Ok so I am reading why would the big companies turn this on if they can't charge for it.
Well simply put I am sure they lost enough customers to one flat fee unlimited minutes. So hence Verizon got on board; if I am correct so did
Sprint.
So what is to say if the collective customer got together and demanded
they would. That is the problem with us friggin Americans. We don't demand
$hit when we should. Nothing beats a failure but a try.
If some web guru out there started a search engine link to get them to
their respective places for their carriers got a petition signed sent it to
the carriers Sprint/Vzion they will listen.
I know this isn't a political forum; but hey!
It can be done; or at least live trying
By law all phones have GPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sure there are some web gurus on here who are tired of the BS!!!!!
Ok I am done for the day

LoL, agreed.

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Very eloquent.

However, your own post is self-defeating: it consists of a lot of whining, followed by the hope that some 'web guru' will create a petition. If you feel this strongly about it... *you* create the petition. I mean.. I'm no 'guru' (eyeroll) but I'm sure it's not impossible to do.

And for the record - every phone is *not* required to have GPS, at least not GPS in the sense that you're referring to it. E911 requires that a phone's signal can be triangulated utilizing cell towers. This is tower-based GPS, not satellite. It may annoy you that the functionality exists in this device to utilize satellite-based GPS and that you can't access it, but *legally* Verizon doesn't owe you squat.

That's the beauty of the capitalist system, sir - if you don't like what a company is doing, you don't have to use them. My understanding is that Sprint now offers this ability on the Mogul. Verizon will respond much more to customer defections/revenue impacts than they will to online petitions.

Gare_NY

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'In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me lay an invincible summer'

Not to burst your bubble, but phones do not have "GPS" by law. In fact most phones do not have GPS at all. Cell phones have "cellular GPS" which is termed AGPS (assisted GPS). It uses cell towers and triangulation to find a general area where someone might be (some pretty general coordinates) and then they can use real GPS imagery to see what the area looks like. This helps find lost hikers and maybe a 911 call or two. But it won't give you good directions. In fact, some people complain that it takes longer for an ambulance to find a 911 call made from a cell phone.

FCC law states that the cell companies be able to trace a call within a hundred yards or so, not within a couple feet like true GPS would do.

In orcer to have true GPS you need a SATCOM antenna and a device that has LOTS of maps. The device also needs to be able to take data that you enter and turn it into directions on one of its maps.

Cellular GPS can't realy do that. Verizon's AGPS tech is kinda crappy. It also costs like $10 a month. If you have bad cell reception, you're lost!! Literally. The towers can't find you, and you can't run a system code to get your own coordinates. You could look up from your phone and ask someone for directions, but if your out in the desert, you're SOL.

Sorry.

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I wouldn't say I've been missing it Bob.