iPhone GPS not working in foreign countries...why?

Airplane mode turns off cell phone, radio, and Bluetooth(can be turned back on in settings) signals. GPS is also not available. Turning data off means just that, no data. Thus as pointed out, maps won't work. The iphone gets it gps fix by using the following signals in the following order of preference: Wi-Fi, cellular, and then GPS. So, you can see that the only way you're gonna get a fix without data on or a "local" roaming package is to be very patient & have a clear unobstructed view of the sky.

The only thing I can offer you is that using the iphone"s gps chip without access to wifi or cellular signal is weak at best. Even when you said you had access to wifi, it could be that that wifi location isn't in the international data base(in case you're wondering, yes there is such an animal & the locations are stored by latitude & longitude). I've found that the iphone's gps works best by first using maps to get my location(requires data connection), then turning on the navigation software. If I do things in that order, I get located immediately, no searching at all.

The other posters have given you good information and some of the uses you are going for, need internet. Another way you might try and test if the GPS is working (and not a problem with linking to Google Maps) is to take a photo. When that appears on your computer (and you should complete the information so that we all know which hardware you use), the metadata will contain information about Latitude and Longitude. (In iPhoto, for example, this is in the Photos menu> Show Extended Photo Info.)

If you take a photo under open skies that will let you know one way or another.

I'm currently experiencing the very same problem in Curacao. Maps, google earth, and all other location apps tell me I'm in Messena, Italy, or else say they can't locate me. Very frustrating. Like you, I'm on wifi but data is off. Can obviously send this via wifi. Tried reset etc but no joy. Any other ideas why gps won't work here?

Where to begin: Quoted from a GPS Manufacture:

Factors that can degrade the GPS signal and thus affect accuracy include the following:

* Ionosphere and troposphere delays — The satellite signal slows as it passes through the atmosphere. The GPS system uses a built-in model that calculates an average amount of delay to partially correct for this type of error.
* Signal multipath — This occurs when the GPS signal is reflected off objects such as tall buildings or large rock surfaces before it reaches the receiver. This increases the travel time of the signal, thereby causing errors.
* Receiver clock errors — A receiver's built-in clock is not as accurate as the atomic clocks onboard the GPS satellites. Therefore, it may have very slight timing errors.
* Orbital errors — Also known as ephemeris errors, these are inaccuracies of the satellite's reported location.
* Number of satellites visible — The more satellites a GPS receiver can "see," the better the accuracy. Buildings, terrain, electronic interference, or sometimes even dense foliage can block signal reception, causing position errors or possibly no position reading at all. GPS units typically will not work indoors, underwater or underground.
* Satellite geometry/shading — This refers to the relative position of the satellites at any given time. Ideal satellite geometry exists when the satellites are located at wide angles relative to each other. Poor geometry results when the satellites are located in a line or in a tight grouping.
* Intentional degradation of the satellite signal — Selective Availability (SA) is an intentional degradation of the signal once imposed by the U.S. Department of Defense. SA was intended to prevent military adversaries from using the highly accurate GPS signals. The government turned off SA in May 2000, which significantly improved the accuracy of civilian GPS receivers.

If the GPS is showing you in another country, then that is a problem with 3G I believe. For a while here, when in the center of Bangkok, we were shown as Sofia, Bulgaria and I was told by someone who did know that a 3G problem with the local carrier was the problem (since fixed).

As wjosten also writes, there may be other reasons why this is the case. Is the Netherlands Antilles one of those areas that the US considers suspect and has perhaps restricted GPS satellite signals there?

OK, that idea of restricted access was really just an open question. As we know some countries do not allow GPS (like Egypt) although devices probably still do function. As others have suggested, the location data comes from a number of input sources and, as I wrote above, in my case, in one location, the correct data was not being used as 3G problems here (now fixed) took precedence.

If this is not working in Italy or the Bahamas, there may be other factors to consider. Have you checked photos to see if the data is included in the metadata (as I wrote earlier)? If that is shown in an image, then the problem may be with settings or Google Maps. Do you know anyone else with an iPhone so that comparisons could be made?

Is there a chance it may be timing out too soon?

That's usually the problem in this case.

Normally people are using the GPS in A-GPS mode.

Every few hours that it's been off, the phone must get updated satellite orbit data from an assistance server, in order to get a fast first fix.

When data is disabled, or the server can't be reached, then the GPS is in standalone mode and can take 12 or more minutes of clear reception to download the initial satellite data to get a fix.

Unfortunately, the phone usually has gone back to sleep by then and/or the maps app has given up. One solution is to download a standalone simple GPS app that doesn't give up so quickly, and use it to initialize the orbit data.

I just returned from my second (approx 2 week each) trip to the UK since the end of September and my GPS worked fine both times. I was mostly in Kent, southeast of London, in areas remote enough that I had trouble getting a signal phone signal but the GPS worked all the time-even with data roaming turned off. Weather varied from sunny to cloudy and rainy, usually used it while in the car. Sorry to hear you didn't have similar luck.

Then my non-expert analysis would suggest that there is some fault. Even when there was that problem with 3G here, the images were (wrongly) tagged. If yours have no tags, there is something else at play, methinks.

Is there any way you can compare your results with another user's?

Google Maps requires an internet connection. Your GPS may have a fix, but no map on which plot the information.

The GPS needs a clear view of the sky to get a fix and can take several minutes.

Did you have airplane mode on at the time?

GPS radio is off when airplane mode is on.