Tomtom have just destroyed the range on HD Traffic

[apotts]

Folks,

This is a heads up for TT users (or potential TT users) who use the excellent Tomtom HD Traffic on long journeys, and a request to join a Facebook group to oppose Tomtom's policy:

HD Traffic campaign Facebook Group

The issue is the range at which the satnav looks ahead and displays and re-routes round traffic. Both Garmin and TT used to be about 100 miles. This is a good thing because:

• If there is a choice of a couple of very different routes to your destination, you (or the satnav) can see a massive M1-style issue further down the route and you can avoid the whole area by taking an entirely different route from the start.
• If there's a delay in the distance, you can monitor the delay time to see if it's growing (an issue) or shrinking (risk it). To do this you need your satnav to tell you about delays on your route further away than 30 minutes or so.

All x50 Live and other similar devices used to have a range of 100 miles or more. As does the Garmin 3D Traffic. When Tomtom launched the new 1000/1005 series, they incredibly crippled it so it only displayed delays that were within 45 miles or so. I was so amazed and annoyed by this retrograde step I sent my 1005 back for a refund and continued with my old 750.

Now Tomtom have decided to reduce the range on all pre-1000/1005 devices. What happens now is that your Tomtom downloads lots of good long range traffic data, and then DISCARDS IT! You can watch this happen in front of your very eyes if you go into map mode just after your switch the device on:





So now the 750 is as useless as the 1000/1005.

If you are a Tomtom Live user and you would like all Tomtoms to return to having a decent range (and indeed the range that you paid your annual subscription for) please can you simply join the FB group below so TT can see the extent of dissatisfaction.

HD Traffic campaign Facebook Group

Thanks.


PS:

Some other links for those wanting to read more about this:
Review of Garmin 2390 vs Tomtom 1005 and 750 on Civinfo (before they trashed HDT on the 750): Civinfo review
Two threads about the issue on PGPSW: Thread 1 and Thread 2.

[apotts]

They did it because the system was overloaded in the bad weather, but never bothered to put it back (see the statement in the FB Group).

It seems to be firmware independent, it's down to settings built in to the HD Traffic broadcast. Tomtom seem to be "doing a Nokia" on many counts.

[apotts]

Copilot traffic is not a patch on Tomtom HD traffic. For those of us who use PNDs as traffic-busters, then we just need anything that works well that can use HD traffic.

Google Nav (Android) has good data, but re-routing is limited and short range. Garmin "3D Traffic" is a total disaster.

[apotts]

There's not much you can do as an individual, since Tomtom are experts at not listening.

However, you can join the fb group (linked in the first post of this thread) to add your name to the hundreds of others who are also upset by this. TT will listen to a group.