[Verizon Galaxy Note 3 General] parcou:
GPS - fixed by unexpected way

Just telling my story hoping it may helping someone out in the same situation...

I have asked for help and searched the forums, web, etc... My issue has been that GPS does not lock and takes longer and longer to lock or find location...and it was a growing problem that was not there when I first got my phone!

-- Purchased when first came out

-- No case ever to say...I am a "Monk" character never been dropped...still looks mint today...very well cared for

-- No kids touch this phone

-- Rooted with HD first and Beans roms

From MI9 had no GPS issues as OEM and with simple root. Had no GPS issues with MJ7 with custom room. MJE is where it all started and knowing my device was spot on before MJE I just felt it was software nothing with the device hardware. However I did OBIN back to MJ7 stock and it seemed to work but only tested outside the house not on the road (but this same test failed on me prior before OBIN..so thinking all was OK I proceeded to flash a clean HD rom. Again the GPS issues was there. Flashed Beans and still had the GPS taking a long time to lock. I read on forums and tried:

-- Tightening down all the screws

-- Remove the device back and lift up on the GPS antenna pin connections (really for Note 2 but tried anyway)

-- TOPNTP to modify the gps.conf file app (but I manually used Derek custom gps.conf file which he has his own APGS server he updated daily)

-- Purchased GPS Status app & still using the custom gps.conf file

Now GPS Status did work but I had to open it, do the AGPS download via the app, get a lock...and THEN open MAPS, RunKeeper, etc which for my jogging app would not lock GPS until I did GPS Status first... Something I never had to do on MI9 nor MJ7 nor MJ7 with custom rom. They always locked quickly and I did not use GPS Status.

Well Thiurs I got pissed! On Beans (not a Beans or HD rom issue) I could not get lock and needed to get on road. GPS Status usually works but 7min past waiting on lock and Maps to give me location I rebooted the damn device. To no advantage still could not get lock doing it all over again. Later, I called Verizon and they said my problem was in Settings, Mobile Networks that it should not be on "Global" but LTE\CDMA... Well while on the phone walked outside with new setting and still no damn lock. So they overnighted a replacement I got Fri and personally I hate certified service phones since mine was new!

Got phone Fri morning:

-- Powered new phone which was MJE firmware OEM

-- Tested GPS driving to a few places...spot on locks

-- Return home and begin to root and flash backup of Beans rom I was using on old phone

-- Successful getting quick locks for driving Fri afternoon and night

-- Still successful getting quick locks Sat morning, afternoon and jogging (opened RunKeeper it locked without using GPS Status first)

I am

STILL

testing but GPS locks are back as they use to be. I have NEVER done anything to my device to warrant a hardware problem but it looks from what I read and did not believe about phone replacement...Seems I had an hardware issue. Keeping in mind I put back on the new phone the EXACT same rom from a Safestrap backup I made just before switching...and the old phone was properly & correctly put on the MJE firmware.

Crazy.... ;)