Iphone GPS overseas

[meisterbalogna]

Does anyone from the US know if you're able to use your GPS from your iphone overseas with a new local spanish card? Or does it require the usage of your dataplan to use GPS? I'd like to use my runkeeper app to track my progress for my family at home since I'll have my phone on me anyway for emergencies.

 

[micamino73]

Preload your maps like tom tom and it works fine. Even with your current sim the iphone has global roaming, and with preloaded maps or gps you don't need data package to make it work.

 

[evanlow]

With SIM card from home.
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Turn of data roaming. Use Runkeeper (GPS does not require data). After you stop recording, wait until you are near a wifi hotspot before using it to upload. Data roaming will cost you a bomb when travelling unless you have special plans with the provider.

With Spanish SIM card
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Same for the first step. Difference is you can upload direct. The data amount is not big as the maps are from Google and are not uploaded from your iphone but it will be using your prepaid Spanish SIM card's quota.

 

[jude588]

When using run keeper, once I turn wifi on, will it automatically upload or do I need to do something in the settings?
Is the GPS also usable for tracking, in case I get lost?

 

[ffp13]

There is no need to have GPS in case you get lost ( Camino France's ). The locals will realise you are lost before you do! On several occasions I have been redirected back onto the Camino when I had unknowingly missed a turn..

Don't rely on wifi to access online maps, and don't use you global roaming to access the Internet unless you want a phone bill in the $thousands. Turn off all data not just 3G, you are not just paying high data costs but also connection fees to the data network, e.g. if your phone checks for emails say every 30 minutes you could be paying up to 50 cents for each connection that's almost $1000 for a 40 day Camino then add the actual data cost on top.

Advice, get a prepaid local Sim with 3G data. I have a sim from Hits mobile (Vodafone network) I can get 1 gig for under 20 euro and free 5 minute international calls to landlines

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I have a sim from Hits mobile (Vodafone network) I can get 1 gig for under 20 euro and free 5 minute international calls to landlines

I can find no reference to this on the Vodafone site. Can you provide the URL? Many thanks - it would be valuable for many of us!

 

[ffp13]

It is not a Vodafone product, Hits mobile use the vodaphone network . I purchased my SIM from an Australian reseller mobipassport http://www.mobipassport.com.au/ and their product description included free international calls up to 5 minutes to Australia, this was further clarified to me by email that the free international calls were available to 45 countries, and calls to mobiles were 0.08 cents P/M

I have checked the hits web site which does lose some clarity in translation http://www.hitsmobile.es/en/web/guest/home

 

[colinPeter]

Hola Stephen

I can find no reference to this on the Vodafone site.

It is often referred to as a "Bolt on" (ie an Internet Bolt On). Vodafone do them in Spain on there prepaid cards, I used one last year. I think it was only a few Euros a month for enough to do my emails (Web based) and a bit of browsing etc. I think the current rates are:
€4.90 - 200MB for one month
€9.90 - 500MB for one month
€16.90 - 1GB for one month
Have a bit of a google search or drop in to a vodafone store (providing Vodafone UK know what Vodafone Spain is doing). Remember this is with a LOCAL Spain Vodafone sim (ie Not roaming on UK Sim).
Buen Camino
Colin

 

[jude588]

I couldn't help but smile at being redirected when you didn't know you were lost! hopefully the same will be true on the Norte. in airplane mode- is everything turned off? do I need to go to AT&T to see if my i phone 5 is unlocked?
I feel uneducated in spite of all my research, but i thought iPhones didn't have SIM cards?

 

[biloute]

I couldn't help but smile at being redirected when you didn't know you were lost! hopefully the same will be true on the Norte. in airplane mode- is everything turned off? do I need to go to AT&T to see if my i phone 5 is unlocked?
I feel uneducated in spite of all my research, but i thought iPhones didn't have SIM cards?

If you got your phone at AT&T it is locked. And iPhones do have SIM cards. Your iPhone 5 will have a nano SIM.

