Customer Survey
FAQ: VZ Navigator
Frequently Asked Questions
VZ Navigator
  1. Where can I find basic information about VZNavigator?
  2. Is there a User Guide available for VZ Navigator 4.0?
NAVIGATION
Traffic Enhanced
  1. The navigation screen looks different in version 4. What does the screen tell me about my route?
  2. What does the color bar at the bottom show?
  3. Does the traffic gauge show traffic for my entire trip?
  4. The traffic gauge is all grey. What does that mean?
  5. What do the settings under "Use Traffic For:" mean?
  6. I hear an announcement that says "Traffic Incident Ahead in ….” is it possible to see information about the incident?
  7. I hear an announcement that says "Traffic Congestion Ahead in ….” can I see the details about the delay?
  8. I hear an announcement that says "Traffic Congestion Ahead in ….” yet when I look at the traffic summary, there are no details. Why?
NAVIGATION
3D and Top Views
  1. Is it possible to see other types of navigation displays while on a trip?
  2. Will VZ Navigator remember my view choice when I next use the product?
  3. Does VZ Navigator use up more battery life if the view mode is set to 3D or 2D rather than dashboard?
  4. How frequently does VZ Navigator update the traffic conditions during navigation?
NAVIGATION
Detour
  1. How to do I a detour?
  2. For the detour types, what is the difference between selecting "detour around congestion" and "detour around incident"?
  3. If the setting "Use Traffic For" is set to "Don’t Use Traffic", can I still ask for a detour?
  4. When I asked for detour, VZ Navigator displayed both "Detour" and "My Route". Why?
LOCAL SEARCH
Gas Stations with Gas Prices
  1. How do I use VZ Navigator to find gas prices?
  2. When I look at search results, the first gas station on the list is not the closest – is the list sorted by distance?
  3. Can I sort gas stations by price?
  4. How does the gas price information that VZ Navigator obtains, differ from gas price information offered by other mobile applications and web services?
  5. How up-to-date is the gas price information that is displayed by VZ Navigator?
  6. I only see one price for each station in the search results screen. Which grade of fuel is being displayed?
  7. Can I see stations with diesel or ethanol prices?
MOVIES & EVENTS
Movie Search
  1. If I select Now Playing, what does VZ Navigator search for?
  2. How far out in time does VZ Navigator search for movies?
  3. I know the name of the movie and just need to know what local theaters are showing it - where do I enter the movie name?
  4. In Movie Search, the default setting for sorting is "Most Popular". What does it mean?
  5. Once I search for movies, get a list and find the movie that I am interested in, how do I see where and when it’s being played?
  6. The detail page for some movies includes ratings. Who rates the movies?
MOVIES & EVENTS
Event Search
  1. If I select "Events Near Me", what does VZ Navigator search for?
  2. How do I just search for "Concerts"?
  3. I do not see the specific event type that I am looking for. Does VZ Navigator only search for the event types that are listed?
  4. I know the name of the event and just need to know where around me it is being performed - where do I enter the event name?
  5. How far out in time does VZ Navigator search for events?
  6. Once I see the event that I like, how do I see where it is being performed?
  7. Why isn’t my event listed?
MAPS AND TRAFFIC
Traffic Search
  1. How does VZ Navigator display local traffic conditions?
  2. What do the three colors green, yellow and red indicate?
  3. I selected "Traffic" and then I selected a location, but I see nothing on the map. Does that mean there is no traffic in the area around me?
  4. I set the "Use Traffic For" setting to "Don’t Use Traffic". Is that the reason I do not see traffic on a map?
  5. I see traffic incident icons on the map, how do I see the details about the traffic incidents?
  6. As I zoom out, I see a message that says "Zoom In for Traffic". Why is that?
  7. Can I get traffic conditions to display on any map?
  8. Does VZ Navigator have traffic information for every city in the US?
  9. Will I get any messages/alerts if I'm navigating while out of one of the real-time traffic markets?
MAPS & TRAFFIC
Weather Search
  1. How can I search for weather?
  2. How often is the weather updated?
  3. How many days in advance does VZ Navigator provide forecast information?
GENERAL INFORMATION
  1. Where can I find basic information about VZNavigator?
    For more information, please visit the VZ Navigator FAQs.
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  2. Is there a User Guide available for VZ Navigator 4.0?
    Yes, please refer to our VZNavigator 4.0 User Guide (Adobe Acrobat file).
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NAVIGATION
Traffic Enhanced
  1. The navigation screen looks different in version 4. What does the screen tell me about my route?

