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.

[lescombes]

I guess it makes it cheaper for TT.... Just got Co Pilot 9 or Premium(for my Android phone) as they call it and the traffic subs for that are £9.99 and cover to 100 miles.....

[mrmr96]

Why on earth would they do that?

And can I prevent it happening by not updating the firmware on my device?

[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.

[Funk]

I no longer use my TomTom, I've gone over wholly to Google Navigation on my HTC Desire. I've used TomToms all my driving life until this year and I won't be buying another now.

[lescombes]

yeah...I dumped TomTom too....compared to Copilot....rubbish...used TT for 2 yrs....never again..up to date maps with CP9 plus traffic on one device inc your phone...sorted...Plus up to date POI and speed cams.....no brainer......anyone who buys a TomTom is taken in by the badge, I suppose like BMW/AUDI/Playstation/Blackberry owners.....

[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.

[mybrainhurts]

Oh, bum...

One is irked, more than a little...

Tomtom live traffic has saved me a hell of a lot of time. i regularly make journeys between 160 and 220 miles.

I fear any protest will go unnoticed. Tomtom staff don't seem to understand the English language.

We need to invade Holland forthwith, I believe...

[mmm-five]

I've never had the Live services on any of my previous TomToms, so I won't miss it.

My current 1005 has it and I don't have a problem with the range as I know the normal jam spots on my normal routes anyway, and either leave before/after they are the worst, or divert/plan around them.

I use the PocketGPSworld cameras instead of the TomTom ones, as I find they're more complete/up-to-date than the TomTom ones which I've turned off.

My main issue on most of the PNDs I've tried is how out of date some of the maps are. Considering you'll buy a map in 2011, it might claim to have been created in 2010, but it probably used 1910 data, and some of the 'report error' templates don't allow for adding a new junction on a roundabout, or clarifying the fact that the, for example, 'stay left' warning should say 'stay right'.

[mrmr96]

I'm pretty pissed off about this, because I previously had a Tomtom One v2 (from YEARS ago) and that used to get traffic from my old phone, but not compatible with my new iPhone. So I decided to upgrade last year to a new Tomtom Live unit, SOLEY because I wanted HD Traffic.

As others have said, if I'm planning a long journey (like 4 hours +) then there are multiple routes up and down the country and it just seems bizzare that it would ignor traffic en route and take me towards it, whilst there is a faster route which requires an earlier detour.

I just can't fathom why they would want to remove features and piss people off. It's just not on to take away something I've bought. How do I complain?

[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.

[blambert]

mrmr96 said:

As others have said, if I'm planning a long journey (like 4 hours +) then there are multiple routes up and down the country and it just seems bizzare that it would ignor traffic en route and take me towards it, whilst there is a faster route which requires an earlier detour.

Yeah same here. Driving from Brighton to Cornwall you can either go along to coast or along the M4. I do it every weekend. A303 fked, need to go up the M23 and down the M4... M5 fked? Need to go along the coast.

Makes it pointless.

[Riley Blue]

I've posted on PGPSW and TomTom's own forum about how good TT Traffic used to be. I can understand how their servers were overwhemed during last winter's severe weather (I was caught up in it) but for them not to return their HD Traffic service to its previous standard of efficiency and reliability is just shooting themselves in the foot, surely?

Once the word gets round that HD Traffic has been emasculated who is going to subscribe to it and who will buy a TomTom SatNav if one of its major features doesn't work?

Edited by Riley Blue on Monday 1st August 13:30

[Hi RX7]

I am sure this will come back and bite them in a way they don't want. I waited ages to buy a sat nav and in the end bought a 520 live which on the 100 mile journeys I do is, and has been very good. Two things have really put me off this product and I no longer reccomend to friends is the bug which wiped out live services took far too long to sort out When you try to report a change in the road layout it just does not update it I've reported a local one for about three years and have given up. As I am now planning quite a few long journeys for this and the coming year this new issue will really be a pain. By the way what about people like me who don't do facebook and twitter how do we get heard?

Edited by Hi RX7 on Sunday 31st July 09:50

[mikealder]

Hi RX7 said:

By the way what about people like me who don't do facebook and twitter how do we get heard?

You can post on here, PGPSW or even TomTom's own forum if you don't want to join FB etc - Mike