 

[biloute]

So if I get my old iPhone unlocked and get a new SIM card in France, without paying their ridiculous data fees, I should still be able to use the Map My Hike app to trace my route and just upload it when I find wifi?

 

[mark.]

This company which is a part of Telefonica sell pre paid sims with data for a good price and you can buy an international calling card for €6 last for 45 days ish and give around 600 mins to the UK from most news stands for the calling card lots to choose from all work very simple call a local number which will be in plan and then call abroad from that number. Link for sim http://www.tuenti.com/movil

 

[grayland]

So if I get my old iPhone unlocked and get a new SIM card in France, without paying their ridiculous data fees, I should still be able to use the Map My Hike app to trace my route and just upload it when I find wifi?

The GPS function of your iPhone (all versions) does not use data or phone connection. It is separated. You can turn off data and phone and use MapMyHike app to record your daily progress. You can then save and upload when "WeeFee" is available.
I do this.
You can also download free base maps of the Camino area of Spain that you are walking and have them available daily off-line. Download a GPS track and it will show up on the base map..
The info on doing this is available here on the forum thanks to newfydog and others.

 

[newfydog]

As grayland said, while I was typing this, GPS does not require any data connection. You can record your route and get your position just fine. If you want a map, that is a different story. Most programs use an online map with the GPS. Maps must be downloaded to the phone to use off line. For both data usage and access to a map in a remote area, downloading maps is a good idea.

Here's some threads where we go into some detail:

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...-iphone-5s-electronic-maps.23676/#post-181790

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/gps-track-for-camino-del-norte.23503/#post-179663

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...the-camino-in-google-earth.12695/#post-180678

 

[V-rock]

There is an application on iTunes called MapsWithMe.
Before the trip you download the countries that you want to your phone, it doesn't use any data

 

[evanlow]

GPS does not require data but satellites so you must be outdoors. You do need to have offline maps if you want to know where you are visually instead if just coordinates.

AGPS (the A refers to Assisted) uses the same triangulation concept of the satellites but with signals from the cell towers instead. It is must faster and works indoor.

Your device just choose whichever is fastest, almost all the time AGPS.

AGPS just requires a SIM card that is roaming and does not use data.

If possible get a SIM card in the device as it takes time for outdoors GPS to get your location, sometimes minutes. It also drain more battery and may be patchy in bad weather.

 

[newfydog]

GPS alone is good enough to fly a cruise missile through a window a hemisphere away. I have not seen a weather issue in 15 years. Your GPS will work fine without a SIM card. Unless you really want to get into the details of the navigation process, don't worry about GPS vs AGPS. AGPS is definitely better for the government to spy on you, but won't make much difference out on the trail.

There are about 1,000 ways to use GPS on the Camino. The best software is the one you know. In think MotionX is one worth learning, but there are many...

On some trails GPS is very useful. On the Frances, the best use is to have a map when you leave the route and to be able to see the best way back.

 

[stratophile]

Note that if you want to use GPS but do not want to incur roaming charges, turn off your *data* but do not set your phone into Airplane Mode. Airplane Mode turns off *all* antennas. You want to leave your GPS antenna enabled -- you do not incur any charges for data when using GPS.

Note that in some apps, having data enabled *does* apparently improve accuracy (I say 'apparently' because I haven't verified this myself). With data enabled, your phone is able to triangulate by the cell towers as well as the GPS satellites. However, for something well-marked like the Camino, the improved accuracy isn't really necessary.

One other thing to note: Run Keeper and other GPS-enabled apps do tend to suck up a lot of battery if they are used constantly. You may want to do some pre-departure testing to see if Run Keeper kills your battery in typical Camino conditions (ie, 20 - 30 km / day). When I use GPS-enabled apps on long-distance hikes, I typically only pull my phone out to check my location or look something up; I don't normally leave it on.

Cheers,