    The main navigation screen has been enhanced to provide more navigation information, including a summary of upcoming traffic, if traffic information is available. See the chart that follows:

    Dashboard View

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  2. What does the color bar at the bottom show?

    The color bar is a traffic gauge that shows the projected impact of traffic on travel time. The sliding indicator on the color bar shows:

    Color

    Meaning

    		Red reflects severe traffic conditions that may double your expected travel time.

    		Yellow reflects moderate traffic conditions that may increase your expected travel by up to 50%.

    		Green reflects normal traffic conditions where no or minimal delays are expected.

    		No traffic data available.
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  3. Does the traffic gauge show traffic for my entire trip?
    The traffic gauge on the main navigation screen shows traffic delays for the remaining portion of the route. To preview traffic on individual road segments in the trip, press the right arrow key.
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  4. The traffic gauge is all grey. What does that mean?
    Traffic flow information is not available for the route or the route segment.
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  5. What do the settings under "Use Traffic For:" mean?
    • Alerts Only = the default setting, monitors traffic for incidents and congestion along the route, and provides traffic alerts to the driver.
    • Navigation = adds using traffic information to select routes that may avoid traffic.
    • Don’t Use Traffic = will cause the traffic gauge to appear grey and removes all traffic information.
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  6. I hear an announcement that says "Traffic Incident Ahead in ….” is it possible to see information about the incident?
    Yes. Click on Options, and select Traffic Summary. Then, highlight the road segment with the traffic alert symbol and press OK to see incident details.
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  7. I hear an announcement that says "Traffic Congestion Ahead in ….” can I see the details about the delay?
    Yes. Click on Options, and select Traffic Summary. Each road segment will show expected delays.
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  8. I hear an announcement that says "Traffic Congestion Ahead in ….” yet when I look at the traffic summary, there are no details. Why?
    Heavy traffic can result in slower speeds even though there is no specific reported incident.
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NAVIGATION
3D and Top Views
  1. Is it possible to see other types of navigation displays while on a trip?

    The Dashboard view is the default setting, but you can change this view to either 3D-Perspective view or 2D Top view by pressing Options, followed by Change View. Alternatively, you can change this setting through Navigation Preferences off of the main menu options.




     

     
     Dashboard View







    2D View







    3D View

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  2. Will VZ Navigator remember my view choice when I next use the product?
    Yes! Unless you change the setting to another view mode, the application will keep using the view mode that you selected previously.
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  3. Does VZ Navigator use up more battery life if the view mode is set to 3D or 2D rather than dashboard?
    Yes, there is more screen activity as well as network activity while in 2D or 3D mode.
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  4. How frequently does VZ Navigator update the traffic conditions during navigation?
    VZ Navigator servers receive updated traffic information every 5 minutes.
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NAVIGATION
Detour
  1. How to do I a detour?
    During navigation, you can always press the Detour to select the type of detour that you want. You can also ask for detour from the look ahead screens. For Get It Now phones, the left soft key is labeled as Detour. For smart phones, select Get Detour from the options menu.
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  2. For the detour types, what is the difference between selecting "detour around congestion" and "detour around incident"?

    When you select detour around congestion, VZ Navigator looks for a road that avoids the specific congestions ahead on your route, which may or may not be result of an incident.

    When you select detour around incident, you explicitly select to detour around the location of the reported incident or incidents, and VZ Navigator looks for a new route that avoids the specific segment where the incident or incidents were reported.

