for the Razr.I almost think id rather have AOSP ICS over what Moto offers,if its gonna look like the Razrs.With ICS,they have to "theme" the AOSP Holo theme,not rework it completely per Google.And looking through the apps,no more Universal Mail Box,my personal favorite.
FernBch said:
Maybe. I guess I can consider myself lucky. I mean, IMHO, Moto's hardware is better than most. They are well built, my reception is top notch, and I do have an unlocked device.
The part that makes Motor suck is the software end. They said they would unlock things, but it appears this is not the case. And who's to say that Sprint doesn't have a hand in this, either? I mean, if we unlock, flash, etc. we are using our devices how WE want, not how THEY want.
Just saying..............
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
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i love the hardware... seriously it's the best! i hate the locked bootloader. after this phone it's nothing but Nexus phones for me here on out.
For me, Motorola's superior radio is more important than the bootloader. I live out in the country, and I use US Cellular because the Big Four don't consider service to my neck of the woods to be profitable. Even so, US Cellular service with a Samsung or HTC means I have to put my phone in the windowsill to get reception. With Motorola, I can have the phone at my desk or in bed, or in the bathroom which is practically a Faraday cage, and still get calls and messages.
I thought Sprint was abandoning the Photon. Are they still doing so?
Also, thanks for the heads up. My brother has a Photon. I'll make sure he doesn't upgrade to 2.3.5. I've tried to get him to sign up here and learn how to change up his phone. Pretty sure he just has everything stock. (He lives in another state, I've never actually seen his phone.)
Give it time guys. Once Motorola has released their ics update and sprint stops supporting the moto(EOL catches up) then I see no reason why they wouldn't unlock it or at least give us north America at&t so I could "lose" my phone and get its replacement and continue to use this phone as a prepaid go phone after I get my upgrade
Sprints keeping it locked down because its still a high selling phone. You would figure they would want to keep there entire north American nation on their network as long as they are still selling this phone. Sounds like good business to me while also helping the people out that do actually travel the world and still able to use their only world phone to do so. Sprint is being smart with this phone. I would do the same if I were them and if anyone complained to me I would tell them "we gave you a world phone so you could travel. You want a phone you can't leave the US with in exchange for an unlocked bootloader then get one of our many other amazing androids with unlocked restricted to north America only. Either way were getting your money and so does Motorola"
This phone already has more to offer than most high end androids out there. Top notch radios, solid design, superb CPU with nvidia graphics technology, only sprint Android to be unlocked for other country's" it does not have 3D if you want that get the evo 3D.
Please people appreciate what Motorola and sprint has offered us and stop complain so much. Sure I hate that its still locked and i can't use it for At&t but I also understood this before I bought the phone and dealt with it for what it is. Everyone here seems to knows Motorola's past about promises but yet you still purchased this device anyway...
Sent from my I9300 using XDA
tsdeaton said:
Give it time guys. Once Motorola has released their ics update and sprint stops supporting the moto(EOL catches up) then I see no reason why they wouldn't unlock it or at least give us north America at&t so I could "lose" my phone and get its replacement and continue to use this phone as a prepaid go phone after I get my upgrade
Sprints keeping it locked down because its still a high selling phone. You would figure they would want to keep there entire north American nation on their network as long as they are still selling this phone. Sounds like good business to me while also helping the people out that do actually travel the world and still able to use their only world phone to do so. Sprint is being smart with this phone. I would do the same if I were them and if anyone complained to me I would tell them "we gave you a world phone so you could travel. You want a phone you can't leave the US with in exchange for an unlocked bootloader then get one of our many other amazing androids with unlocked restricted to north America only. Either way were getting your money and so does Motorola"
This phone already has more to offer than most high end androids out there. Top notch radios, solid design, superb CPU with nvidia graphics technology, only sprint Android to be unlocked for other country's" it does not have 3D if you want that get the evo 3D.
Please people appreciate what Motorola and sprint has offered us and stop complain so much. Sure I hate that its still locked and i can't use it for At&t but I also understood this before I bought the phone and dealt with it for what it is. Everyone here seems to knows Motorola's past about promises but yet you still purchased this device anyway...
Sent from my I9300 using XDA
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Don't hold your breath. Moto has not unlocked any device in the past and the Photon will probably be no different. People have been begging for unlock for the first Droid X and a few others for quite some time.
