According to some Verizon Wireless users, responses they’ve received from the carrier company addressing GPS related concerns suggest that the company may be removing the virtual lockdown of the GPS capabilities in certain WinMo phones in 2009.
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Currently, most Verizon Wireless phones that have GPS features are restricted from using anything but Verizon’s own branded VZ Navigator.
A VW customer over at WMExperts has posted up this response given to him regarding his email message demanding that Verizon Wireless unlock the GPS capabilities of its phones:
Verizon Wireless, like all carriers, orders devices to meet certain specifications inclusive of features. Each of these specs is tested to determine if it meets our performance goals. There are instances when the phone will pass our extensive testing process but a specific feature may not meet the standard. We will often choose to introduce the phone without that feature but ask that the manufacturer come back to us with revised software that has to be tested to make sure the service works the same across our entire wireless footprint –from Maine to Hawaii. In the case of open standalone GPS, we are partnering with the Windows Mobile device manufacturers to provide a software upgrade that will add this capability to the existing assisted GPS capability. This is a complex development project to provide open standalone GPS while maintaining the assisted GPS capability with the level of performance and security that our customers expect. The recently introduced Windows Mobile devices including Omnia, Saga, and Touch Pro are targeted to add open standalone GPS in the 1st half of 2009.
Steve Schwed
Verizon Wireless
HQ Executive Relations Supervisor
We’re hopeful and Verizon customers – you should be too!
[via]
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