Using iPhone as sat nav in France
Discussion
Hi,
I'm due to travel to France and want to use my iPhone 5S for sat nav.
It's on EE, roaming enabled.
First question, will sat nav work abroad?
Ideally I want to avoid or at least minimise data charges, so can I do this by downloading a map and then using the satellite signal? Is there an app for that?
If I'm obliged to use data, fair enough. Any tips on how to use as little as possible? e.g. Google maps versus Apple Maps?
All help appreciated! Thanks,
Ben.
I'm due to travel to France and want to use my iPhone 5S for sat nav.
It's on EE, roaming enabled.
First question, will sat nav work abroad?
Ideally I want to avoid or at least minimise data charges, so can I do this by downloading a map and then using the satellite signal? Is there an app for that?
If I'm obliged to use data, fair enough. Any tips on how to use as little as possible? e.g. Google maps versus Apple Maps?
All help appreciated! Thanks,
Ben.
To avoid getting ripped off you have a couple of options.
Here maps - this will download entire countries to your phone.
Three sim card - http://www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pay_As_You_Go
You can buy a three sim and put it into your iPhone and it will roam in France for the same price as the UK, so get a 12gb package for £20 and that will be plenty.
I recommend the 3 sim.
Here maps - this will download entire countries to your phone.
Three sim card - http://www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pay_As_You_Go
You can buy a three sim and put it into your iPhone and it will roam in France for the same price as the UK, so get a 12gb package for £20 and that will be plenty.
I recommend the 3 sim.
What will your access to wifi be like?
I recently came back from Antibes using my phone and google maps as the sat nav, and I would load up the route whilst I still have wifi, press start and then the route is downloaded and saved for your trip.
Features like petrol stations aren't available though, but it's good if you're going one place to another.
Also went to Sicily a few weeks ago, and Google Maps offers the opportunity to download areas for offline mode, so I dl'ed Sicily as four quarters, and could search for locations and everything and it worked really well, even surviving Palermo!
I recently came back from Antibes using my phone and google maps as the sat nav, and I would load up the route whilst I still have wifi, press start and then the route is downloaded and saved for your trip.
Features like petrol stations aren't available though, but it's good if you're going one place to another.
Also went to Sicily a few weeks ago, and Google Maps offers the opportunity to download areas for offline mode, so I dl'ed Sicily as four quarters, and could search for locations and everything and it worked really well, even surviving Palermo!
Each time I come home to the UK I buy an EE PAYG card from the vending machine at the airport, I'm not sure if this deal is different to the contract one, or indeed if you have a contract.
But, France is included in their 'Everything Everywhere' deal, so calls, Data and SMS's as per your normal use in the UK.
So don't worry about using data in France.
Alternatively, put Sygic on your phone, this will download selected countries and not require a data connection to provide navigation.
You won't get traffic (unless you have data enabled) and you may have to pay for France, but they do a week for free so it depends on how long you're travelling for.
Keep your phone plugged into a power source, it won't last long with the screen on all the time and running GPS.
Ignore that, looks like things have now changed and I'm talking nonsense. I'll be getting a Three card when I arrive on Saturday...
But, France is included in their 'Everything Everywhere' deal, so calls, Data and SMS's as per your normal use in the UK.
So don't worry about using data in France.
Alternatively, put Sygic on your phone, this will download selected countries and not require a data connection to provide navigation.
You won't get traffic (unless you have data enabled) and you may have to pay for France, but they do a week for free so it depends on how long you're travelling for.
Keep your phone plugged into a power source, it won't last long with the screen on all the time and running GPS.
Edited by Jakarta on Wednesday 20th July 13:45
Ignore that, looks like things have now changed and I'm talking nonsense. I'll be getting a Three card when I arrive on Saturday...
Edited by Jakarta on Wednesday 20th July 14:22
EE sells a Europass. It's a one time set up, when it's active you switch your phone on abroad (in the EU) and when it gets a data signal it charges you £4/day. They're a bit woolly on how much data they actually give (loads is the answer I got) at a high network speed if the local data provider offers it (ie if in a 4G area) but it seems to be around 250 meg. Then you get a warning and you re-apply for a free top up of another (I think) 100 meg
It was a lot of faffing for me, and I go to the US quite a lot as well as Europe, so I bought a PAYG SIM from 3 and used a top up to give the feel at home rates, ie same in the feel at home countries as if you were back home in the UK. Then I changed from EE to 3 when I was back.
The UK service from EE has always been pretty good in terms of data speed and call quality. It's not quite as quick on 3, and there's parts of the West Coast Main line they just crap out on, but on the whole, for going outside the UK, 3's been loads better and cheaper.
It was a lot of faffing for me, and I go to the US quite a lot as well as Europe, so I bought a PAYG SIM from 3 and used a top up to give the feel at home rates, ie same in the feel at home countries as if you were back home in the UK. Then I changed from EE to 3 when I was back.
