Google Maps thinks in Seattle WA-why iPhone 3G

@MobileDev - it would be helpful if you could take your Seattle-based 3G outside
I think you meant @Goldndoodle
Based on whats been reported in the many discussion threads concerning broken GPS, it appears that once the iPhone has obtained (faulty) assist data from the A-GPS server, it doesnt bother to keep listening to the data broadcast from the sky so it never receives correct ephemeris/almanac data.
I think thats a great theory. Except perhaps...
With no A-GPS server to fall back on, I surmise that the GPS receiver had downloaded the almanac/ephemeris data, and was thus able to obtain an accurate GPS location. Then I put the SIM card back in. My Location Services has been working fine since.
While the almanac is good for about six months, the ephermis data is only good for about four hours. So, unless your location has been drifting on you, it mustve obtained that data again and again... either from an AGPS server or the satellites themselves.
Still, its easy to visualize a bug in the software, that needs initializing on its own in order to prevent your scenario from occuring. So your theory is not negated.
12.5 minutes to download the full almanac
Slight correction. It takes that long if it only listens to one satellite. With multiple channels, it should be able to more quickly collect the almanac.
Regards.
Touchscreen laptop and industrial handhelds Other OS

It may be the 3G triangulation that is causing it: put it into Airplane mode then try to do the locate.
MacPro Dual Core 2.66 Ghz, MacBook Pro 15", iPhone 3G Mac OS X (10.5.5) AEXs, Red 2G Nano, Red Shuffle, 16GB Touch, 160 GB Classic, White 60GB 5G

@MobileDev,
Thanks for the correction re download times for the complete almanac. You are quite right - if the iPhone has access to multiple birds, it can get the full table quicker. I read somewhere (but cant remember where) an opinion that the iPhone does not have a full 12-channel GPS receiver to save cost/space/power. Do you/anyone know how many channels are in the 3G?
Cheers.
Dave
PowerBook G4 1670 MHz Mac OS X (10.4.11) iPhone 3G

Airplane mode disables GPS.

There have been frequent reports of Seattle - Detroit mix ups.
This is the fault of the Cell Towers, where the iPhone gets its first hint about where you are. The towers are broadcasting the wrong info.
So the solution is to go out side, so the phone can have a clear view of the sky
and give it LOTS of time to get a fix. It takes longer when it has to work out that the hint give by the towers was wrong, but it will eventually get it right.
Also try turning off 3g, and see if the EDGE towers report a correct hint.
If that helps, grouse to your local ATT offices that their towers are wrong.