Built in SIM cards

[Fillet]

I am told that TomTom no longer sells Satnavs with built in SIM cards. This means that TomTom customers have to have Smartphones turned on and consuming data all the time they are using a TomTom device with TomTom services such as Traffic. This seems astonishing. Is it true? Does anyone know of a current TomTom Satnav that does have a built in SIM card so that it works without a Smartphone? If not, does anyone know of any manufacturer of Satnavs that does not require a Smartphone to be running in parallel?

 

[Willy875]

Exactly the new Tomtom GPS no longer have a SIM card.

Source Tomtom
On average, driving an hour a day during rush hour will use around 7MB of data per month.

A GPS with SIM card search for an old model of Tomtom GPS.

If not, does anyone know of any manufacturer of Satnavs that does not require a Smartphone to be running in parallel?

Currently no manufacturer sells a GPS with a SIM card.

 

[Fillet]

Currently no manufacturer sells a GPS with a SIM card.

That is very depressing - but thank you for your reply, Willy875.
Do you know WHY Satnav manufacturers have decided to abandon SIM cards? It sounds like the opposite of progress!

 

[canderson]

That is very depressing - but thank you for your reply, Willy875.
Do you know WHY Satnav manufacturers have decided to abandon SIM cards? It sounds like the opposite of progress!

I'm sure there are many reasons that were discussed in financial and technical meetings, but here are some possible reasons to consider:

Technology issues: For some years, we had only 2G service available. Devices were built with 2G cellular technology to match. Then companies started shutting down 2G service. Devices were becoming obsolete, and doing so on different schedules in different countries. Then we went to 3G. Then 4G. Now 5G. It would be a bit annoying to keep chasing the latest standard and have devices keep going obsolete, with customers unhappy as a result. The BYOC (Bring Your Own Connection) solution solves this by assuming that the owner will be updating cell phone technology as needed to stay connected.

Cost issues:
a) Not a large part of the total cost of a device, but removing cellular connectivity saves on hardware expense.
b) It's not a free service to TomTom, there's payment to the providers involved, and TomTom have to pass that cost along to the consumer as best they can, increasing the price of their devices when in-dash solutions abound. TomTom doesn't charge for the cellular subscription on a monthly basis, but they do have to pay for it. They must also manage all of the activations and accounts to keep square with the cellular providers. There's a fair bit of overhead involved there.
c) At one time, there were cellular plans that simply didn't provide for any kind of tethering service, or if such service was provided, it was quite expensive to the consumer. At that time, the idea of BYOC would have been a show stopper for a lot of potential customers, and a provided cellular connection got around all of that. Tethering is now no longer a major financial obstacle for most customers.

 

[Willy875]

4G SIM cards have a cost for Tomtom so Tomtom prefers to remove them.

 

[Fillet]

I'm sure there are many reasons that were discussed in financial and technical meetings, but here are some possible reasons to consider:

Technology issues: For some years, we had only 2G service available. Devices were built with 2G cellular technology to match. Then companies started shutting down 2G service. Devices were becoming obsolete, and doing so on different schedules in different countries. Then we went to 3G. Then 4G. Now 5G. It would be a bit annoying to keep chasing the latest standard and have devices keep going obsolete, with customers unhappy as a result. The BYOC (Bring Your Own Connection) solution solves this by assuming that the owner will be updating cell phone technology as needed to stay connected.

Cost issues:
a) Not a large part of the total cost of a device, but removing cellular connectivity saves on hardware expense.
b) It's not a free service to TomTom, there's payment to the providers involved, and TomTom have to pass that cost along to the consumer as best they can, increasing the price of their devices when in-dash solutions abound. TomTom doesn't charge for the cellular subscription on a monthly basis, but they do have to pay for it. They must also manage all of the activations and accounts to keep square with the cellular providers. There's a fair bit of overhead involved there.
c) At one time, there were cellular plans that simply didn't provide for any kind of tethering service, or if such service was provided, it was quite expensive to the consumer. At that time, the idea of BYOC would have been a show stopper for a lot of potential customers, and a provided cellular connection got around all of that. Tethering is now no longer a major financial obstacle for most customers.

