Running geocaching.com app on a 2G network

[+geoBirder]

I'll be in New Jersey in October. I am looking at getting a "roam mobility" sim card for four days. Their plan offers 512MB of 4G LTE
+ Unlimited 2G Data per day.

 

I'll turn off most of the apps to stretch out the 4G as long as I can, but I'm wondering how slow the geocaching.com app will run on a 2G network. Does anyone have any experience with the app at that speed?

Thanks!

[+Viajero Perdido]

That's like...  Free Unlimited Travel* (*as long as you walk).  Expect 2G to be slower than molasses on a glacier.

 

You might want to look at running that app fully offline.  Pre-load maps and caches in advance.  I don't use that app, but understand it can be made to work offline.  Good luck.

[Blue Square Thing]

The old app, yes. It worked. It was quite slow but not generally terrible.

 

A much better idea, in my experience, would be to download a list of caches before you go and be able to use them off line.

[+The Jester]

1 hour ago, geoBirder said:

I'll be in New Jersey in October. I am looking at getting a "roam mobility" sim card for four days. Their plan offers 512MB of 4G LTE
+ Unlimited 2G Data per day.

 

I'll turn off most of the apps to stretch out the 4G as long as I can, but I'm wondering how slow the geocaching.com app will run on a 2G network. Does anyone have any experience with the app at that speed?

Thanks!

My reading of that doesn't suggest a a 2G network, rather 2 gigabites of data per day on a 4G LTE network.

[+on4bam]

14 minutes ago, The Jester said:

My reading of that doesn't suggest a a 2G network, rather 2 gigabites of data per day on a 4G LTE network.

 

Don't think so. 512MB on 4G and once that's gone it's unlimited at 2G speeds, it doesn't say 2GB.

 

As for apps, get your data via WiFi, you don't NEED to be connected to go geocaching. Read up on the app you're using how to get data/maps while offline.

 

[+MNTA]

I agree with one of the previous posts. Filter out the caches you want to hunt for in the areas you are interested in. Save them to a list and download the list for offline usage. You can practice this in your home area by turning off cellular usage or more drastic airplane. I did this when I traveled to Canada and worked great my plan did not support it. Besides unless you solve some of the puzzle caches in advance you can ignore those. Say you want just PNG ok T2.5 and below. Oh there are 10 with NM/NA skip those. Then you have a nice list of ones to find. BTW whittle down your list to what ever floats your boat. You are not going to find them all so time to be choosy.

[+J Grouchy]

2G speeds...roughly like this:

 

 

[+NYPaddleCacher]

7 hours ago, on4bam said:

 

Don't think so. 512MB on 4G and once that's gone it's unlimited at 2G speeds, it doesn't say 2GB.

 

As for apps, get your data via WiFi, you don't NEED to be connected to go geocaching. Read up on the app you're using how to get data/maps while offline.

 

 

I used my phone last weekend in Luxembourg to find a few caches without using any cellular data at all.  I had created an offline line list previously that included every cache in the town.  I took an earlier train back to Belgium than planned so while sitting at the train station in Ettelbruck, Luxembourg I used the wifi to download a list of caches in LIege, Belgium as I knew I'd be changing trains there.  I ended up not stopping to find any but I had all the cache data I would need if I wanted to.  

 

Even at 2G speeds downloading cache data wouldn't take long.  It's the maps that'll use up more bandwidth.

[+Max and 99]

6 hours ago, MNTA said:

I agree with one of the previous posts. Filter out the caches you want to hunt for in the areas you are interested in. Save them to a list and download the list for offline usage. You can practice this in your home area by turning off cellular usage or more drastic airplane. I did this when I traveled to Canada and worked great my plan did not support it. Besides unless you solve some of the puzzle caches in advance you can ignore those. Say you want just PNG ok T2.5 and below. Oh there are 10 with NM/NA skip those. Then you have a nice list of ones to find. BTW whittle down your list to what ever floats your boat. You are not going to find them all so time to be choosy.

Can you plllleeeeaaase write Geocaching Offline for Dummies?

[+geoBirder]

Thanks everyone (loved the 56K dial-up video - LOL I remember those days!) Looks like offline is the best way to go. I'll definitely skip the roaming. And good idea to give it a test run here at home!

Edited August 28, 2018 by geoBirder

[+pseudoprime]

I would hold off on posting your logs. I used my 2G service in Ireland recently, and neither of my pictures on virtuals posted. I didn't discover this until one of my logs was deleted a few days later.

[Blue Square Thing]

1 hour ago, pseudoprime said:

I would hold off on posting your logs. I used my 2G service in Ireland recently, and neither of my pictures on virtuals posted. I didn't discover this until one of my logs was deleted a few days later.

 

Just wait till you have wifi