Jul 09 2010
Roaming with Google Nav is expensive
Mobile navigation provider Garmin UK today issued a press release demonstrating the real cost of the “free” Google Map Navigation application – and by extension many other off-board services – when used on roaming charges. According to the experiment made by the company, a 185 mile Calais to Paris trip costs £24 to £39 in roaming charges one way, £52 to £78 return journey.
The journeys were carried out between June 19 and June 22 2010 using an Android mobile phone with an O2 UK pay as you go SIM card and an O2 UK data plan. Navigation service used was Google Maps Navigation and all other data services disabled for the journey. The test journeys did not include any speed camera data or traffic data charges, added Garmin
“We tested the route from Calais to Paris four times and each time it came up with the same results: between 12-13 megabytes of data per journey”, explained Anthony Chmarny, Garmin’s Head of Communications in United Kingdom. “On a pay as you go mobile phone this meant £36 to £39 to get from Calais to Paris – some 185 miles. On a contract plan the cost is a little less, but still equates to £24 to £26 per single journey.”
