Looks like a lot of knowledge available here! Hopefully someone can help me.

I have a new Motorola Q Smartphone from the "regional" carrier US Cellular. It is the original WM5 Q, not a Q9m, since US Cellular is very slow to adopt new phones. They serve checkerboard parts of the midwest, Washington/Oregon, and the Northern California corner I live in, where they are the only carrier with coverage in my neighborhood. Typically they do not lock or restrict access to phone features. My Q works with Bluetooth ActiveSync, DUN (unrestricted!), OBEX, PAN, everything except SPP. I have Bluetooth GPS units that work great with my PC, but no program on the Q can see them.

In my phone's Bluetooth Manager, it says:
Inbound COM Port: BTC5
Outbound COM Port: COM1
I can open a Bluetooth serial connection from my PC to the phone, and the PC says it is successful and stays connected, so the outer part of the SPP profile works. But from inside the phone, no GPS or terminal app can connect to my PC or my GPS on any of the COM ports. Not Google Maps Mobile, Virtual Earth Mobile, not even PockeTTY or zaTelnet (in serial port mode).

The best display of COM port assignments I've seen is in Navizon, where they show
COM1: (USB Cable:)
Their support people tell me that on Verizon and Sprint Qs, that says
COM1: (Bluetooth Serial)
and the program works great. On my Q I get nothing at best. Virtual Earth reports error 6, zaTelnet locks up and requires a power cycle of the phone if I type a character.

Verizon people with the first version of the Q (years ago) had to turn on the "GPS Intermediate Driver" themselves with registry edits or the little GPScom program. My Q came without those registry keys, and adding them made no difference.

US Cellular support has no clue. Motorola support, up through level 3 at least, also has no clue. They say they only support their Motorola T815 GPS, and any other connection failure is not their problem. The T815, as far as I can see, hides the COM port issue from the user and may connect via some proprietary route that bypasses the Bluetooth serial port configuration.

So... Does anyone know of a Bluetooth GPS that definitely works with the US Cellular WM5 Moto Q? I didn't intend to buy yet another GPS, but with the time I've spent trying to get mine to work I could have bought several! Yet I don't want to start buying and returning units at random looking for one that might work.

Clues?

Loren

Solution posted by Loren. Please see the detail instruction below. Thanks Loren! http://discussion.buygpsnow.com/forums/p/1770/5934.aspx#5934

 

Have you tried to follow the steps here:

1) Upgrade the ROM: http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/motosupport/source/SoftwareUpdateSummary.asp?country=&language=&web_page_name=SUPPORT&strCarrierId=Verizon%20Wireless&strPhone=Q&strCable=Mini%20USB%20Data%20Cable 

 but under Change Device link: http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/motosupport/source/SoftwareUpdateSelect.asp?country=USA&language=ENS, US Cellular only has V3c as the phone and I am not sure if this is the code name for your Moto Q.

2) Setup the BT pairing: http://discussion.buygpsnow.com/forums/thread/3796.aspx

SalesTeam:

Have you tried to follow the steps here:

1) Upgrade the ROM: http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/motosupport/source/SoftwareUpdateSummary.asp?country=&language=&web_page_name=SUPPORT&strCarrierId=Verizon%20Wireless&strPhone=Q&strCable=Mini%20USB%20Data%20Cable 

 but under Change Device link: http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/motosupport/source/SoftwareUpdateSelect.asp?country=USA&language=ENS, US Cellular only has V3c as the phone and I am not sure if this is the code name for your Moto Q.

2) Setup the BT pairing: http://discussion.buygpsnow.com/forums/thread/3796.aspx

1. There are no updates for the US Cellular Q. I've verified this with both US Cellular and Motorola "level 3".
Judging by the stories I see on the web, we already have most of the "MOL2" update features that Verizon people needed last year. 
But we don't seem to have the "GPS Intermediate Driver" setup that the GPScom program manipulates. 
I've added the registry keys to mine, but it didn't help. Maybe the actual program code is missing.

2. My phone is paired with my GPS, that part of the Bluetooth stack is working fine. 
It is only when a program on the phone tries to actually find the inside of the SPP connection that the problem appears. 

