Does GPS use data on cell phone?

paydawg

Active member
I'm traveling out of the country for a couple weeks and I'm not looking at getting an international data package from Verizon for my iPhone.

Does anybody know if I'll still be able to use my GPS without incurring any roaming charges? 
 
peppy said:
The GPS itself won't but the map will need data to get updated.

Google maps allows you to download offline maps for certain regions. Even if your phone is in airplane mode the GPS will work and the offline maps will work.

Phones also use Wi-Fi for locations and this part doesn't work without data so with GPS only your phone will need to be able to "see" the satellites.
 
if you are a heavy data user here, you'll be a heavy data user overseas.  Get an unlocked phone if you can and sign up for a cheap temp plan overseas with a data plan.  Or suck it up and pay the hefty international fees/plans your carrier charges you.  Mobile weefee hotspots are for sale so check your final destination but again those probably aren't good for heavy data users.  I hear t-mobile has unlimited data overseas?  Anyone care to comment on that?  I might switch from ATT to T-mobile if thats true.

I rang up about $150 in data usage while overseas recently.  A fraction compared to what I paid for the vacay, but then my phone was severely limited most of the time with only Uber app active for rides. 
 
TMo does give you free unlimited data overseas but it's only 128kb (ie slllowwww). You can pay for 4G data by day or week which is reasonable.
 
ps9 said:
I hear t-mobile has unlimited data overseas?  Anyone care to comment on that?  I might switch from ATT to T-mobile if thats true.

Yup. It is slow, but steady. Tmobile also gives you unlimited texts and only $0.20/min calls overseas. My personal recommendation is to travel with two phones - a simple phone on your US number for texting (and possibly calls) and then an unlocked smartphone. Buy a SIM card in your destination country for the unlocked smartphone and data is super cheap.
 
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