[Parbeck]

I've asked questions elsewhere in a fairly long posting about using Drive but thought I'd start a new thread about drive and data usage.

Can anyone advise me on the following :-

1. How much data would be downloaded in a journey of say 100km if all necessary maps are preloaded onto my Lumia?

2. Is data download directly proportional to time online/navigating?

Thanks in advance,

Colin

[MrOddJob]

From what I understand Nokia drive does not use data so long as you have already install all the maps for the country you are traveling in, I believe its only Nokia maps that will use data if you use it. Not 100% sure on this but I'm sure a more informed user will clarify this for you more positively.

[TheBigM]

As far as I know, Nokia Drive only uses data for the initial route calculation and to find your destination location (you can do this at home over WiFi). The rest is offline.

Eventually they will update Nokia Drive to be fully offline.

[Parbeck]

As I've mentioned in previous posts I'm interested in how much data is needed to use Drive since I have to pay for data on my O2 contract. I'm especially concerned here in Germany where I'm currently on holiday. In fact I imagine that most of the time people need Drive is when they're in unfamiliar territory! For me that means in Europe and data roaming charges apply.

Yesterday I set a destination, asked for a route then followed it for about 45 minutes. Only features requiring Drive to function were on, all other features requiring data use eg phone update were off. The maps were downloaded prior to the journey using WiFi.

During the journey O2 have charged me £1.06 for 425KB of data.

I can't wait for the anticipated improvements to Drive - I hope they include data-free SatNav as per my Nokia X6 navigation system. Using that I have driven all over Europe using SatNav for free!

I hope this helps others planning to use Drive on the Lumia.

Colin

[TheBigM]

To be fair to Nokia, 425KB is a tiny amount of data for a 45 minute route. It's just your O2 data roaming charges are very high.

But, full offline will come in time.

[Jason106]

Hi 

It cosumes some data when using the Nokia drive with AGPS enabled but it's very little only few KB.

[Jason106]

Hi

You can try to turn AGPS off and only use the satellite. Please take the reference from below website

http://www.nokia.co.uk/gb-en/support/product/lumia800/userguide/?action=onlineuserguidepagechange&pF... 

[Parbeck]

Thanks for your input TheBigM. Whilst the amount billed was indeed relatively small, I need to drive back to the UK from Berlin and I'd ideally like to keep the SatNav on for the whole journey home - about 15 hours driving time. This might not be an inconsiderable cost at the rate indicated in my experimental tour should the data download be proportional to time. With my X6 I often left the SatNav running to and from Berlin, Gibraltar etc. That's why I'm interested in the comments Jason 106 made!

So thanks for your input, Jason 106. I've seen the paragraph you've directed me to:-

"To save on data costs, you can switch A-GPS off in your phone positioning settings, but calculating your location may take much longer"

How do I turn off A-GPS on the Lumia? Does your Lumia lock on to a satellite with A-GPS OFF? During my experimental tour I had Data ON and Location ON.

I'm really hoping that I can use the Lumia SatNav in the same way that I used the X6. What are others finding?

Many thanks again for all your help,

Colin

[TheBigM]

From my understanding, what you should do is keep the data on during route calculation, once you have an initial route, then disable data on your phone in the mobile settings to guarantee not downloading any more.

[Jason106]

Hi 

I think you need to turn the data off which means you will use Nokia drive with offline mode and then go to setting-->location and turn off the location. Then you disable the data transfer of Nokia drive and AGPS. But it takes about 5-10mins for you to get the satellite if you disable the AGPS.

[Parbeck]

Thanks for your input, TheBigM and Jason 106.

If I try to use Drive without either WiFi or Data connection I get a message saying "Drive needs a connection in order to function" (or something similar). I've connected temporarily in order to set up a route etc but when I then try to go 'back' to Settings to turn off either the WiFi or Data connection my Lumia shuts down Drive. When I then reload Drive my Lumia says .............  "Drive needs a connection in order to function" (or something similar)! What am I still missing?

I'm really grateful for the time and effort you guys are giving me in order to sort this one out,

Colin

[JCVD]

@Parbeck
Re-open Nokie Drive by going back to it (using the back button/long-press task-switcher) and not by taping on its icon (as this will actually close the previous session and start again from scratch)

[ken4you]

@colin

I don't think you have to worry about roaming data costs, as roaming data is disabled by default.