BTW, in your instructions for the GPScom program (your #2 link above) you don't mention the "enabled" checkbox.
I assume you want the GPS Intermediate Driver enabled, and that your GPS app on the phone will look for a "Bluetooth Direct" connection and choose the "friendly name" of your GPS? 
Enabled or disabled makes no difference on my phone. 
I never see the Bluetooth Direct choice in any program except Navizon, and if I choose it there the Navizon program crashes. 

From what I see on the web, current Verizon and Sprint phones no longer require the GPScom steps, the driver is already set up. 

So, is it possible somebody like CoPilot Live might have figured out the US Cellular Q? Maybe I need to ask them? 
Is there any other program vendor who might have have specifically addressed the US Cellular Q?

Thanks,

Loren

Sorry but I am afraid you may have to change your phone if US Cellular is not planning to upgrade firmware on their product. Firmware upgrade are mostly free to end users but may cost money (royalty fees) to the cellphone operator / carrier.

Unfortunately, I do not believe any other software could work around the fundamental OS level issue you are having.

I finally figured this out, no thanks to Motorola or anyone else I asked.

Bluetooth Serial fix

When attempting to connect to the Bluetooth serial port, the Navizon app reported:
COM1: (USB Cable:)
No application could connect to Bluetooth serial. Some crashed themselves or the whole phone.

I noticed the following registry entry:
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\USB\FunctionDrivers\USBSER_Class
(USBFNS2:)
(serialusbfn.dll)
(FriendlyName USB Cable:)
Included the key-value pair:
Index 0x5 (5)

So I added the Index key to the only other entry that contained "USB Cable:",
which did not have an Index key-value:
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\USB\FunctionDrivers\Serial_Class
(USBFNS1:)
(serialusbfn_async.dll)
(FriendlyName USB Cable:)
Add key:
Index
With DWORD value, hex:
5
Will display as:
Index 0x5 (5)

After power cycling the phone, Bluetooth serial worked properly!

ActiveSync over the USB cable still works.


Hope this helps some other US Cellular customer...  

Loren

Hi Loren, thanks for sharing. I am going to put this article into our Tips folder.

The saga continues... 

071229:
The demo Q at US Cellular Ukiah store, which reports the same version numbers
as my Q, has only the Config key:
-----
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\USB\FunctionDrivers\Serial_Class\Config]
"EnableFlowSoft"=dword:00000000
"EnableFlowHard"=dword:00000000
-----
It has no local values alongside "Config" in Serial_Class like mine does:
-----
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\USB\FunctionDrivers\Serial_Class]
"Index"=dword:00000005   <--- This is the value I had to add... 
"Product"="Motorola Q Phone"
"Manufacturer"="Motorola Inc"
"FriendlyName"="USB Cable:"
"InterfaceProtocol"=dword:000000ff
"InterfaceSubClass"=dword:000000ff
"Dll"="serialusbfn_async.dll"
"DeviceType"=dword:00000000
"Tsp"="Unimodem.dll"
"bcdDevice"=dword:00000000
"idProduct"=dword:000000ce
"idVendor"=dword:0000045e
"IClass"="{CC5195AC-BA49-48a0-BE17-DF6D1B0173DD}"
"RxBufferSize"=dword:00004000
"DeviceArrayIndex"=dword:00000000
"Prefix"="COM"
"DeviceName"="USBFNS1:"
-----
PockeTTY on this demo phone finds "COM1: Bluetooth Serial" immediately and triggers the
Bluetooth Manager "select a device" dialog, so it looks like my problem was not
the fact that "Index   0x5 (5)" was missing, but that the other keys had been added
without also adding it. I'm guessing that without an explicit Index, the USB serial
port defaults to COM1 and steps on the Bluetooth Serial port.

So where did my (incomplete) values come from? Maybe from adding Microsoft's .NET CF 2.0?
From one of the many comm and networking programs I tried while struggling with this?
But the "Manufacturer"="Motorola Inc" makes it look like Motorola created them.
Maybe somebody copied them verbatim from USBSER_Class?

 

Also... 

For Google Maps Mobile, there were more required steps:

Google wouldn't work with the explicit COM1: selection.

The "GPS Intermediate Driver" is apparently Microsoft's answer to Franson's GPSgate program - a bridge between a physical COM port and a virtual GPS port. I can't use GPSgate because the Q doesn't support JSR-82 (Bluetooth through Java).

