GPS location accuracy advisory

You may have been contacted in the past by Bell regarding potential impacts to location accuracy during 9-1-1 calls on your device.

This was due to the GPS Week Number Rollover (WNRO) event, which occurred on April 6, 2019. This is a global GPS issue and not restricted to the wireless industry or 9-1-1. The Week Number Rollover refers to the limitation of values in the GPS message format counter. After the counter reached the 1024th week, it reset to zero, which was what occurred on April 6, 2019.

Properly configured devices were not affected. However, some hardware chipsets incorrectly handled the rollover. Because GPS time is used for user location determination, an improperly configured device may result in improper location information associated with 9-1-1 calls.

In addition to location accuracy during 9-1-1 calls, device applications that depend on GPS location may also be impacted.

Most devices are properly configured. However, the following devices are known to Bell to be affected. Certain devices have a software patch available to correct the issue. If no patch is available, you can contact us or visit a Bell store to explore options.

Impacted devices requiring a software update

Please ensure you have updated your device to the minimum software version or higher.

• Alcatel 1: minimum version 7L2A-UCA2
• Alcatel ONETOUCH Pixi 3: minimum version 1AKA-UCA1
• Sony Xperia XA: minimum version 33.3.A.1.126

Impacted devices with no available fix

To explore your options, please contact us or visit a Bell store. For corporate devices, please contact your account or dealer representative.

• Alcatel A50
• Alcatel ONETOUCH Idol X
• Alcatel ONETOUCH Idol Mini
• LG Optimus L5 II
• Sonim XP5520 Bolt
• Sonim XP5560 Bolt 2
• Sonim XP5560 Bolt 2 IS

For any questions or concerns, please contact us or send a letter to: