# Google Maps (transit directions) support on cheap featurephones

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-transit-directions-support-on-cheap-featurephones/701436>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 15, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-transit-directions-support-on-cheap-featurephones/701436 "2014-10-15T20:04:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-transit-directions-support-on-cheap-featurephones/701436/21 "2014-10-17T15:52:53Z")

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> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#):
>
> My wife just got the Moto E for £69, contract and carrier free. It is a fully featured smartphone and very good it is too. Big screen, good battery life, all the bells and whistles etc.  
> It runs google maps and if you cache the maps on wifi at home you can use it for finding your way around without any need for data.  
> If you want to use the turn-by-turn navigation from google (which is very good and free) then you will need a data connection and the best estimates I have for that is perhaps 5-20MB per full day’s use(no satellite imagery of course, that eats data and simple road layouts are fine).  
> As you’ll have no contract you should be able to just buy a cheap sim card and top up your balance as required

Given the constraints of OP’s original post, this is probably as close as you can get: make sure the feature phone you choose already comes with a navigation app that supports your needs, because there’s no realistic way to add one worth using.

I recall seeing the spec list for OP’s selected feature phone that its hardware includes GPS, so odds are good it comes with some kind of mapping/nav app. Hopefully, it scratches OP’s itch.

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**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-transit-directions-support-on-cheap-featurephones/701436/22 "2014-10-17T17:13:20Z")

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Take a look at [Republic Wireless](https://republicwireless.com/info/plans/). You have to buy a Moto phone from them. Plans cost as little as $5 a month.

Two gimmicks:  
All support is online, no live customer service by phone.  
Their phones are designed to use WiFi first and to use cell towers only if WiFi is not available. If you are in a WiFi-dense city this may work well for you.

[Ting](https://ting.com/rates) also has very cheap plans. You can buy a phone from them or use your own Sprint phone. They have live real English speaking support if that is important to you.

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