Do I have to pay for GPS?

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Almost all navigation systems determine your position using GPS. Since more and more mobile phones are now offering software for navigation, the question of whether and how much you have to pay if you want to navigate with it naturally arises. You can easily avoid cost traps - if you know them.

GPS navigation also works with many smartphones.
GPS navigation also works with many smartphones.

This is behind the abbreviation GPS

  • The abbreviation stands for "Global Positioning System" - and what is widely used today for navigation The roads used by the US Department of Defense were used for military purposes developed.
  • The technology is not difficult to explain, at least roughly: A large number of satellites orbit the earth and transmit their position, among other things. On the basis of the signals sent, the receiver, for example your navigation device, but also many SmartphonesTo determine your exact position and also the speed.
  • Increasingly, however, not only GPS is used to determine your exact position, especially to determine your initial position more quickly. Whether you have to pay to use the navigation depends above all on it.

When you really have to pay for navigation

  • GPS in and of itself is generally not chargeable. The navigation system costs money and map updates are usually provided by the relevant providers made available for a fee, but you do not have to use the GPS signal alone anywhere in the world pay.
  • First you can take a deep breath - when navigating with the mobile phone, however, the warning "BUT" comes up here. For one, there is Appswho determine your position via the mobile phone network, others use this at least as a support to determine your position more quickly.
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  • This is not a problem if you are traveling in Germany and have booked a flat rate for internet use. If you do not have this, the usage will very quickly turn into a major cost trap. It is essential to prevent this by deactivating internet use and determining your position via the mobile phone network in the settings when using the navigation.
  • It can get even more expensive if you cross the German border, because almost all tariffs are charged according to data volume. As soon as your cell phone dials into a foreign cell phone network, your cell phone bill increases significantly every minute. The same applies here: switch off the Internet or book a corresponding international tariff with your provider.

By the way: It is best to carry out map updates and updates at home. Here you can use your WLAN or connect the mobile phone to your computer and run the updates over it. Not only does it go faster, it's about yours Flat rate also free of charge, provided you don't have to pay for the update yourself.

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