Nokia Offline Maps - Need Help & Advice

[Rickosw]

Hi Guys,

Tried to use Nokia Offline maps earlier today, but unable to activiate it.
ie was in neighbouring country (switch off my Data Connection, Data Roaming Options: Dont Roam) .

when i try to activate Nokia Maps, it take FOREVER to locate where I'm even though i am in major OPEN AIR AREA within a major city. After 5 mins....the phone seems to hang....
When i cross the border back to my original country and log onto my native network, the Nokia Map worked like a Charm again....

I am really very frustrated as I hoped to use Nokia maps for my foreign trips ....but this incident earlier is not very positive....

a few questions

1) Was there a setting that i may have applied incorrectly?
2) do i need to activate Nokia Drive-Beta to activate the offline map?
3) or can i use Nokia Maps offline ALONE without Nokia Drive
4) I saw a small triangle on the top of the screen, what is that?
5) I also see a small dot left to the battery, what is that?
6) I have download the foreign country map - do i need activate it?
7) i saw a Nokia Log IN within the Nokia Maps - do i need to log ??


Anyone here have any OFFLINE MAP experience, kindly please share...

PS:
I am currently stationed overseas, using a foreign purchased UNLOCKED NOKIA, on a foreign local SIM CARD with data plan, 4G
i was not in FLIGHT MODE, i have my LOCATION set to "ON"

Thanks !

 

[Jari P]

Hi Guys,

Tried to use Nokia Offline maps earlier today, but unable to activiate it.
ie was in neighbouring country (switch off my Data Connection, Data Roaming Options: Dont Roam) .

when i try to activate Nokia Maps, it take FOREVER to locate where I'm even though i am in major OPEN AIR AREA within a major city. After 5 mins....the phone seems to hang....
When i cross the border back to my original country and log onto my native network, the Nokia Map worked like a Charm again....

I am really very frustrated as I hoped to use Nokia maps for my foreign trips ....but this incident earlier is not very positive....

a few questions

1) Was there a setting that i may have applied incorrectly?
2) do i need to activate Nokia Drive-Beta to activate the offline map?
3) or can i use Nokia Maps offline ALONE without Nokia Drive
4) I saw a small triangle on the top of the screen, what is that?
5) I also see a small dot left to the battery, what is that?
6) I have download the foreign country map - do i need activate it?
7) i saw a Nokia Log IN within the Nokia Maps - do i need to log ??


Anyone here have any OFFLINE MAP experience, kindly please share...

PS:
I am currently stationed overseas, using a foreign purchased UNLOCKED NOKIA, on a foreign local SIM CARD with data plan, 4G
i was not in FLIGHT MODE, i have my LOCATION set to "ON"

Thanks !

I was really happy with Nokia offline maps during my christmas and new year holiday in Philippines ... of course, I downloaded a map of Philippines before my trip (it was over 60 Mb map) ... it was so great to use it - a satellite catch me within few seconds (without any internet connection or data connection) and a green spot follow my walks in a real time there ... so it was easy to know that I was walking to the right direction on a right street or just to check where I am (laugh) and then to find a way back to my hotel ...

I did not try Drive+ beta offline at all, as Nokia maps work so well for my purpose ... I have never experienced a such quick satellite catch ever before - I can remember that my old cp took sometimes a long time to catch a satellite when I used it without any internet or data connection, too long, but not this time ...

EDIT: I try to answer for these too ...

1) - there is no setting to use it in a foreign country, but you have to download a map of that country ....
2) - no (but setting to use it offline and I suggest not to use battery saving setting, applied for Drive+ beta) ...
3) - you can use either one ...
4) - a triangle means that your are not in your own mobile network ...
5) - GPS icon ...
6) - no
7) - log in ? - no idea what is that - never seen it in Nokia maps ...

 

[Rickosw]

I was really happy with Nokia offline maps during my christmas and new year holiday in Philippines ... of course, I downloaded a map of Philippines before my trip (it was over 60 Mb map) ... it was so great to use it - a satellite catch me within few seconds (without any internet connection or data connection) and a green spot follow my walks in a real time there ... so it was easy to know that I was walking to the right direction on a right street or just to check where I am (laugh) and then to find a way back to my hotel ...

...

Hi Jari P,

Thanks for the reply, would like to check what SIM CARD were u you using? a US Based SIM CARD or a local Philippines one?


ps: i did set my battery to saver mode, i will try to reset that to normal and see if that works....

 

[Snowy Nokia]

Nokia account is to save your favorites. Which therefore switching devices all you need to do is log in with your Nokia account and all favorites will transfer over. Same if you were on a Symbian device an switched over to windows phone

 

[Snowy Nokia]

Also having an active data connection will speed up the GPS lock because is uses A-GPS.

 

[Snowy Nokia]

Also WiFi helps triangulate your location

 

[realwarder]

Also having an active data connection will speed up the GPS lock because is uses A-GPS.

This. Mobile phone GPS's are very slow at getting a lock when they do not have up to date GPS almanacs which are typically downloaded through the mobile network.

My iPhone used to be useless in foreign lands. Not tried the 920 yet...

I would suggest you simply start the GPS when you have Wifi available so it can get a good initial lock and get the almanac loaded - theoretically it should be able to then get a good lock in that country for a couple of days, but that's all down to the implementation.

Even without Wifi you should get a lock, just slowly... and note that some cars windows are very resistant to GPS with heated wire grills and the likes - so getting a lock when outside the car to start with will help big time.

 

[Huime]

This. Mobile phone GPS's are very slow at getting a lock when they do not have up to date GPS almanacs which are typically downloaded through the mobile network.

My iPhone used to be useless in foreign lands. Not tried the 920 yet...