The freeware app GPScom <http://scottschrob.com/q/apps.htm> is a handy interface to the following registry edits:
-----
Manually configure WM5 GPS "Intermediate Driver" API Settings with Registry Edits
[This duplicates the actions of GPSCOM]

KEY: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver]
VALUE: "IsEnabled", DWORD set to 1

KEY: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver\Drivers]
VALUE: "CurrentDriver" STRING set to "BT GPS"

KEY: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver\Drivers\BT GPS]
VALUE: "FriendlyName" STRING set to "BT GPS"
VALUE: "InterfaceType" STRING set to "COMM"
VALUE: "CommPort" STRING set to "COM1:"
where COM1 is the Outbound port number reported by the Bluetooth Manager
-----

After doing this GPSCOM.exe fix, I had to go back to Settings/Connections/USB to PC, check the box that says
"Enable advanced network functionality"
and power cycle the Q.

("Enable advanced network functionality" was checked by default on my phone, but I had to un-check it to get the USB driver to load when I first connected the phone to my PC with the USB cable.)


Verizon and Sprint users apparently don't need to do any of these steps. The GPScom procedure was necessary when their Qs first came out, but software updates fixed their GPS issues.


Navizon still can't seem to use the "Bluetooth GPS" Intermediate Driver route, but it finds the GPS if I explicitly enter COM1. Its Dashboard says "location updated..."  But it is convinced I'm about 20 miles north east of my real location. The other GPS programs know exactly where I am. Once in a while Navizon will report the correct GPS location for a moment, but it looks like the mobile phone tower location (which is _Very_ rough out here) immediately overwrites the GPS info. At least the Bluetooth serial plumbing is working... 


The terminal app zaTelnet still doesn't work with either my explicit or virtual Bluetooth COM port. Well, it did once, for a minute or so, but mostly it crashes no matter what I try.

The Smartphone edition of PockeTTY works great on my Q, for communicating directly with a GPS or other Bluetooth serial device.

Loren

Here is an updated setup instruction posted by a user in XDA Developer's Forums.

Source: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=293397&highlight=GPSCOM&page=6

This Is A Working Fix For Verizon Motorola Q Users / Owners

Follow these EXACT STEPS, and you will be able to get your MOTOROLA Q VERIZON EDITION working

with GPS tracking on GOOGLE MAPS.

Make sure you have a Bluetooth GPS Receiver.

#1) Go to hellmoto.com, click on SUPPORT, click on UPDATE MY PHONE SOFTWARE.

#2) Select VERIZON, and MOTO Q, then click UPDATE your Q to the latest ROM / FIRMWARE

*make sure to save all contacts / media, etc since it will we erased...

*moto may tell you that you have the newest firmware, if so skip to step #5

#3)Dial *228 on you phone. Wait. Press 1. Wait till programming is done.

#4)AGAIN dial *228 on you phone. Wait. Press 2. Wait till programming is done.

#5)Download the GPSCOM.EXE file. Unzip it. Hook your Q up to ACTIVESYNC through your USB cable.

Click on 'EXPLORE' in ACTIVESYNC. Drag the GPSCOM.EXE file into a directory on your phone where you

will remeber.

#6)On your Q go to START > BLUETOOTH > BLUETOOTH MAGAGER > SETTINGS > turn your bluetooth

ON > check 'allow other devices to see this phone etc"

#7)Click MENU > SERIAL PORTS > Write down the OUTBOUND COM PORT. My default port was COM 1 >

HIT CANCEL

#8)Turn on your BLUETOOTH GPS device. Let it load up.

#9)Get to your start menu on your phone and go START > FILE MANAGER > now its your turn to findwhere you put the GPSCOM.EXE file > Find it, click on it. It will load. Change the COM port to the COM

port you saw in the bluetooth settings on your phone (ex, mine was com 1) > select OK > the program will

close.

#10)From the bluetooth settings on your phone click MENU AGAIN > Paired Devices > MENU > ADD >

Find your GPS device and ADD IT. Enter the device code which should be "0000" without the quotes.

#11)Load GOOGLE MAPS! Go to MENU > OPTIONS > TRACK LOCATION SETTINGS > Make sure "Set by

Windows (Via Start-> Settings)" is CHECKED > Exit the settings.

#12)Click MENU > TRACK LOCATION > At this point your bluetooth device will finally find your phone. A

message will appear from bluetooth manager just select "yes".

Your phone should now be connected to your GPS receiver correctly! Have fun!