That is very interesting - much obliged to you, Canderson.

 

[Fillet]

4G SIM cards have a cost for Tomtom so Tomtom prefers to remove them.

Thank you again, Willy875. I shall persevere with my current TomTom and hope that another manufacturer resumes providing built in SIM cards before I have to replace mine.

 

[Willy875]

If you search on the internet there are still GPS with SIM cards available for sale
(example GO 5200 GO 6200 GO premium X)

 

[Fillet]

If you search on the internet there are still GPS with SIM cards available for sale
(example GO 5200 GO 6200 GO premium X)

Thanks, Willy875. I shall cross my fingers and hope that similar models are still available when my current TomTom gives up the ghost! TomTom was recommended to me solely because of the efficiency of the Live Traffic service. Without that facility, Garmin is likely to be a more efficient, effective and economical purchase.

 

[canderson]

Thanks, Willy875. I shall cross my fingers and hope that similar models are still available when my current TomTom gives up the ghost! TomTom was recommended to me solely because of the efficiency of the Live Traffic service. Without that facility, Garmin is likely to be a more efficient, effective and economical purchase.

I've looked at recent Garmin offerings since TomTom won't support custom POI on any of their recent generation devices or mobile app (Garmin does this well) and costs are about comparable. However, I've looked at Garmin's version of their 'live' traffic, and best I can tell, they still only offer it on major roads in major areas, and appear to be way behind TomTom still. Much of the time, I know how to get where I'm going ... the question is often which is the best way to get there based upon current traffic conditions, and for that specific requirement, TomTom appears to do a better job.

 

[Fillet]

I've looked at recent Garmin offerings since TomTom won't support custom POI on any of their recent generation devices or mobile app (Garmin does this well) and costs are about comparable. However, I've looked at Garmin's version of their 'live' traffic, and best I can tell, they still only offer it on major roads in major areas, and appear to be way behind TomTom still. Much of the time, I know how to get where I'm going ... the question is often which is the best way to get there based upon current traffic conditions, and for that specific requirement, TomTom appears to do a better job.

Thank you, Canderson. That accords with the advice I was given several years ago which resulted in me buying a TomTom device - and the Live Traffic has been helpful on many occasions (and demonstrably wrong on a few occasions!). However, I am unwilling to burn data on my smartphone whilst running a satnav - and there are now reports of TomTom devices failing entirely and wiping routes because a linked smartphone lost its connection, making Live Traffic without a built in SIM card a liability rather than a benefit. In the absence of Live Traffic, Garmin appears to be a better buy for the future. Also there must be a chance that some other new or existing manufacturers will resume using built in SIM cards in the future in order to take over the market gap created by TomTom. I shall wait and see - and buy a Garmin if I have to replace my current device when nobody is selling satnavs with built in SIM cards. Until then... well... sometimes it's better to travel in hope than to arrive.

 

[raesewell]

Data use is minimal and with ever increasing data allowances I don't think it's a concern.

 

[Fillet]

Data use is minimal and with ever increasing data allowances I don't think it's a concern.

Thanks, Raesewell. The reports of TomTom satnavs failing when a linked smartphone loses its connection puts me off buying a new TomTom. As for the data costs, I hope I will never have to test that.

 

[canderson]

Thanks, Raesewell. The reports of TomTom satnavs failing when a linked smartphone loses its connection puts me off buying a new TomTom. As for the data costs, I hope I will never have to test that.

With all of the recent generations that support WiFi, if you use your phone as a WiFi hot spot (no need for the MyDrive app to get involved then, either), that method of getting traffic data seems to be pretty well bullet proof.

The only real connectivity issue of this sort we hear about regularly is Apple's in-house Bluetooth stacks vs. TomTom. Android hasn't really been an issue. The MyDrive app has also been known as a bit of a phone battery eater, so the direct hotspot method has another thing to say for it. I'd only consider using MyDrive for some quick route planning and transfer to my TomTom.

