Rider 550 Bluetooth issue Connecting to Nokia Phone

[MadmanxJim]

Hi I am having an issue connecting my Nokia G60 to my Rider 550,
My Phone thinks its connected to a input device and the tom-tom shows the connection dropping in and out every second
I have tried resetting the the Rider and rebooting my phone but still no joy

I can still connect my headset to the Rider
This has been working ok in the past

 

[Willy875]

Hi
Instead of connecting via Bluetooth, try connecting only to your phone's Wi-Fi.

 

[Kieron M]

Hi @MadmanxJim -

I am not familiar with the Nokia G60 (Android?) operating system, but just for us to have a better understanding, you stated this has been working ok in the past - so you were receiving traffic data from your G60 to the Rider and the headset connection were both good? Is the Hotspot function active? Has this connection also been linked/paired via the MyDrive app?.
Another point of interest also - does the G60 also have the function of tethering over WiFi too?

 

[MadmanxJim]

Hi Thanks for the reply to answer your questions:-
Yes every thing was working in the past I could get traffic data
Hotspot was not active, but I have tested the Hotspot function and can connect and get traffic data
I did not use the MyDrive app to pair as the TomTom did not display the QR code like it used to.
not sure what is meant by tethering over WiFi if this is different from the Hotspot function

 

[Kieron M]

Hi @MadmanxJim -
Tethering is just another name for using your mobile sim data to connect to other devices via Bluetooth or WiFi.
Are you using the Hotspot now, and everything is working ok? The Hotspot also needs to be active on iPhones for a stable connection.

 

[MadmanxJim]

so I can use the Hotspot on my phone to get live traffic data but with out the Bluetooth working I cant use the Phone function on the Rider
anyone have a suggestion on how to get the Bluetooth working?
as it was working before the latest software update is there any way of rolling the software back to the previous version?

 

[Willy875]

is there any way of rolling the software back to the previous version?

No, it is not possible to revert to a previous version.

Try clearing the pairing history then try connecting to Bluetooth again.

 

[Kieron M]

Hi @MadmanxJim -
For iPhones - Apple introduced new Bluetooth security permissions from iOS 13 (I am now running operating system iOS Version 17.4.1) and TomTom had tried to modify the MyDrive app (sometime around October 2019) to make the two separate Bluetooth connections work effectively for traffic data and calls/text info., but is now unlikely to be resolved. So for iPhones, as we now don’t link the MyDrive app with the Rider using Bluetooth, we have lost the phone call answer/end icon on screen and text facility but still retain either a Bluetooth/Wifi Hotspot connection direct from phone.
I answer/close calls directly from my Sena system.
I imagine there are many different versions of Android all designed to suit their specific manufacturers phone build and it may be likely, as you have stated, it was working before the latest (Android?) software update. How long ago was this?

 

[MadmanxJim]

It was working when I was using it last summer so there have been a few Updates for my phone and for the TomTom
I have read about the issues with the iPhones on other threads it looks like my Nokia is suffering with the same issue
I can answer calls with my Cardo head set but making call is a bit more hassle
thanks for your help

 

[prosperot]

I have exactly the same problem with my Samsung S23 since the last system update of my Rider 550

 

[mafiltenborg]

I have exactly the same problem with my Moto G60. Hotspot not enabled, Phone says connected, R550 toggles connection on/off like mad. No traffic, No Account, very annoying. Tried to upload a photo showing opposite Opinions, but can't verify if it does.
Factory reset the R550, deleted all Bluetooth connection, restarted phone, reinstalled My Drive, switched to a Sony Xperia phone, redid all.
Nothing seems to work.
However, if I enable Hotspot, everything works just fine.
Bluetooth broken in the R550?
Bluetooth broken in the MyDrive App? It gets a hammering on Google Play: 1.8 Stars out of 5, indicating a problem.

R550 itself works - mostly - as expected. I've been doing my yearly touring throughout Europe for the last 8 years with TomTom. But never has the backend worked smoothly. Crappy App, crappy connectivity. And the by-now expected device reboots at most-inconvenient times; on autobahn, fork coming up - left or right? Reboot...
Let's start by getting Bluetooth connectivity going.

 

[Willy875]

@mafiltenborg

Instead of using Bluetooth, use your phone's Wi-Fi hotspot. It works much better.

 

[mafiltenborg]

@mafiltenborg

Instead of using Bluetooth, use your phone's Wi-Fi hotspot. It works much better.

I know the WiFi-approach works. However, it drains my phone's battery. And it's not a solution to Tomtom's broken Bluetooth functionality. It's a workaround.
Given that I had no trouble finding threads related to this issue, this indicates importance because many are affected.
Unfortunately my previous encounters with TomTom Support tells the story of good will but little ability. R&D is understaffed or simply can't fix a badly designed product. Support is left to fight their own battle with customers.
I've seen that system from inside. 30 years of embedded Systems Design & maintenance in R&D. It all boils down to Management culture, because the worker bees (R&D, sales and Support) all want to do a good job.
Oh well.
Likely I'll use the WiFi work around this year.
And then I'll opt for a competitor product come replacement time. Garmin springs to mind...