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  3. If the setting "Use Traffic For" is set to "Don’t Use Traffic", can I still ask for a detour?
    Yes, you can ask for a detour regardless of the traffic setting, as you may want to detour for other reasons.
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  4. When I asked for detour, VZ Navigator displayed both "Detour" and "My Route". Why?
    VZ Navigator allows you to preview the segments of the detour before you decide whether you want the detour or stay on your current route. If you are certain about the detour and just want to get the directions, press NAV and VZ Navigator will display the new set of turn-by-turn directions.
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LOCAL SEARCH
Gas Stations with Gas Prices
  1. How do I use VZ Navigator to find gas prices?
    Use Local Search to search for gas stations.
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  2. When I look at search results, the first gas station on the list is not the closest – is the list sorted by distance?

    Yes, the list is sorted by distance – however, VZ Navigator displays the gas station with the lowest reported price at the top of the list regardless of distance, for 2 reasons:

    1. You would not have to keep asking to see more results until you find the one with the lowest reported price.
    2. The information on the first screen including the location and proximity of the gas station with the lowest reported price in your area, the average local price, and prices for the closest stations to you, collectively give you relevant information about local fluctuations, and help you find an economical gas station, quickly.
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  3. Can I sort gas stations by price?
    Unfortunately, gas prices are not available for many gas stations; furthermore among those who report their prices, there is insufficient data for mid-grade, premium, diesel, and ethanol. Therefore, VZ Navigator does not offer the ability to sort stations by prices, because there is a high probability that the stations closest to you will have not reported their prices, and it will not be helpful or useful to have a list with several stations at the end or beginning without prices.
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  4. How does the gas price information that VZ Navigator obtains, differ from gas price information offered by other mobile applications and web services?
    Mobile applications and web services including VZ Navigator obtain their information from OPIS. VZ Navigator displays reported lowest and average prices to help users make better decisions, faster.
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  5. How up-to-date is the gas price information that is displayed by VZ Navigator?
    VZ Navigator obtains the gas price information daily; however, daily updates are not available for all gas stations; therefore, if the pricing information for any gas station has not been updated for 2 days, VZ Navigator does not display the old data.
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  6. I only see one price for each station in the search results screen. Which grade of fuel is being displayed?
    The price for regular fuel grade is displayed in the search results. The prices for all grades are displayed in the search details screen for a selected gas station.
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  7. Can I see stations with diesel or ethanol prices?
    Yes, in Local Search, once you select Gas Stations under Category, you will notice another field called Fuel Type where you can change the fuel type from Gasoline, Diesel, or Ethanol-85.
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MOVIES & EVENTS
Movie Search
  1. If I select Now Playing, what does VZ Navigator search for?
    Movies that are playing now in theaters around the country, including all genres.
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  2. How far out in time does VZ Navigator search for movies?

    Depending on what the attribute "Showing" is set to, VZ Navigator performs the search differently:

    • Now Playing = Lists what is playing in theaters at that time. It is equivalent to one week’s worth of movies from a Friday through the next Thursday, as most movies debut on a Friday. Nevertheless, VZ Navigator obtains a list of current movies daily. 
    • Opening this week = Lists movies opening in theaters starting the upcoming Wednesday through Friday. Again, VZ Navigator obtains the list daily to accommodate for any adjustments to the theaters and show times. 
    • Coming Soon = List movies opening in two weeks from today and changes every week. VZ Navigator updates this daily, nevertheless.
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  3. I know the name of the movie and just need to know what local theaters are showing it - where do I enter the movie name?
    You can enter the name of the movie in the "What" field.
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  4. In Movie Search, the default setting for sorting is "Most Popular". What does it mean?
    This setting sorts movies based on the number of show times on any given day in that local area. If a movie is playing at three theaters in the same theater complex, it counts as three distinct show times.
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  5. Once I search for movies, get a list and find the movie that I am interested in, how do I see where and when it’s being played?
    Once you highlight the desired movie in the list, you can press Theater to get a list of theaters and the remaining show times at each theater.
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  6. The detail page for some movies includes ratings. Who rates the movies?
    The ratings are provided by the Chicago Tribune.
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MOVIES & EVENTS
Event Search
  1. If I select "Events Near Me", what does VZ Navigator search for?
    All types of events that are playing around your GPS location, starting today.
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  2. How do I just search for "Concerts"?
    Select Movies & Events, followed by Events, and then Event Type. Then select the desired event type. The default setting is "All Events".
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  3. I do not see the specific event type that I am looking for. Does VZ Navigator only search for the event types that are listed?
    No! If you set/leave the Event Type as "All Events", VZ Navigator will search for all event types, including some types that are not explicitly listed under Event Types.
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  4. I know the name of the event and just need to know where around me it is being performed - where do I enter the event name?
    You can enter the name of the event or the performer in the "What" field.
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  5. How far out in time does VZ Navigator search for events?
    VZ Navigator shows the first ten local events of all types or the types that you specified; the results list may span over one or more days. As you ask to see more, VZ Navigator downloads more events in the future and continues to go out further in time. VZ Navigator obtains an updated list of events daily.
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  6. Once I see the event that I like, how do I see where it is being performed?
    Highlight the desired event and then press View.
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  7. Why isn’t my event listed?
    Not all events promoters report their events.
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MAPS AND TRAFFIC
Traffic Search
  1. How does VZ Navigator display local traffic conditions?
    VZ Navigator uses similar techniques used by mapping applications on the web, by using green, yellow, and red overlays on roads to illustrate real time traffic flow conditions and the severity of the flow. If there are any accidents or severe congestion on the roads, VZ Navigator will overlay alert icons over the location of the reported incident.
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  2. What do the three colors green, yellow and red indicate?
    The colors indicate the severity level based on the difference between the reported speed and the free flow speed for that segment of the road.

    Color

    Meaning

    		Red reflects severe traffic conditions that may double your expected travel time.

    		Yellow reflects moderate traffic conditions that may increase your expected travel by up to 50%.

    		Green reflects normal traffic conditions where no or minimal delays are expected.

    		No traffic data available.
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  3. I selected "Traffic" and then I selected a location, but I see nothing on the map. Does that mean there is no traffic in the area around me?
    It means that there is no reported traffic around you. Real time traffic data is typically available for major arteries such as freeways, highways, and other major roads. You may need to pan around or zoom out to see the traffic conditions on the major arteries and roads that may impact your trip.
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  4. I set the "Use Traffic For" setting to "Don’t Use Traffic". Is that the reason I do not see traffic on a map?
    No! The "Use Traffic For" setting applies to navigation and planning trips and does not control the display of traffic conditions on a map.
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  5. I see traffic incident icons on the map, how do I see the details about the traffic incidents?
    You can press the number on the key pad associated with the traffic incident on the map to instantly see the details about that incident. Alternatively, you can press the Options menu followed by List Incidents to see a list of the incidents. Then highlight the incident that you are interested in and press view to see the details of the incident.
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  6. As I zoom out, I see a message that says "Zoom In for Traffic". Why is that?
    To make the traffic map usable, VZ Navigator displays traffic conditions at zoom levels where everything is visible.
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  7. Can I get traffic conditions to display on any map?
    Whenever VZ Navigator displays a map, you can press Options and then Show Traffic to see the traffic overlay on the map that VZ Navigator has already illustrated.
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  8. Does VZ Navigator have traffic information for every city in the US?

    No. VZ Navigator has traffic for most metropolitan area in the US. Information is obtained from traffic.com and the number of cities covered is expanding. You can go to Traffic.com to find the areas covered.

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  9. Will I get any messages/alerts if I'm navigating while out of one of the real-time traffic markets?

    When navigating while out of one of the many supported markets, you will not receive messages or alerts for your immediate location. But, if your trip takes you through a supported market, you will receive messages/alerts once you are approximately 6 miles away from each incident.

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