 

[Johnld]

One area that this thread has not addressed is the Bluetooth issue
Most modern cars use Bluetooth to connect to your mobile phone
New TomTom devices also use Bluetooth
Bluetooth will only allow one Bluetooth connection to be made at anyone time
So you have a choice lose your connection to your car system or to TomTom
I have got round this problem by using an old mobile phone to connect to my TomTom
My sim was sourced from Smarty which uses the Three network and costs £5 each month for 5GB

 

[Fillet]

One area that this thread has not addressed is the Bluetooth issue
Most modern cars use Bluetooth to connect to your mobile phone
New TomTom devices also use Bluetooth
Bluetooth will only allow one Bluetooth connection to be made at anyone time
So you have a choice lose your connection to your car system or to TomTom
I have got round this problem by using an old mobile phone to connect to my TomTom
My sim was sourced from Smarty which uses the Three network and costs £5 each month for 5GB

Thanks, JohnLD. That is also interesting. However, my car does not do anything so clever (so far as I am aware). My phone connects to my current TomTom device by Bluetooth, so that the TomTom device acts as a hands free phone system. I am not sure if that same Bluetooth connection would also work to provide Live Traffic in the future. But (as I have to remind myself) I hope never to find out. It just needs one manufacturer, anywhere in the World, to start producing new Satnavs with built in SIM cards - then I think 90% of the Satnav buying population would buy them. TomTom and Garmin would become a historical note - remembered by a few with fondness whilst most of us end up buying a Satnav with built in SIM card... almost certainly made in China in accordance with a specification provided by the CCP :-(

 

[canderson]

It just needs one manufacturer, anywhere in the World, to start producing new Satnavs with built in SIM cards - then I think 90% of the Satnav buying population would buy them.

Why? They didn't before. Sales of GO 5x00 and 6x00 were far from the majority of TomTom's sales when those models were still available in Europe. Why would this change were another manufacturer to follow suit?

 

[Fillet]

Why? They didn't before. Sales of GO 5x00 and 6x00 were far from the majority of TomTom's sales when those models were still available in Europe. Why would this change were another manufacturer to follow suit?

I have not conducted a survey (yet ) but I assume I am a typical customer for Satnav devices. I like the current simplicity of dropping the device into its magnetic holder where it immediately powers itself up... and after a pause to put in the destination, I drive off with every facility provided by a single unit. Now I am told by TomTom and Garmin (and all others, apparently) that I must run two devices, make them pair up, then pray that they both continue to perform perfectly for the full duration of every journey or have to stop and repeat the whole process. In these circumstances, if a new manufacturer arrives and says "You don't need to run two devices. Our satnavs are self-contained" I would expect 90% of the population to move to that manufacturer. I could be wrong. Perhaps lots of customers will like the complexity of the "in-complete" Satnavs. That would seem a little odd though. Are you saying you would stay with TomTom even if there was a self-contained Satnav available?

 

[Willy875]

There will no longer be any GPS with a SIM card, all Garmin GPS devices are without a SIM card. Tomtom is abandoning GPS devices with a SIM card.

So GPS with SIM card is over for me.

If you want an integrated SIM card, buy Tomtom GO navigation to install on your smartphone.

 

[Fillet]

That is depressing, Willy875. However, I contacted the gentleman that, many years ago, recommended that I buy a TomTom (because of its live traffic facility) and I asked him if he knew that TomTom now requires a smartphone to provide the full services. He said he did not know - but didn't care because he has not used TomTom for many years. His smartphone connects to his car's built in nav system via "Android Auto" and uses Google maps to provide up to date maps and live traffic conditions. Apparently that provides the entire range of functions that TomTom used to provide but is absolutely free. I will have to explore that option - although I am not keen to use my car's built in Satnav system because, although the screen is very large, it is below the dashboard and does not feel as safe as using the TomTom mounted on top of the dashboard where I can look at it without losing visual contact with the road ahead. However I am assured that a smartphone mount will serve the same purpose as the TomTom in providing a head-up display and the smartphone, set in "landscape" mode, will give the same 2D and 3D effects as TomTom. It sounds too good to be true - but necessity is the mother of invention and I hope I will have time to experiment before my current TomTom passes on to the great electronics recycling bin in the sky. Still sad to be abandoning TomTom though... we have had some amazing journeys together... and I have always been so reassured to hear that, although there is trouble ahead, "You are still on the fastest route".