Mtk 6572 (Doogee DG300) GPS not working (Even with EPO and AGPS): possible solution

[spikespiegel]

[QUESTION]
After the first time I flashed my phone I could never make GPS work again, and the GPS signal was already weak before flashing.
Now I've flashed it again and when testing with GPS TEST app, it said the GPS was ON, so I left the phone running the application the whole night, when I woke up, and it still couldn't get a lock.
Have already followed the procedure of using engineering mode to download EPO and use the AGPS thing, the network doesn't seem to be helping at all, it finds the satellites, but the lock won't work. I've even opened my phone and enhanced the GPS antenna by soldering a copper wire followed by an aluminium (Isolated with electric tape), I know this method improves the signal because I've done that with the WiFi and SIM antennas, the signals were improved by 65%, but the GPS? No can do.
I suspect the phone isn't recognizing the GPS hardware, that I still have to do something else, like installing a "driver" or something. I not even get a weak signal, nothing, it's like my phone's GPS hardware never existed. Get it? I got a feeling that the phone isn't recognizing the GPS hardware.
Another question, does the BT (Bluetooth) code in SN Write software has something to do with it? Because after flashing the phone, it is necessary to configure the IMEI and BT.

[UPDATE 1]
It's a ROM issue, the upgraded ROM has something that is different from the ROM that comes in the Phone. Both ROMS are stock ROMS.

[UPDATE 2]
It's something related to NVRAM (Maybe)

[UPDATE 3]
In another forum someone said
"I think its country dependant, it works fine in China according to forums, I'm UK and it doesnt and has never worked, and can only get JB roms as there is no kernal available for even KitKat "
That country dependency happens because of gps.config file, the one that comes from the factory is settle to use chinese servers. Use Fast GPS APP to change the locale, or download GPS.config file and replace it manually, just go to Google and search GPS.config Your Country Name, don't forget to give proper permissions. It probably goes to /data/etc folder, can't remember well. Well, you should check it out.
This one here is not related to the problem in this topic, as I've already tested it, that's just a network aid. What we are doing here is hardware related, somehow the GPS is not being used, it's not the GPS device is burnt or something, it's just that the phone is not operating it.

[UPDATE 4]
Just found out that if I disable the SIM, the satellites won't be found in the GPS TEST and other apps that are used to get a GPS lock, and that's funny because I'm using Wifi and everything is configured to use Wifi.
What leads me to believe that the GPS is somehow using the SIM card frequency band.
As previously specified here [Only registered and activated users can see links Click here to register]

Do NOT use this with the 900/2100 WCDMA v4.0 phone!
it will most definitely break your phone (no brick, but GPS & 900 Band WCDMA wont work anymore)

So I believe I'm closer to solve a problem that's been making many people not only lose hours of their lives beating themselves to find out what's going on, but also to solve that once and for all, but for that I'm going to need to help of people around here.

If the GPS is operating in the wrong band, I should configure the GPS to use a different band, right? OK, so how can I do that?

[spikespiegel]

Anyone??

[cookiedough]

The problem with helping you is that you seem to have already done many of the things we would try. In my experience this issue is often due to a ROM flash that's overwritten some critical part of eMMC that contains some GPS config data.

Sometimes it just inexplicably comes back after not working for months.

I don't thing this is an agps or location based issue. I could be wrong...

And this is no offense, but Mt6572 is very old and weak. Have you considered upgrading? Now have $80 phones that will be much more powerful in every way.

[spikespiegel]

The problem with helping you is that you seem to have already done many of the things we would try. In my experience this issue is often due to a ROM flash that's overwritten some critical part of eMMC that contains some GPS config data.

Sometimes it just inexplicably comes back after not working for months.

I don't thing this is an agps or location based issue. I could be wrong...

And this is no offense, but Mt6572 is very old and weak. Have you considered upgrading? Now have $80 phones that will be much more powerful in every way.

Have considered upgrading to a Samsung, what I should have done since the very beginning. I'm not only doing that now because we're passing through an economic crisis in the country.

