Originally Posted by paulcb
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Maps do not come from the satellite, they only transmit your location on the earth to your receiver. You have to have an internet connection to use Google Maps. At this point in time, it seems a bit silly but if you have a good data service through your cell phone provider, you can have a mobile internet connection. You can also purchase a GPS program such as IGuidance or TomTom and not have to deal with mobile internet.
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It's a nitpick, but the satellites only transmit three things--an almanac of where, in general, the satellites are, an ephemeris with orbital mechanics information that refines the almanac data to within very close tolerances and a time signal. The satellites times are synchronized so that when the time signals arrive at the GPS receiver, the differences in time of arrival, coupled with the ephemeris data, allow the receiver to calculate where you are. See GPS101 and 201 for more information on how the system works, if you are curious.