Fix your iPhone 3G GPS problems - 3G network issues with iPhone GPS
Posted by Will on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 at 8:08 pm under Apple, Cingular/AT&T, Mac OS, iPhone
The new GPS hardware in the iPhone 3G seems to be having some trouble when not connected to the AT&T 3G network. iPhone Atlas reports that some users are complaining of inaccurate GPS positioning when the 3G data setting (Settings>General>Network>Enable 3G) option is switched to “ON.”
The iPhone 3G uses aGPS (assisted GPS), which means that the cellular network aids in positioning the handset, giving the GPS hardware less number-crunching to deal with. That means you get super-fast GPS lock-on times. But, it seems that some iPhones are getting conflicting data from the 3G data network and their built-in GPS receivers, leading to incorrect GPS positioning.
So, for those of you with wonky GPS positioning on the iPhone 3G, try this fix:
- Navigate to Settings>General>Network>Enable 3G and toggle to “OFF”
- Locate yourself using the iPhone 3G’s GPS receiver
- Navigate to Settings>General>Network>Enable 3G and toggle to “ON”
You should now have accurate GPS positioning information. Leave a comment if this worked or didn’t work for you.
[Via: iPhoneAtlas]
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:59 am
what about if the gps cant find you regardless of what kind of signal your using? and regardless of signal strength?
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I would suggest restarting your iPhone.
Even indoors you should get reasonably accurate position-lock through cell-tower triangulation.
If you’re underground or in a reinforced concrete building with absolutely no signal strength, then you’ll be out of luck for any location information. Otherwise, you should be getting some sort of positional data.
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Did all that. Resetting network settings allows me to find my position twice then back to nowheresville. Have even stood in an open area outdoors and nada.
Think i’ll just wait for the inevitable software update from apple.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Afraid this won’t solve the problem I’m experiencing…
For the last two nights, my daughter and I (and at least two Apple employees @ the Washington Square Apple Store in Tigard, OR) have experienced a weird issue with our iPhone 3G’s. About the same time (som time around 5:00 pm and lasting from 1 1/2 to 3 hrs, our iPhones THINK they are in Houston, TX - although the four of us live in the Portland / Vancouver Metro area. All four of us (individually and seperately) experienced the SAME issue. No matter what Location Aware App you Open, it presents you with information for Houston; current traffic, Resturants, Coffee, anything. The ‘Where’, ‘Yelp!’, ‘Maps’, all of them. I’ve called Apple SEVERAL times, have tried ALL their suggested ‘fixes’ to no avail. Then suddenly, as invisibly as it started, my local area information is back.
I have as I said, called Apple SEVERAL times, have reported this to them via their ‘Feedback’ page on the web, have replied to their questionaire regarding me feelings about my call to their Tech Support, etc etc etc. THEY’RE not listening - at least in the first tier Support you normally get hold of in these situations. It’s REALLY frusterating when you need to get somewhere and need iPhones assistance to locate an address, phone number, map, or whatever and your iPhones off ‘playing’ in some other geographic location thousands of miles away from where YOU are.
Thanks… ( is there anybody out there?! Hello? H-e-l-l-o ? ? )
July 25th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I think the google maps also uses known wifi hotspots to help locate phones. This can be problematic too.
July 25th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Vic, that’s unfortunate. But, the WiFi hotspot location could be an issue. Are you in the same location at 5pm? If so, you could be locking on to the same WiFi hotspot with an incorrect location-tag in Skyhook’s database.
Otherwise, I’d call Apple support and demand to be elevated to the next level or speak to a supervisor.
July 28th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I also live in Portland OR. (Houston TX) It is pretty consistent at my house in NE Portland for the gps to show me in SE Houston. At my house I’ve only been able to be correctly located once, for whatever reason. This is consistent both inside my house, in the backyard and the front yard. Pretty lame.
July 28th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
it worked like a charm! i just got my 3G iphone today (KC country club plaza store) and was having difficulty getting the GPS to work at all. it worked the first time i used it, kinda. it got me within a 20 block radius, not exactly helpful. good thing i can’t get lost in my office.
when i got home i tried it again, and it wouldn’t work at all. i tried the trick and it’s perfect now! great tip, thanks!!!
July 28th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
When in Oregon City, Or, the phone was locating me in Texas. Last week, I went to West Linn and it gave an accurate position. This past weekend we drove up into Eastern Washington and everywhere we went, it was accurate (Spokane, Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Yakima, Vancouver, etc). I am back in Oregon City and it tells me I’m in Austin, TX. This happens in other places in Oregon City, not just at my house.
However, when I turn off the 3g network and wi-fi, it places me correctly at my house. I can then turn wifi back on and it still is correct. Turning 3g on places me back in Texas. The 3g network wasn’t available in many of the smaller towns we drove through so maybe it is something to do with the 3g network?