It was taken away from Electrify users and now Photon users. It will not be given back.
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
tsdeaton said:
Give it time guys. Once Motorola has released their ics update and sprint stops supporting the moto(EOL catches up) then I see no reason why they wouldn't unlock it or at least give us north America at&t so I could "lose" my phone and get its replacement and continue to use this phone as a prepaid go phone after I get my upgrade
Sprints keeping it locked down because its still a high selling phone. You would figure they would want to keep there entire north American nation on their network as long as they are still selling this phone. Sounds like good business to me while also helping the people out that do actually travel the world and still able to use their only world phone to do so. Sprint is being smart with this phone. I would do the same if I were them and if anyone complained to me I would tell them "we gave you a world phone so you could travel. You want a phone you can't leave the US with in exchange for an unlocked bootloader then get one of our many other amazing androids with unlocked restricted to north America only. Either way were getting your money and so does Motorola"
This phone already has more to offer than most high end androids out there. Top notch radios, solid design, superb CPU with nvidia graphics technology, only sprint Android to be unlocked for other country's" it does not have 3D if you want that get the evo 3D.
Please people appreciate what Motorola and sprint has offered us and stop complain so much. Sure I hate that its still locked and i can't use it for At&t but I also understood this before I bought the phone and dealt with it for what it is. Everyone here seems to knows Motorola's past about promises but yet you still purchased this device anyway...
Sent from my I9300 using XDA
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Click to collapse
You misunderstand, what they are talking about here is the bootloader. It needs to be unlocked to flash custom roms and kernels. Right now unlocked bootloader means no 4g. After update it means unable to unlock bootloader at all. Has nothing to do with using on att.
Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2
The OP is right. The next release for the Photon for now is a GB maintenance update. Here is a link to Moto's explanation that defines the terms "update" and "upgrade". On the SOAK test page it says that they are looking for users to test the pre-release "update". I hope the Photon doesn't have the same issues as the Electrify. I have no doubt that ICS upgrade is in the works and will be released in Q3 and this update is a side thing.
posted April 25, 2012 by Remy
ericchan3 said:
"New call for SOAK testers for an upcoming release. Look at the sticky thread for the update posted today. I am hoping its for the ICS update."
This is not going to be an ICS release for a couple of reasons:
1) It does not match up with the timeline posted here on the upgrades page.
2) Terminology; Update = maintenance update, fixes. Upgrade = OS upgrade, ie: ICS.
I hope this helps clear things up.
Thanks,
J
https://forums.motorola.com/posts/25829baf50
bricky23 said:
You misunderstand, what they are talking about here is the bootloader. It needs to be unlocked to flash custom roms and kernels. Right now unlocked bootloader means no 4g. After update it means unable to unlock bootloader at all. Has nothing to do with using on att.
Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2
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So your saying that Motorola(or sprint telling moto what's up) has decided to Bork 4G if bootloader is unlocked? Kinda makes sense. If your not going to use software provided by the hard working people over at moto then why should they give you everything? Makes sense wouldnt give us an unlocked bootloader. Because they know that no matter what we will still be able to unlock it ourselves or still find a way to install custom roms and kernels. This isn't their first rodeo obviously. They worked hard to bring us this wonderful phone why would they make it easy for us to replace it?
I understand what you guys are saying. I just thought I would add a bit more to it before it was debated later. Motorola all around still has some of the highest selling android phones most of which have locked bootloaders but somehow still attract the same people that always say "I will never buy a Motorola again!"
Im just trying to get the people to understand that its just like when you were a kid and you touch a hot stove for the first time. You don't touch it again right? Why get the photon if you could have gotten a different high end device? Maybe one with an unlocked bootloader.
Sent from my I9300 using XDA
tsdeaton said:
Give it time guys. Once Motorola has released their ics update and sprint stops supporting the moto(EOL catches up) then I see no reason why they wouldn't unlock it or at least give us north America at&t so I could "lose" my phone and get its replacement and continue to use this phone as a prepaid go phone after I get my upgrade
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Click to collapse
All Moto/Sprint has to do is make the claim of "network security concerns" and all petitions and laws related to unlocking can be ignored. Just look at Verizon and devices on Block C frequencies. Now if nobody purchased Moto devices for on release cycle then Moto may reconsider but that will never happen so our phones stay locked by the manufacturer.