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The problem with helping you is that you seem to have already done many of the things we would try. In my experience this issue is often due to a ROM flash that's overwritten some critical part of eMMC that contains some GPS config data.

Sometimes it just inexplicably comes back after not working for months.

I don't thing this is an agps or location based issue. I could be wrong...

And this is no offense, but Mt6572 is very old and weak. Have you considered upgrading? Now have $80 phones that will be much more powerful in every way.

I saw someone saying in another forum it has to do with the system\lib\hw folder, probably the file gps.default.so.

[cookiedough]

No need to buy a Samsung. There are tons of great China phones now for cheap. Better now than it's ever been. Though, yes it comes with it some risk, because no local warranty and such.

[spikespiegel]

No need to buy a Samsung. There are tons of great China phones now for cheap. Better now than it's ever been. Though, yes it comes with it some risk, because no local warranty and such.

No fucking buying Chinese phones ever again in my life.
No offense.

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Those MTK are the worst ones to give maintenance, even if the maintenance is just firmware related.

[cookiedough]

Sorry you couldn't fix your $80 3 year old phone :/ Have fun wasting money on a Samsung.

[spikespiegel]

Sorry you couldn't fix your $80 3 year old phone :/ Have fun wasting money on a Samsung.

It costed me more than $180 including customs dude, that's why I'm trying to fix this thing, specially because if I had to buy the same phone today for the same price, I'd pay like $300+. Inflation is very high right now.
And this phone has like 1 year and 6 months since I bought it.... By the time I should have bought a Galaxy S4, it was going to be a little more expensive but I'd never have a single problem with it.

I bought the Doogee because according to the law, I was in the limit allowed to buy things without paying customs, yet they charged me. I was going to recur but I said "Screw off, bureaucracy is too high around here, I'll just let it be". So it was supposed to be cheaper.

My previous phone was an S3 and it was just cool, I could even play a PSP emulator with Filters enabled, better graphics than the original console and same FPS.

Actually, those Chinese phones are almost the same prices (If not the same) as the Samsung devices, yet they're inferior and with them comes all that trouble.

If not a Samsung, what phone has a better cost-benefit?

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Sorry you couldn't fix your $80 3 year old phone :/ Have fun wasting money on a Samsung.

It costed me more than $180 including customs dude, that's why I'm trying to fix this thing, specially because if I had to buy the same phone today for the same price, I'd pay like $300+. Inflation is very high right now.
And this phone has like 1 year and 6 months since I bought it.... By the time I should have bought a Galaxy S4, it was going to be a little more expensive but I'd never have a single problem with it.

I bought the Doogee because according to the law, I was in the limit allowed to buy things without paying customs, yet they charged me. I was going to recur but I said "Screw off, bureaucracy is too high around here, I'll just let it be". So it was supposed to be cheaper.

My previous phone was an S3 and it was just cool, I could even play a PSP emulator with Filters enabled, better graphics than the original console and same FPS.

Actually, those Chinese phones are almost the same prices (If not the same) as the Samsung devices, yet they're inferior and with them comes all that trouble.

If not a Samsung, what phone has a better cost-benefit?

Not including the fact that the minimum wage around here is like $300

[GizBeat]

All mobile brands have problems. The difference is that with the ones you buy retail, you have some easy recourse at the local retail level.

You're talking about the cheapest of the cheapest mobiles even when it was a new phone. Now it's worth $15 even if it was working perfectly. All of your experience and statements are based on that one budget phone... Which was a good budget phone for its time.

Things have changed drastically since the DG300. It's been a dinosaur's age since MT6572.

Are there crappy phones coming out of China? Yes. If you choose carefully will you be as likely to have a winner as if you bought a similarly powered Samsung? Easily YES and you'll have saved hundreds of $$$.

With all that being said. I recommend you check out Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro. I've also recently reviewed the $65 Doogee X5 Max, which is great for a budget mobile. No problems at all on the unit we received...Ulefone makes some great mobiles, as does Leagoo.

I recommend you post in the "Which phone" forum with budget etc... and see what comes up as a suggestion.

[spikespiegel]