July 29th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Do not do this. Phone was working fine, now when I enable 3G it says…No Service. I have to disable 3G now to get the phone to work at all. How do I reverse this?
July 29th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I too live in the portland/vancouver area. My iphone says that I am in Texas everytime I am connected to the 3g network. I turn off 3g, in vancouver. turn on 3g, in texas. rather dissappointing.
July 30th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
> some trouble when not connected to the
> AT&T 3G network
I thought the problem happened when we *WERE* connected
to 3G.
August 1st, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I bought it today and GPS worked well but when I got home and tried to locate my position, its showing different location like 60 miles from where I’m at. Called Apple and spoke to them for like 1hr and then finally works. Hang-up, took a break and boom..it happened again..But the trick to turn-off the 3g worked for me…I wonder when Apple will release the update for the this 3G phone..
August 1st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
crazy I’m in west Houston and it keeps telling me I am in Portland
August 1st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
It also only happens when I’m at home
August 4th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I have a similar problem.
WIth 3G on, using the GPS from my home, I am placed on the Washington DC/Maryland border somewhere. Without 3G on, it locates me perfectly at my home in Boston.
However, this problem only occurs when I am in my apartment, thus in the vicinity of MANY different Wifi signals. So far, I’ve decided the amount of interference in must be the cause. Sometimes, with the 3G on, if I move to the far side of my apartment, facing the city, and near a window, the 3G GPS is again correct.
**Also, the Wifi on my phone has always been off.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Hey man, it works in my case, i was stuck showing some stupid location after this fix it worked…
apple is cheating so many of us giving gps but it is not really gps..all traps..
August 5th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Thanks, We are travelling now in Denmark and both our iPhones did not find gps position at all, even it worked fine at home in Finland,
After using this fix (3G off ) map find our position correctly.
This is serious bug, as you probably neet your maps and gps aboard.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I too live in Portland and sometimes it says I’m in Houston, sometimes in Portland. It knows me at home, but elsewhere in town I’m suddenly in Houston. My friend has the same problem too.
August 6th, 2008 at 8:03 am
My GPS seems to be locating me but it’s so inaccurate I’m not sure it is using GPS at all. I work in Leeds UK, and the map tells me I’m in Leeds, if I was visiting how is this useful for getting me to my destination. The circle around my location stays large however long I leave it.
I know GPS isn’t hugely accurate especially in a small device but it could at least tell me the street I’m on rather than the city I’m in.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:49 am
I got my 3G iPhone about three days ago and I’ve tried the GPS several times. So far, about 70% of the time the phone locates me at Myrtle Beach even though I live in WV. I have found this trick to work but it is very frustrating and I hope they push out an update to fix this soon.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Worked for me. It for some reason was way off when I turned it on at first and this seemed to reset it.
Thanks
Chad
August 7th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
I live in Portland Or and I am getting this Houston location problem too. It is kind of frustrating that this issue was not corrected in the latest update. I also find it very frustrating that Apple has not clearly addressed this bug on the web site since so many seem to be having it. I have 30 days….might just take it back.
August 8th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I live in Santa Barbara, CA and my iPhone says I’m in Syracuse, NY. If I turn off the 3G, my phone finds my location without a problems but normally when I switch back to 3G “my location” changes back to Syracuse. I called Apple and was told that this is because the phone is getting conflicting data from its three sources (wifi, GPS, and 3G) and that when AT&T fixes their problems with 3G the GPS location function will work correctly.
August 9th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
My GPS stopped working completely. It was fine out of the store (well lame, but working) and long story short, I ended up having to restore it. Now no combination of sitting in a field in the sun (plenty of satillite access), towers, or 3G on/off, bluetooth on/off, location services on/off, or anything else I can think of works.
This is my first apple product and I hate to say that this 3G has had more quirks than I expected for an expensive device… Oh well, I’ll keep digging and post if I find anything new…
August 10th, 2008 at 4:31 am
I am having the same problem with the 3G iPhone.
And I’m also having the same wall of silence from Apple. I am frustrated by the fact that Apple relies on people like us having to trawl through the web to find solutions to these problem rather than them being proactive and posting anything useful at apple.com.
The person that I spoke with at support yesterday referred me to the skyhook website for support.
Er, no. If the camshaft to my new BMW went, I would not expect BMW to ask me to get in contact with the manufacturer of the part.
If Apple wants to continue pushing the iPhone and - more importantly - wants users to recommend it to other people, then it needs to grow up and take some ownership of material and serious defects in a product bearing the Apple name.
Apple continues to rely the goodwill of its customers, something which is in very short supply in my neck of the woods right now.
If this problem carries on, I’ll be handing my iPhone back to Apple and demanding a refund.