->settings ->mobile data -> Settings data roaming

However the Lumia 800 do need a data connection to search for a location initially (address or POI) using operator data & WiFi, but after the route calculation it is no longer needed.

Hence if you are roaming you can enable data roaming (or use WiFi), do a location search and after disable the data roaming.

The AGPS, Assisted GPS is just used to get a faster position fix for the first time, using the Cellular network to get a approximate location, but no longer used when having the GPS satellite position fix.

Ken

[Parbeck]

Thanks for your input JCVD and ken4you.

I've turned on WiFi and Location which enabled me to get a satellite fix very quickly. When I long-press "Back" the map image shrinks but I don't see any other screens (eg the Start screen) through which I can get access to the Settings options to turn WiFi and Location off.

Am I doing what you guys are suggesting?

Are you able to run Drive without connection to data via WiFi or a network? If you can could you possibly list the key presses you use starting from the Start Screen with no apps running through to running Drive without data services connected?

Thanks for your continued help,

Colin

[ken4you · Accepted solution]

@colin

While in the Nokia drive application, just press the Windows key.

This will put the Nokia drive application in the background and you can start any other app or settings menu.

When you have changed the settings, press and hold down the back key (Left arrow) this will list your open applications and you are able to select the Nokia drive app again (now with your settings changed)

You are able to use Nokia drive without data & WiFi, as soon as you have calculated your route.

Hope this helps, Ken

[Parbeck]

Thanks for the information, Ken.

You've helped me no end - in fact last evening was quite a revelation for me! I've been using the Back button to change the various apps available which means I've always gone back to the Start Screen, shutting down apps as I go. When I've pushed the Windows button I've used a long press so have always been offered the voice facility. I've been wondering how everybody else switches from app to app! I feel kind of stupid. I've re-read the manual and it does describe the method you mention but only fleetingly towards the bottom of page 7. That's my excuse!

Now I have learned that using a SHORT press on the Windows button puts the current app in the background and allows one to choose another app I've come to realise the true meaning of "smartphone"!

So thank you for staying with me through my rather steep learning curve.

I've now used WiFi and Location ON to get a satellite fix, gone back to the Settings to turn OFF WiFi and Location using the method you described (and Jason106 and others hinted at) to find that the satellite link stays with me. I've walked around my mother-in-laws very large garden here in eastern Germany and the SatNav followed me a treat. I anticipate using the SatNav to drive back to the UK after New Year.

So thanks once again to you and others for giving your time and effort so freely and willingly to help someone you don't know and will never meet. This forum really is a joy.

Colin

[ovikovi]

This topic leaves me with one question: 

Why is a data connection required to calculate the route? 

We all know that other Nokia products can calculate a route (and navigate) completely offline, especially if little A-GPS features and other things that may use the network are disabled in the phone (and especially reliably with a bluetooth GPS receiver).

So why is it needed?

Profiling customers and their usage?  

[user109]

Reading your posts and also puzzle me..  as ovikovi said, why need online to calculate the route? Nokia shall make efforts to benefit its customers, not the telecos!! Otherwise Nokia will waste efforts to develop the maps if users decide to switch to 3rd party map like Garmin.. 

[Parbeck]

Hi All,

I don't believe the Lumia does need connection to Data or WiFi to calculate the route!

On my recent return to the UK from eastern Germany I connected via WiFi before leaving, got the route sorted then turned WiFi and Data OFF, leaving Location ON.

I then drove back to the UK following the route suggested by the Lumia.

Twice I knew of a short cut and took it and once I had to leave the autobahn because of roadworks.

In each case the Lumia recalculated the route WITHOUT any connection to WiFi or Data.

So the plot thickens!

Can't wait for Nokia to make Drive as useful and easy to use as the system I used on my X6.

Colin

[rasras]

---

Parbeck wrote:

Hi All,

I don't believe the Lumia does need connection to Data or WiFi to calculate the route!

Colin

---

Are you able to verify that you can do offline navigation (ie. the same you can do on the Symbian versions?)

I do hope you can. Then I'll try this device!