Unlock the GPS on Windows Mobile Phones Verizon!!!

http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1515861

that's why i got a handheld garmin instead

it's not cheap, but... it's a one-time purchase for the unit. after
that, i can check my location as much as I want without paying for
anything except the electricity to run it.

and, i've been told it's more accurate than the phone GPS apps

What it sounds like is you have another app that will tap in to the
GPS antenna or whatever you want to call it. Why would Verizon allow
another sort of GPS related app to tap in to the GPS when they can
charge you for their own service?

is reading and looking into all features of it before signing it (this
includes checking out the equipment and making sure all questions are
answered before the sale).

Because you have the free right to shop for phone service where you
want to, you need to assert the responsibility of the place you choose
to go with. This mean abiding by:

A. Their equipment (including the UI)
B. Their terms
C. Their contract rates.

There are no rights without responsibility. Is it selfish for VZW to
lock out GPS and make you pay for navigator? Maybe.

But it does not mean they should have to change because it was not
properly researched by the user.

The problem is people think that they have an individual right, but
put the responsibility of that right on everyone else (namely trying
to make the phone carrier change to make that person happy).


Its a bad craziness that is starting to fill this country.

What you just described is the essence of the customer/business
relationship.

The letter writer isn't asking for his money back - he's simply
providing feedback to Verizon Wireless about one of their products.

Without feedback, how in the world would a company know what their
customers thought about their products?

Without feedback, how would a company know there was a potential issue
with their product?

Without feedback, how would a company have the opportunity to identify
an issue and correct it? Or, better yet, improve it?

Verizon Wireless can make whatever business decisions they wish
regardless of the feedback they receive. However, to suggest that
customers not tell companies what they think about their products and
services is to cut off a vital lifeline that must be in place in order
for companies to move forward.

One huge example of this is AOL. For a long time, AOL was THE internet
product of choice for mass market consumers. Yet they fell from that
perch and fell hard. Why? Because they didn't listen to their
customers and react fast enough. Offering a "walled garden" experience
was ok for awhile but eventually their customers wanted more access to
the internet at large and provided a TON of feedback on the matter.
AOL, in their arrogance, didn't react and the result was a mass
migration away from their product. AOL had every right to keep their
product the same and not change just to make someone happy yet, in the
end, it cost them big time. And by the time they did start making
changes, it was too late and now they're really nothing but a shell of
their former selves.

It's well known that, out of all the carriers, Verizon Wireless is the
most restrictive when it comes to letting their customers enjoy the
full capabilities of their phones. At the moment, that hasn't hurt
them too badly because, frankly, the mass market consumer doesn't
really care about being able to use the native GPS on their phone nor
is there a huge market for using the phone as a GPS navigation device
as opposed to using the stand alone GPS devices which have flooded the
automobile market.

Yet, feedback like Adam's is the early warning system which should
alert Verizon Wireless that there is a growing segment of users who do
value such capabilities. And, from the sound of it, Verizon has
listened and is going to be less restrictive in the future regarding
the native GPS capabilities on their phones.

Technology is based on what the customer WANTS. If VZW continues to
come out with phones with disabled features then people will start
leaving VZW.

There have been bad ideas in technology in the past. Does anyone
remember when Circuit City introduced DIVX (not the same as today's
DIVX.) It was a DVD that needed to be hooked up to a special DVD
player that had a modem and would allow you to "purchase" the DVD at
Circuit City but you could only watch it for a certain amount of time
since you rented it.

Complicated? Sure is, Bad idea? Sure is. Where is Circuit City today?


The company then went and got rid of all the items in the store. When
you walked into one you saw TV's but no cables. They were hard to
find. Retailers make a larger profit on cables then on TV's yet they
thought it was a good idea to hide them where nobody would see them.
I'm getting off track here but even I could have told them that was a
bad idea.

I am a Verizon customer and know that Verizon does lock out a lot of
features that are built into the phone by the manufacture. The even
put their own screens and menus on the phones. So someone with Razr
phone with another carrier has a much different UI (the manufactures)
than I do on my phone (Verizon's UI). They do lock out the GPS
functionality on many phones so you have to buy the VZ Navigator and
pay $9.99/month instead of using google maps for free.

It really doesn't matter if the OP knew about this beforehand or not.
It something he doesn't like about Verizon and as a customer (probably
locked in a contract) he has the right the express his concern.

I'm sorry, but if you had that much of an issue with "locked"
features, why didn't you purchase an unlocked phone? My husband
purchased unlocked phones for us a few years back. They worked well
and did what they were meant to do. When I purchased a phone a couple
of months back, I decided to go with a blackberry that my provider was
offering for $50 rather than purchase another unlocked phone. Why?
Because it was cheaper for me to do so and I decided I didn't need the
"locked" features.

It isn't as if the company isn't providing you with some alternative
correct? The alternative to purchase an unlocked cell phone through
the manufacturer or a 3rd party?

I'm assuming you were aware of these limitations when you purchased
the phone?

If there is a certain service you need, then you should pay for it.
This information was most likely provided to you when you entered the
agreement that for GPS service, you need "VZ Navigator".

It is selfish of them. So what? They are a business. That's how
business works.

If you don't like it, then you should certainly stop giving them your
money. If enough people stop giving VW business, then maybe they'll
change this.

Adam..you know they are not going to do this no matter how many people
ask. NYC is so easy to find your way around, you don't need any of
that!