True, but someone sooner or later will get an anti trust action or whatever you call it. Microsoft tried that crap and were eventually shot down. Your phone is basically a mini PC. What they are doing is trying to limit software to what they can control.
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
I had used HTC phones for years, but wanted to give Moto a shot.
I'll probably go back to HTC.
But - important - I now no longer see the need to upgrade every year. I got to that point a few years ago with my laptop, and think I'm there with my tablet also.
I quit upgrading every year. There's really no need to. My first was the Moto Q, had it for over a year then I got it wet. My next was a HTC Ozone, grew tired of the WinMo thing after almost two years. Next was a Droid X, I really liked it, even renewed my contract, but Big Red really pissed me off. Now I have the MoPho and it's here to stay. Being able to get ICS from these awesome devs just cements it's place. But Moto does need to either quit making promises they don't intend to keep and/or get with the program.
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
FernBch said:
I quit upgrading every year. There's really no need to. My first was the Moto Q, had it for over a year then I got it wet. My next was a HTC Ozone, grew tired of the WinMo thing after almost two years. Next was a Droid X, I really liked it, even renewed my contract, but Big Red really pissed me off. Now I have the MoPho and it's here to stay. Being able to get ICS from these awesome devs just cements it's place. But Moto does need to either quit making promises they don't intend to keep and/or get with the program.
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
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After a year in India, one year ago I made the jump from WinMo to Android - have had 3 Android phones in that year. Happy with the Photon for at least another year+ with ICS coming.
FernBch said:
True, but someone sooner or later will get an anti trust action or whatever you call it. Microsoft tried that crap and were eventually shot down. Your phone is basically a mini PC. What they are doing is trying to limit software to what they can control.
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
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exactly! if i buy a laptop and it comes with windows 7 on it and i want windows xp i can do that. why the heck can't i do the same with my phone that costs more than my laptop?
like i stated in another thread.... all my devices for now on will be Nexus'. hopefully it will be a motorola one cause i love their hardware but i feel that i should be able to put what ever the hell i want to on my phone. i have a huge problem with the fact that companies won't allow me to do that. so for now on either the phone already has a unlocked bootloader (by the manufacturer or by another means) or i'll just buy a Nexus phone.
Somehow I'm still surprised that this update they are testing is ONLY the 2.3.5 gingerbread update. Somehow I had some sort of hope that this would be the ICS update. Not sure how I was that optimistic about it, I guess I just figured they wouldn't be just now testing an update for the Photon that came out on the electrify over a month ago.
Hey, you know how it is. They have to lay the "ground work"............
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
FernBch said:
Maybe. I guess I can consider myself lucky. I mean, IMHO, Moto's hardware is better than most. They are well built, my reception is top notch, and I do have an unlocked device.
The part that makes Moto suck is the software end. They said they would unlock things, but it appears this is not the case. And who's to say that Sprint doesn't have a hand in this, either? I mean, if we unlock, flash, etc. we are using our devices how WE want, not how THEY want.
Just saying..............
My MoPho's in the kitchen sink!!
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Click to collapse
I agree with you 100%. Motorola phones have been very good to me. I need something that's durable with my job, and the way my Motorola phones have held up has been more than acceptable. I am actually scared to try another manufacture's device because of how much luck I've had with Motorola.
Greetings All,
My fiances mother has this phone, I don't know if its because she has had a fight with Tmobile (she has been with them for a few years but renewed contract like a year ago).
None the less she refuses to pay them, and they wont unlock (sim code) her phone. I have rooted her phone, and was wondering, is there anything ANYTHING i can flash so she can use a different carrier at all. Her main problem with Tmobile is they claimed she would have all this service, even when she reupped they made her a deal and said it was going to be good again, its horrible where she is at. Like real bad, cant really even talk, 4g is not even possible.
Anyways, if there is anything she can do, please let me know. She refuses to pay them, and would like to keep using this phone if possible, if we can't I have an old at&t phone (samsung something smartphone) but we are hoping.
Much thanks
Looks like thats a no. She says she is just going to continue paying hte bill I guess. It is horrible though, I remember when she talked to them they promised all these things would work, even the map says it should work, I have t-mobile as well and mine doesnt work so I know its not her phone.
Word of advice, providers should have to honor what their maps say.