using google maps in the USA with phone

_Jimlad_ · 25 Mar 2011 at 15:49

gonna be doing a road trip in June across the deep south and kinda want a sat nav as back up. if i take my HTC desire out is the gps thing gonna need to use 3g to down info and therefore charge me? as i kinda wanna turn all that stuff off. was thinking of buys a paygo USA sim card?

Yas786 · 25 Mar 2011 at 15:58

_Jimlad_ said:
gonna be doing a road trip in June across the deep south and kinda want a sat nav as back up. if i take my HTC desire out is the gps thing gonna need to use 3g to down info and therefore charge me? as i kinda wanna turn all that stuff off. was thinking of buys a paygo USA sim card?

Yep it will use the network its connected to to download the info/data...huge roaming charges beckon you if you use your own sim card...and it will cost a bomb on a PAYG USA simcard unless you find a provider that gives you lots of data on it...

Tomsk · 25 Mar 2011 at 16:16

Might be cheaper to just buy a satnav unit. <$100 will get a simple one.

shine · 25 Mar 2011 at 16:19

You can probably hire a Sat Nav with the hire car.

Cosimo · 25 Mar 2011 at 16:20

Don't forget that Google Maps now uses cached map data. So you could download a lot of it here before you go using WiFi. So you'll have a backup.

Tomsk · 25 Mar 2011 at 17:24

You could consider buying software.
Co-pilot 8 with USA maps is only £19.99. Europe maps only are £38.99.
Due to some odd pricing, it's more expensive to buy CP8 Europe @ £58.99 and then adding USA maps @ £19.99

_Jimlad_ · 25 Mar 2011 at 17:56

Ok cheers guys, will have a think about what is best

Rroff · 25 Mar 2011 at 18:00

Also you will probably find mobile signals a lot more patchy out there than typical in the UK.

_Jimlad_ · 25 Mar 2011 at 18:10

yeah may aswell go halves on a satnav or as someone mentioned pay extra in the hire place..

just was not sure what was used data wise..

so am i correct in thinking....

a standard tomtom has the entire map of a country stored already, and google maps, downloads data via 3g as and when it needs it?

St0rmer66 · 25 Mar 2011 at 18:16

_Jimlad_ said:
a standard tomtom has the entire map of a country stored already, and google maps, downloads data via 3g as and when it needs it?

Correct

.

[TW]Fox · 25 Mar 2011 at 18:18

Dont pay extra for a satnav from the hire company, they will charge you a FORTUNE.

Buy a TomTom in Walmart for $99, or get Copilot for £20.

_Jimlad_ · 26 Mar 2011 at 08:21

will do, so co pilot works without using 3g data?