Ovi Maps is one of the best apps you can get for your Nokia C7. You can make it even better by downloading the maps before you set off, so you won't even need an internet connection when you travel. This way, you'll save money when abroad, and not run the risk of losing your signal and mapping when you need it most. Join us after the break to find out how to use Ovi Maps in offline mode on your Nokia C7...

Although it usually makes sense to use a phone connection when navigating with your Nokia C7 – with the ability to get the latest traffic updates and information on local services – there are times when offline mapping is a necessity. Even if you get a contract with unlimited data, you’ll usually pay a heavy price for downloading map information when you’re abroad, for instance.

Check out our Nokia C7 Ultimate User Guide

With Ovi Maps 3.6 – the latest version of Nokia’s premium sat-nav service from the Ovi Store – you can now download full maps straight to your Nokia, whenever you’re near a Wi-Fi connection. You can choose maps by country, so if you’re going on holiday you can set yourself up before you head off.

To get started, make sure you’ve downloaded Ovi Maps 3.06 from the Ovi Store. Earlier versions of Ovi Maps don’t let you download full mapping from your Nokia C7 itself – you’ll have to download them to a computer instead, and then install them separately.

Start Ovi Maps 3.06, and click the Update icon. You’ll then be taken to a screen that lets you click ‘Add new maps’. You can select maps by regions, and then choose from specific countries.

The maps are large in size – downloading maps for the UK as a whole takes up 245MB, for instance – so you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection to download. Even so, with a fast internet connection, you can expect your chosen country to download in a couple of minutes. Once your map has downloaded, you’ll have to wait a while for the map to install. Once that’s happened, you can either download more maps, or carry on. Click Menu to carry on.

Now you’ve downloaded a map for your area, you can select offline mode. Click the Settings icon at the bottom left of the menu. Then click Internet, followed by Connection, and Offline. Click Back, and Menu, and Ovi Maps should now work without the need to download map details as you drive.

We’ll be bringing you more tutorials on getting the best out of Ovi Maps on your Nokia C7 in the future. In the meantime, check out out Nokia C7 Ultimate User Guide, for tutorials on everything from setting the alarm clock, to sending emails on the go.

Confused? Check out our Nokia C7: How to use Ovi Maps in offline mode photo gallery below: