Using GPS on a mobile phone abroad

[humansnail]

Hello,
I'm going to be doing some walking in Tenerife in a few weeks time and just wondering if I will be able to use the GPS on my phone abroad or what I would need to do to enable it. Never used/taken a mobile abroad before!


I use a Samsung android phone and I'm with 02. I use view ranger and have downloaded the maps that I will need. Do I need to do anything else?


I'm clueless with mobiles, I only use mine for emergency calls and the GPS with viewranger when out walking.


I already have the paper maps and guide books that I need, I can use a map and compass but as I'll be walking solo it would be reassuring to know that I can use my GPS to double check.


Any help/info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
HS

[sussamb]

GPS is global positioning so yes, it'll basically work everywhere 

[humansnail]

Thank you for such a quick reply! That's great news - cheers!

[BuzyG]

I've not used my current Samsung S4 Phone abroad.  But, as GPS is global, it should be no different from the UK.  You need the "Locate£ and the "Mobile Data" icons both switched on, on my S4, in order for the Ordnance Survey Apps to pick up your location.  The Mobile data, I assume prefers a network to function, but when out of signal range the GPS still works, I just need to tell the phone, when prompted, to ignore the missing signal.. 


Your phone will automatically search for a network once abroad, if you let it.  No idea what the charges would be abroad.  But if you have pre loaded the maps before you travel, then there should be little data transfer required.  Plus as I mentioned above the GPS still works when out of network signal range, but on my phone I still need to switch on "Mobile data" to get the OS Apps to work. 


I find the OS Apps really good and tend to have my paper map as a back up and my little S4 as my primary navigation tool these days.  I also have an external battery pack to recharge the phone on the fly, for longer walks. 


Have a great trip.

[sussamb]

There are no charges for using your mobile within the EU, at least not since around middle of last year, due to a new EU ruling, although that may change if we Brexit.  All your current allowances can be used within the EU as though you were in UK, so any data, calls etc within your allowance are free. 

[gunwharfman]

I've used my mobile phone/GPS in Europe for a few years now. Never had a problem, all you need is a signal.

[humansnail]

Thanks again - mine is the s3 mini so it might be the same as yours re locate and mobile data icons - I'll have a play around. I would have never have thought of that.
Thanks again for all your help!

[BuzyG]

Thanks again - mine is the s3 mini so it might be the same as yours re locate and mobile data icons - I'll have a play around. I would have never have thought of that.
Thanks again for all your help!

My previous Phone was an S3 mini.  operating system ver 4.1.2


The Icons are slightly different.  On the S3mini you will need the "GPS"  and the "Mobile Data" Icons selected.  The OSmaps App ran on it.  Though it runs a great deal faster on my S4 mini.

When I got my S4 mini, recently, I had to install the operating system updates to version 4.4.1 before it would download. 

[Mel]

humansnail - if you have the maps already downloaded onto your phone, and your routes already stored on there too, you don't need to have mobile data or wifi enabled when you get to Tenerife ...  Viewranger only needs the GPS function to work.

[humansnail]

Thanks again everyone, I'll report back re how I got along.  Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply - what a helpful forum!

[humansnail]

Hello,just to say thanks for all of the advice. Was able to use the phone fine after switching on roamer to make calls and didn't need to do anything different to use view ranger. However, thanks a lot for all of the suggestions, made me feel much more at ease!


I am becoming a bit irritated with the length of time my phone takes to lock onto the gps (have the same trouble in the uk) and interesting to hear about the increased speed of s4 mini compared to s3 mini. Might be time for an upgrade!

[gunwharfman]

A couple of things I do. I always buy a 2 x SIM card mobile and my last phone I imported from China, a Xiaomi, it works well and is very fast. So good and yet so cheap, thats what makes me a fan. I am a PAYG man, so I use one SIM for my phone calls, my £10 only runs out when I have used up the money, and I use the other SIM for data only. Data always runs out every 30 days, I only use £5's worth, its enough for me. If you have a contract phone I suppose it doesn't matter?

[jimbob]

I got a second hand 6" screen Alcatel (£35.00 from fleabay) which I use only for viewranger. It is quick and responsive and a bit bigger than my normal Samsung which I keep in my bag.( It also has viewranger loaded but I mainly keep it solely as a phone.) Strangely I got a new Alcatel(as a present since the donor was not aware I had just got one in an auction, but knew I was wanting one) which I have not yet used for anything. So, given that I use an Etrex mainly,with map and compass in my bag, I am thinking it is way too big an overkill and will be leaving something behind next multi day-walk. I also have a small solar /battery back up unit which to date has done the business for me.

[Mel]

I am becoming a bit irritated with the length of time my phone takes to lock onto the gps (have the same trouble in the uk) and interesting to hear about the increased speed of s4 mini compared to s3 mini. Might be time for an upgrade!

I think the age of the phone does have some bearing on it, yes.  An old phone has an old (slower) processor chip.  I've got 2 phones, both with VR on.  One is a (now ancient) Samsung Galaxy phone and one is a less than year old Alcatel Pixel 4 phone.  The newer Alcatel gets a lock a lot quicker than the older Samsung.


I also think that the further away you are from your "last known location" the longer it takes to get a lock 

[sussamb]

I also think that the further away you are from your "last known location" the longer it takes to get a lock 

Correct thought Mel