That's shortsighted. Yes, most phones have GPS receivers, but they need a data connection to download the maps. None of the popular phone based nav tools do a great job of caching the maps. Google will cache maps on the planned route, but will not download any additional data. If you veer off the planned route, you're hosed. Have you never asked your satnav to find the next gas-station? You can't do that if you're 30 miles from the nearest cell tower.
I stand by my recommendation. Unless you're guaranteed %100 data coverage, then depending on your phone for navigation is fooli