August 10th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I live in Portland, and my iPhone always has me in Houston
August 10th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I just moved from Louisville to Cincinnati.
Get this… The Iphone still thinks I’m in Louisville at my old address when I’m on my wifi network at home, but is accurate when I’m on 3G.
How’s that!??!
August 11th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Yeah that worked for me but that’s not exactly a “fix”. I don’t want to have to go through that every time. When I turn the 3G back on and check it it places me at the exact same intersection outside of Philadelphia somewhere…a place I’ve NEVER been
August 11th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Turning off 3G reliably allows my phone to do a cell tower fix pretty quick (
August 12th, 2008 at 6:15 am
I consider google maps as well uses known wifi hotspots to help locate phones.
August 12th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Thanks for the GPS work-around!
I live in the US, but I’m currently traveling in Okinawa, Japan. I was wondering why I couldn’t get my GPS to work, even after rebooting my iPhone.
After turning off 3G, it acquired my location within 3-4 minutes. I then turned 3G back on. It kept my location for the rest of the day. Though I had to do it again the next day (I might have rebooted the phone in between).
August 12th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
same problem …here in Portland and it ALMOST always ‘finds’ me in Houston. All AT&T had me do was power cycle my phone…which of course worked while I was on the phone with them…now I’m back in Houston!
August 13th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I was in Portland last week and I too had the GPS tell me numerous times that I was in texas. Then I got back to Utah where I live and now my GPS won’t tell me where I am unless I turn off 3G and then it only tells me within a couple mile radius.
August 13th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I live in México and my GPS is not workin with or without the 3G
August 14th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I have also had the same problem. I purchased the phone at noon yesterday at the SLC, UT apple store and when I got back to work (In Salt Lake as well), it told me I am in Minneapolis. I took the phone back and they gave me another one. The “Genius” told me that replacing the phone might not fix the problem because he said he had 5 other customers with the same problem and some of them are on their 5th phone. It happened again on the new phone and went back this morning. The “Genius” told me this time that it is a “known issue” and that I should probably come back in a month or two to see if they have figured it out.
Pretty lame.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Thanks for the post fixed my problem right away.
August 15th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Again with the Portland/ Houston issue. Anyone found a fix?
August 16th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I was having the problem of my gps not locating my exact location. It would narrow down to the smaller circle, but never to the ball. Then I turned 3g and wifi off and it narrowed to the ball. Then I turned them both back on and it seems to be working now. Thanks!
August 18th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
My GPS will not lock on me regardless of settings. I can get the big cirle and then the little one but no little blue dot that follows me. I told apple and then they made me do some setting changes but to no resolution. They said they would speak to there engineers and get back to me in three days. Three days are up and now I’m getting a new iphone. If it doesn’t work I will be pissed. I have exchanged my girlfriends iphone 3g twice now because of no wifi and the home button being broken. not happy.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
From the 3G tower I get while at work in the warehouse district of Minneapolis, MN, my phone shows me being near Philadelphia. Anyone else?
August 20th, 2008 at 12:58 am
I am in PDX today & my phone shows me in Houston. I hate Houston: it is a giant soul-dead parking lot. Why does my phone tell me I have 2987 miles to drive to make my appointment at 0900? I dont think I’ll make it in time.
ATT, hello, stop spending all your time tapping all our calls & spend some time fixing your 3g network!
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Thanks so much - whoever found this fix!!! It kept pointing my location as Seattle, which i roughly 3600 miles from NYC where I actually am … so, um … finding the nearest Loews was a bit of a problem!!
Thanks soooo much!!!! This worked perfectly
August 26th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
i live in southwest Portland and my phone says I’m in Austin, TX.
I guess that’s better than Houston, right?
August 26th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
The fix worked for me. Have to give it a minute before it fixes itself.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
My gps worked fine until this evening, when I found that I’m somewhere in North Carolina, 711 miles from where I actually am. I tried shutting of the 3G as suggested, and got the correct location. Turning it back on got me back in North Carolina. Rebooting with 3G off got me to within 2.8 miles, but not home. I’m trying to reboot a second time. Result: back to North Carolina, which I’ve never even visited, though I have nothing in principle against it. What gives?
August 30th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
are GPS and maps working in Mexico city? (Mexico republic)
August 31st, 2008 at 7:58 am
A lot of the problems described here could be because of Wi-fi and not because of 3g. The iPhone is using triangulation of cell towers and wi-fi to position you. If someone had wi-fi in Houston and then relocated to Portland, their wi-fi is still going to identify them as being in Houston and map you at that location. I’ve seen this happen frequently in vacation spots where people might be bringing along their routers. For example, when vacationing on block island, there was a router next door that was obviously brought to the island from Massachusetts, so the map would initially locate me there, but eventually resolve with cell tower triangulation & gps as being on block island.
