Using Samsung S3 GPS abroad

[Anonymous]

Morning All, 

Quick question - Im going to be using my S3 as a Sat Nav when I travel to Europe later in the year and wondered if using GPS uses up the data limit you are allowed (the 25MB a day) or not. I would be using the google maps device already installed on the phone. 

Many Thanks 

Mark 

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

The GPS receiver does not use data, however, downloading maps does. If you can plan all your routes and download maps on wifi before your journey you won't use any data.

[Anonymous]

Excellent - thanks - Can you recommend any good downloadable maps at all?

[MI5]

CoPilot and Route 66 are good. Both available on Google Play. And of course Google maps (preinstalled on your phone). With Copilot you have the advantage of been able to store all maps to an SD card so no need even for a wifi connection to set your route.

[Anonymous]

Once again many thanks for the quick reply. Just confirm the use of google maps thats preinstalled wont use any data (sorry to be a pain)!

[MI5]

With Google maps you have to plan your journey (which will load the maps for you) on wifi. The other apps hold the maps on your phone or SD card. So as long as you do your planning on wifi - No data is used.

[MI5]

Should just add that if you re-route (went wrong, roadworks etc) then Google maps will use data in that instance but if you disable data use on your phone it will prevent that from happening.

[Anonymous]

Brilliant thanks for all your help

[wantonnoodle]

If you don't want to pay, you can always get Navfree from the Play store. Its pretty good and uses no data as you download the map to the phone. However, as with any map downloads, its a large file and so best to download on wifi.