Q's regarding using Google Maps for Nav in Europe

Q's regarding using Google Maps for Nav in Europe

Author
Discussion

Crimefighter

Original Poster:

152 posts

135 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
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Hi all,

I have used Google Maps navigation on my mobile phone a few times now in the UK and it has worked very well.

I was wondering if anyone on here had used it abroad?

If yes, was it good? And what was the data usage like? I can buy 250MB data package from Virgin Mobile for £20, but I am not sure if that is going to be economical.

I did read on another forum that pre-loading a route in a Wifi environment first caches the instructions and reduces overseas data usage, but I would like to hear from PH'ers about their experinces with it if possible.

Thanks


R8VXF

6,788 posts

114 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Use HERE maps and just download the countries you need.

Crimefighter

Original Poster:

152 posts

135 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
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R8VXF said:
Use HERE maps and just download the countries you need.
Thanks for the tip, have downloaded the app and will try it out tomorrow. Now just have to clear space on my phone for the maps....!

R8VXF

6,788 posts

114 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
quotequote all
Crimefighter said:
R8VXF said:
Use HERE maps and just download the countries you need.
Thanks for the tip, have downloaded the app and will try it out tomorrow. Now just have to clear space on my phone for the maps....!
I used it to great success driving down to Switzerland through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein smile

Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
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The concept of HERE maps is great, but unfortunately when I tried it I found the interface and routing to be rubbish.

As such I've had to revisit my plans for navigation on a US roadtrip and have bought a 3 PAYG sim card, which I can buy 25GB of data for £15. OP - are the countries you are visiting in 3's use your allowances abroad list?

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
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As above I'm on 3. Failing that download navfree.

ViperDave

5,520 posts

252 months

Wednesday 15th July 2015
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I just used google maps to navigate the best part of 4500 miles around the USA (ok some of it was here maps and google maps wasnt on for every mile ), google maps didn't eat much data, i turned off the sat view so it was only the map view. once when i forgot i had looked something up on the satellite view and not set it back i wondered why my data use jumped up, but i am on three PAYG £15 all you can eat (25gb on feel at home)

All in and including the time using the sat view google maps used about 500mb but that included all non navigation use of maps such as finding hotels, restaurants and shops around them, local nav and pre loading maps onto my phone for tracking the flight home, (ie street level for NYC - east Canada, the Atlantic view and UK&I city and SE/london street level) it would have probably been 100-200 mb less if i hadn't navigated with sat view for a while and i couldn't say how much was pre-loaded by planning routes on wifi as i didn't really care either way so some may have been accidentally cached on wifi rather than downloaded on the fly over cell data.

if your in a three feel at home destination get the £15 package and forget about it, cant beat shouting ok google navigate "me the hell out of here" when your lost trying to find something you thought was easy.

Slushbox

1,484 posts

104 months

Saturday 25th July 2015
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I drive in Europe two or three times a year. I have a Garmin Nuvi in the car which usually works well for me. I was in Brugges last year looking for the Ibis Hotel next to the station. (How hard is the very large station to find?)

The Garmin took me to the 'address' which was on the wrong side of the train tracks. Half an hour of driving around with the Garmin still couldn't get me to the hotel.

I switched on Google maps on the phone and used that, took me straight there.

The downsides are live data use, especially when roaming, and the screen can be hard to read on a small phone positioned at arms length on the air vent. But, it is useful. Voice directions are loud and clear.

I still mostly use the Garmin but have G.Maps, and Here Maps on the phone now as a backup. If the Garmin gets stolen, I can still get out of Dodge with the phone.

I also keep a cheap Android tablet in the car, with Maps For Me on it, MfMe uses free pre-downloaded OpenStreetMaps, so there's no data charges, but only has basic routing. Has all of Western Europe on it.

With all three, I'm pretty much covered. There's also a European road atlas in the car. :-)