Questions about Cell phone and Qualcomm GPS etc...

Skip the truck GPS, this can be got down the line because #### they are expensive. Even just a normal garmin with "truck" options and being updated causes my husband all sorts of trouble, because it doesn't know what it's talking about and will reroute him when he doesn't need to be rerouted. That said he still wants to replace his current Garmin with a bigger screen truck GPS. But like everything else do we want to spend a grand on that?

I don't know your phone carrier but Verizon has the best all over coverage. We still get dropped calls but they are usually middle of nowhere places like NV. And the Blue Parrot Bluetooth Headset seems to be headset of choice for truckers, it's big but it works amazing.

My husband checks google maps either on his laptop or phone, puts it into both the Qualcomm and his GPS and figures out his best route between the three. So a big screened phone might do double duty as a GPS. Esp when mounted to the Dash where it can be seen also good to know when to ignore calls or take them at a glance when the caller ID pops up.

He loves Google maps for their satelitte views. On occasion while driving he has called me up to look at things since he can't while driving. But it answers how do I get into there? Does this have parking? Google maps will also give step by step voive instructions just like a GPS over a phone headset.

Larger Screens can also be loaded with ebooks for reading and movies files to watch movies. Think Note 4 (movie files are large and having multiple mini sd cards filled with movies and books) The Note 5 which I will be buying for my mom doesn't have an sd card slot. She will use very few apps and won't read or watch movies. Now if you have tons of Data by all means stream from the cloud. but even our larger Data plan over 5 phones with Steve using 95% isn't enough for movies.

Steve's new laptop also doesn't have a DVD drive so having digital movies and TV shows already loaded on to it is nice. If your husband has a laptop they can be stored on it and then cable transferred to the phone one at a time no data required, and all the storage would be on the computer leaving his phone free, giving you more phone options. Steve also doesn't have wifi on his computer he just tethers it to his phone to use the internet on his computer thru our phone carriers plan.

As for the Qualcomm it seems to be the thing that you can't do while driving and must answer etc once stopped. It can break easily and if her annoying voice.... Maybe it can do more Steve hasn't used it.

 

The plantronics is a good choice for a head set. I would get him a Garmin car gps for cheap. When I was using the mcp 200 a couple years ago it was awfully slow and would freeze up and I didn't use it much. Maybe they got the bugs out now. If you could hook em' up with a tablet he could also check google maps, etc. to check out his p/u's and deliveries. And don't forget the road atlas.

 

If he is OTR...T-mobile is the worst for coverage outside of cities. Any input changes for a GPS should not be done when moving....think "hands free"(?)....voice commands are sketchy at best, miscommunication or misunderstanding is standard.

 

Sprint has a unlimited plan for 60 bucks.
And if your credit is half ok you ahould get approved for a phone of your choosing. I currently pay $90/month for mine after taxes. I still lose calls but they have really gottwn fewer within the last yr. Also roaming is free in North America and 2 gigs free data roaming if needed. Mcp200 i curently use is pretty good on gps but i can find better routes if i route plan it ahead. Google maps... A life saver they need to make their own gps that can be intergrated with the phone i would spend all my tater chip money for it. Bt i use the lg hbs 730 its an older model but 2 yrs later she still kicking. And it goes around your neck with a magnet to hold earbuds. Rand mcnally map atlas is always a plus. And a dry erase marker with windex works for windshield directions. ( been around alot of older truckers.) and it helps you remember your turns with out having to go to a map to ask yourself " was that my turn?"

 

Sorry almost forgot that is a no contract plan just finish paying for the phone and you can leave whenever your choosing.

 

Been using Rand McNally 5 inch GPS for 5 years. RM is the same company that puts out the large trucker's atlas sold at truck stops. Mine is old and they stopped updating it a couple years back so some roads it shows me drving in open fields and there is one bridge I go over that shows me driving on top of the water.

The Swift qualcomm has mapping software in it, when I was there I never used it though unless it was a part of town or customer that my GPS wouldn't recognize then I would only use it the last 5 miles or so.

But I can't recommend the RM enough. You can search on the forums here, there is a whole dedicated forum to just GPS units and ask over there what people like the best.

 

If your looking cheap go 40 qt cooler at first they make 12v iceless ones. I spent for the RM 730 and LOVE it comes with free lifetime updates. Then he can keep his cell data low or not even use it. The gps was expensive ($400) but if it helps him keep a job it's worth it in the long run. It routes weird in certain places but it's because the preset of 13'6 on the gps will route them around 13'6 overpasses make it 13'5 and problem goes away

 

Just remember to reset it if you get one of Swift's 14 foot trailers.