I would suggest you simply start the GPS when you have Wifi available so it can get a good initial lock and get the almanac loaded - theoretically it should be able to then get a good lock in that country for a couple of days, but that's all down to the implementation.

Even without Wifi you should get a lock, just slowly... and note that some cars windows are very resistant to GPS with heated wire grills and the likes - so getting a lock when outside the car to start with will help big time.

The up to date GPS almanacs thing doesnt apply to 920 at all. I have a att variant and I travel oversea with it on flight mode all the time. Nokia Maps locked within seconds. However it did struggle when I walk under huge buildings.

 

[Rickosw]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your comments....i will try again once i have the opportunity to travel out of the country....
also i'm thinkin of getting a foreign SIM CARD with data plan (using a UNLOCK Nokia 920) - to test out the Nokia City Lens App & also Nokia Maps (see if there is any improvement)

i will update any finding in the future ...

 

[Rickosw]

In any case, please feel free to drop any more comments / findings / advice on using Nokia Offline Maps...

 

[Rickosw]

The up to date GPS almanacs thing doesnt apply to 920 at all. I have a att variant and I travel oversea with it on flight mode all the time. Nokia Maps locked within seconds. However it did struggle when I walk under huge buildings.

Hi Huime,
thanks for your comments....i do not quite understand what do you mean by ... The up to date GPS almanacs thing doesnt apply to 920 at all."

so do you suggest that i try to use FLIGHT mode setting instead? wont that affect the LOCATION setting?

 

[Huime]

Hi Huime,
thanks for your comments....i do not quite understand what do you mean by ... The up to date GPS almanacs thing doesnt apply to 920 at all."

so do you suggest that i try to use FLIGHT mode setting instead? wont that affect the LOCATION setting?

I was replying to realwarder.
And no, flight mode doesn't affect GPS. The moment you launch the app, it overrides the setting.

 

[Jari P]

Hi Jari P,

Thanks for the reply, would like to check what SIM CARD were u you using? a US Based SIM CARD or a local Philippines one?

ps: i did set my battery to saver mode, i will try to reset that to normal and see if that works....

I was using my european SIM card with disabled internet and data connection, and roaming was disabled too ... so for sure, it found GPS very fast without any internet and data connection ... well, I was walking outside in Manila, Philippines - I did not test inside at all ... and I was using Nokia Maps only there, not Drive+ beta ...

EDIT: why did you use a flight mode and a battery saver, as they kill all your connections, GPS too ....

 

[Jari P]

I was replying to realwarder.
And no, flight mode doesn't affect GPS. The moment you launch the app, it overrides the setting.

Hmmmm, maybe ... but I never tried is it correct ... but it sounds strange - never tried to use Nokia maps in an aeroplane - i will try on my next flight ... well, until that, I prefer use my phone without a flight mode and a battery saver, when I need Nokia maps with GPS ...

 

[Rickosw]

I was using my european SIM card with disabled internet and data connection, and roaming was disabled too ... so for sure, it found GPS very fast without any internet and data connection ... well, I was walking outside in Manila, Philippines - I did not test inside at all ... and I was using Nokia Maps only there, not Drive+ beta ...

EDIT: why did you use a flight mode and a battery saver, as they kill all your connections, GPS too ....

hi Jari P,

thanks for your replies again,

No, i didnt set to FLIGHT MODE, and I think i did left my BATTERY SAVER MODE ON', i didnt know that will affect the GPS ...

just to confirm, the BATTERY SAVE MODE, is found withtin SETTINGS, BATTERY SAVER, ON' (conserve battery when it gets low)., i should switch that off'???

i am not using any External Battery / Juice Defender Apps

 

[Jari P]

hi Jari P,

thanks for your replies again,

No, i didnt set to FLIGHT MODE, and I think i did left my BATTERY SAVER MODE ON', i didnt know that will affect the GPS ...

just to confirm, the BATTERY SAVE MODE, is found withtin SETTINGS, BATTERY SAVER, ON' (conserve battery when it gets low)., i should switch that off'???

I do NOT use a battery saver at all - I have a great battery life with my Lumia 920 ... well, it is depending on your setting there (in a battery saver of settings), but it might kill all your connections, including GPS, in some cases ... but if you are using "conserve battery when it is low" setting, then it will kill all your connections, including GPS, only when your battery is low ...

In my first message, I was answering you about Nokia Drive+ beta ... there is a "Battery saver" setting inside of Drive+ beta too, and that one, I do not suggest to use, when you are using Drive+ beta ... of course, you have to set Drive+ beta "offline" too (from settings of Drive+ beta), when you are not in your own mobile network, as it can really use a lot of expensive data ...

 

[Rickosw]

I do NOT use a battery saver at all - I have a great battery life with my Lumia 920 ... well, it is depending on your setting there (in a battery saver of settings), but it might kill all your connections, including GPS, in some cases ... but if you are using "conserve battery when it is low" setting, then it will kill all your connections, including GPS, only when your battery is low ...

In my first message, I was answering you about Nokia Drive+ beta ... there is a "Battery saver" setting inside of Drive+ beta too, and that one, I do not suggest to use, when you are using Drive+ beta ... of course, you have to set Drive+ beta "offline" too (from settings of Drive+ beta), when you are not in your own mobile network, as it can really use a lot of expensive data ...

OK! i got you ...thanks for the explanation ....

 

[cuzincurly]

I'm reviving this thread...

Eversince I updated to Here maps. My phone seems to have a hard time getting my location (almost never) offline unless I have a data connection on. I'm using it in the Philippines and it worked great before I updated.

Also when I use Nokia Drive offline..it can't seem to find destinations.

Can someone help?