The UK service from EE has always been pretty good in terms of data speed and call quality. It's not quite as quick on 3, and there's parts of the West Coast Main line they just crap out on, but on the whole, for going outside the UK, 3's been loads better and cheaper.
If you use google maps you can cache the maps by zooming to the area you want and typing "OK Maps" in the search field. Your phone will then use some data to do searches and route planning, but a lot less than it would if it had to download maps as you go.
I'm guessing France would be similar but in Holland I pay 10 euros for 1GB of data for a month on a Vodafone PAYG sim.
I'm guessing France would be similar but in Holland I pay 10 euros for 1GB of data for a month on a Vodafone PAYG sim.
NAVMII.
Free (albeit its £1.50 to remove ads which is worth it) and stores maps locally so no need for data. Have used it a lot and its brilliant. Just as good at directions as google maps or the like.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/navmii-gps-uk-roi-...
Free (albeit its £1.50 to remove ads which is worth it) and stores maps locally so no need for data. Have used it a lot and its brilliant. Just as good at directions as google maps or the like.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/navmii-gps-uk-roi-...
I've always used CoPilot on my iPhones and it's never missed a beat, plus the maps are downloaded the device so you can keep your data disabled should you wish. The Live Traffic add on is also highly recommended, but obviously this will use your data (as well as cost £6 a year IIRC).
Can't comment on EE's EU data as I'm on O2 myself but their EU data is £2 a day. I would be surprised if EE don't offer something similar.
Can't comment on EE's EU data as I'm on O2 myself but their EU data is £2 a day. I would be surprised if EE don't offer something similar.
I used Sygic last month in France which I downloaded to my tablet because I don't have a clever phone
The ap allows you to download maps for the country that you are going to drive in
The Ap uses GPS and has no need of data input from the system, good job because my EE data card wouldn't turn on 'overthere'
(Because I didn't 'do' it right obviously, by the way)
The ap allows you to download maps for the country that you are going to drive in
The Ap uses GPS and has no need of data input from the system, good job because my EE data card wouldn't turn on 'overthere'
(Because I didn't 'do' it right obviously, by the way)
Thanks for all the quick replies - there are several options it seems. I use google maps in the uk so downloading the route in advance will be worth a go.
I'm not fussed about traffic updates but while I'm there it might be handy to access new routes. There won't be wifi so I'll look into the offline map apps too.
Thanks for the sim suggestions. I'll keep those in the back pocket, but it sounds like I might be able to avoid having to purchase a sim unless all else fails!
I'm not fussed about traffic updates but while I'm there it might be handy to access new routes. There won't be wifi so I'll look into the offline map apps too.
Thanks for the sim suggestions. I'll keep those in the back pocket, but it sounds like I might be able to avoid having to purchase a sim unless all else fails!
p1stonhead said:
NAVMII.
Free (albeit its £1.50 to remove ads which is worth it) and stores maps locally so no need for data. Have used it a lot and its brilliant. Just as good at directions as google maps or the like.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/navmii-gps-uk-roi-...
We used this when we went to the Euro's, it worked very well Free (albeit its £1.50 to remove ads which is worth it) and stores maps locally so no need for data. Have used it a lot and its brilliant. Just as good at directions as google maps or the like.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/navmii-gps-uk-roi-...
p1stonhead said:
NAVMII.
Free (albeit its £1.50 to remove ads which is worth it) and stores maps locally so no need for data. Have used it a lot and its brilliant. Just as good at directions as google maps or the like.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/navmii-gps-uk-roi-...
me too, on the phone and ipad, works in the US tooFree (albeit its £1.50 to remove ads which is worth it) and stores maps locally so no need for data. Have used it a lot and its brilliant. Just as good at directions as google maps or the like.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/navmii-gps-uk-roi-...
I use Sygic on my iPhone as a satnav. Maps are downloaded and if you're not using the traffic monitoring and whatnot, then there's no data usage afaik.
It used to be a paid-for app, but I believe both it and the maps are free now, and the charges are for additional things like the traffic monitoring.
It used to be a paid-for app, but I believe both it and the maps are free now, and the charges are for additional things like the traffic monitoring.
Thanks again for responses.
In the end I downloaded navmii France before I left. Full french map data on the phone.
It worked very well offline with accurate GPS location and clear turn-by-turn directions.
It crashed on me as we set off from the Ferry in Cherbourg which I could have done without, and in order to stop it draining the battery when not in use I had to switch off GPS in settings for it (and then switch it on again before use) - but on the whole, for free, it was pretty good.
In the end I downloaded navmii France before I left. Full french map data on the phone.
It worked very well offline with accurate GPS location and clear turn-by-turn directions.
It crashed on me as we set off from the Ferry in Cherbourg which I could have done without, and in order to stop it draining the battery when not in use I had to switch off GPS in settings for it (and then switch it on again before use) - but on the whole, for free, it was pretty good.
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