All that aside, 3G seems to impair the iPhone’s ability to lock in since the upgrade to 2.0.2. I have to turn it off to get a fix with Edge.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:51 am
I turned on GPS tracker (free app) on my way to work this morning. It took 14 minutes to locate me using the 60ft accuracy setting. By that time I was almost at work. I bought this phone so I could have a solid portable web appliance, and GPS unit. It fails on both accounts. Switching off 3G and wifi did not make GPS signal aquisition any better. I don’t recall having the problem when I bought the phone. My suspicion is that apple know of the problem but is keeping mum because it would involve a recall. The GPS chip is clearly flawed. If the problems are because of the various location data the phone gathers, then they should give the user the ability to select which sources the phone uses. I.e. Switch off wifi locating and cell tower locating and only use the GPS as the source of positional data.
Apple’s reputation for quality niche products is definately tarnished with this product. And their lack of support and respect for their users is pathetic. One would think the level of similar complaints I have read here would be enough to garner their attention.
August 31st, 2008 at 10:19 pm
With 3g on, I my location is Minnesota. With 3g off, i am correctly located in Ogden, Utah. When I switch 3G on, back to Minnesota.
At least this is a partial solution.
Thanks,
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:31 am
I also work in the warehouse district in Minneapolis and my iPhone tells me I am in Havertown PA. I guess I will be late for work…
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
thanks! worked like a charm
September 5th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Turning 3G off works for me, but I have to leave it off. If I disable it, it locates me correctly in southern Illinois. But with 3G on, it puts in Waukegan, IL, and 350 north of where I am.
However, after driving for a mile or 2, it will again find me where I am even with 3G on.
I have software 2.02 and a 16GB 3G iPhone.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I live in Houston and the iPhone says I’m in Portland.
What the eff?
September 5th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
we’ve got the same problem here in europe. I live in vienna and the marvelous ‘Locate Me’ Button doesn’t really work properly.
With 3G on, this function doesn’t even work (the most time) -> well it’s pretty disappointing
But the trick above didn’t really solve my problem -> without 3G I am located pretty well but it’s not as exact as it should be!
September 7th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
My Iphone doesnt locate me with 3G on. It keeps and keeps searching and never ends. When 3G off, it locates me but its not accurate. I made this test but it doesnt work at all. Iphones GPS suck!
September 11th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
same problem, bought two iPhones 3 g two days ago and it locates me
In NJ and I live in Florida, tried this fix but did not work.
The funny thing is the gps pinpoints me at my old house in Jersey City, NJ and I never put that address in the gps so I believe is taking the wrong location from my wifi at home.
September 14th, 2008 at 1:14 am
That’s funny…The GPS is crazy, specially with people who are living on Oregon or Portland, cuz I live in Austin, TX but the GPS near to my house show Oregon.
September 14th, 2008 at 7:19 am
well all you Portland/Houston residents will be happy to know that clear across the country in Delaware we also get a gps reading of South Central Houston. It’s so annoying! The fix worked when I turned off 3g but as soon as I switched it back on, well right back to Houston. How can so many people have this problem and still it hasn’t been fixed?!?! I even submitted my wireless router info to skyhook about 2 months ago and I can see that was just a waste of time. I’m so sick of Houston!!
September 22nd, 2008 at 7:27 am
Sounds like its an issue with what the local cell tower s id’s vs the database it uses to lookup the location. Mine always takes a while to lock on. TOM TOM need to bring an app to the iphone that just uses the inbuild GPS. I wouldnt mind paying £50 for the tom tom application if it works as well as a standard £100 tom tom unit.
October 7th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
I live in Japan. When I try to use GPS I get either “Your location could not be determined” or it has placed me in Tokyo a few times. No matter what configuration I use it no longer works for me. A month ago I was able to use the service without issue.
In Japan, there is only 3G phone service as 2G does not exist here. So, when I turn off the 3G I don’t have phone service. And, the Wi-Fi connection and Location Services has never been a combination that has been successful for me.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:28 am
I called iPhone tech department and he had me reboot my iPhone (hold the home button and on/off switch till I saw the little apple on the screen - IGNORE THE MESSAGE SLIDE TO .. . .) and then I could do GPS.
After reboot I was seeing “3G” next to my signal strength bars. That did the magic. He said there are so many variables that can cause this.
October 11th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Hey guys,
I live in Houston, It may suck, but I am a driver and still need to know where I’m headed. I’m also having the same issue w/ GPS showing me in Portland. No help from apple, the various fixes found on the Internet help but getting frustrated with constantly having to go to settings to find my location.
Maybe we can set up a website for people from Houston and Portland so they can meet and exchange IPhones!!
Lost in Houston,
Joey