Tomtom FREE Lifetime Map Updates & Traffic Announced

[gatorguy]

They're either internally confused or intentionally being fuzzy for maximum marketing impact, and I can't say which. I'm sure they know they have a a great PR opportunity at CES with reporters and bloggers all too anxious to get announcements out to their readers. TomTom is pretty good at creative marketing and it's not their first trip around the block. I doubt it has anything to do with hiding what they're going to do from the competition. You can be 90% certain Garmin has known pretty much what the plans are, just as TomTom knows most of what Garmin's up to.

The traffic is almost certainly RDS-TMC, nothing:"innovative" about it AFAIK except that TT integrated traffic and power into a single cord in much the same way their major competitor has for at least two years. In addition, it may be free on certain bundles of certain models, but according to Tomtom they're asking retailers which models thy'd like to see it with. So expect at least one for BestBuy, one at Amazon and perhaps another bundle at Walmart if I were a betting man. Also according to them, free lifetime maps and traffic might be included in some packages, only free maps in others, and no claim that free maps updates will apply to all new models released after March. All in all there's more questions than answers.

I still doubt that Tomtom will roll out their own HD Traffic here in the US, but I'd love to be surprised. When I bought my 740 back mid-year TomTom indicated HD Traffic should be available before the end of last year, making my subscription equivalent to the European one. I think they missed.

 

[offthegrid]

My money is on this also bundled with the latest Inrix traffic product covering secondary roads. HD Radio has the extra bandwidth and its digital so less trouble with transmission and they are in the midst of boosting their signals also. This makes even more sense now that TotalTraffic has someone actually offering it - Cydle.

To me it sounds like TT may have completely retreated from the connected model here in the US since there was no mention of HD Traffic here even though they said last year they would be rolling it out in 2010.

You're forgetting another source of traffic MVL. Like Cydle, Tomtom could possibly use HDRadio traffic. Cheap to offer, still needs an antenna. I can't see TomTom offering any type of free traffic reporting that would entail significant ongoing out-of-pocket costs to TomTom. IMO, any 2-way cell connection at no additional cost after purchase doesn't make any sense. Who's paying the cell bill for life of the device?

TomTom will be discussing this today at CES, so maybe the clouds will clear a bit.

 

[dhn]

The VP of Marketing--North America has said it would be a rds-tmc antenna included in the power cable.

 

[offthegrid]

If they are going this route its got to be a manufacturing cost issue since there is no other reason to stay with a stale near obsolete technology.

Lets see is it turns out that way. I've seen TT say some things that turned out differently in the past, well like HD Traffic coming in 2010. They said that and its not here.

The VP of Marketing--North America has said it would be a rds-tmc antenna included in the power cable.

 

[saud]

Wrong Post

 

[mvl]

If they are going this route its got to be a manufacturing cost issue since there is no other reason to stay with a stale near obsolete technology.

Lets see is it turns out that way. I've seen TT say some things that turned out differently in the past, well like HD Traffic coming in 2010. They said that and its not here.

Either they're shipping the Holland HDT antennas in the US, just to get the free probes for LIVE traffic.

Or (gasp) they may be listening to customers and building an antenna that actually is convenient to use. I really am getting sick of my RDS-TMC antenna, the wires and cables are everywhere.

I can't wait until my PLUS corrupt subscription clears out (hopefully in May) so I can get PLUS traffic back. Hopefully by then a 940/950 LIVE will be sold in the US so I can just upgrade.

 

[gatorguy]

FWIW, I noticed today that Garmin is already bundling free lifetime maps with some models at certain retailers, and oddly really only about $10 more than the device by itself often sells for. Still waiting to see which models TomTom bundles maps or traffic with, and whether there's a significant premium.

 

[saud]

Tomtom maps are way too expensive, USA map is $80 which is equal to a low end GPS device itself. They should lower it down so that more and more people can buy them.

 

[saud]

Official link here TomTom NV - TomTom Introduces Lifetime Map Updates in North America

 

[dhn]

New details can be found here

 

[saud]

I will sell my TT and get that one, I m not paying $80 for a single map update.

 

[gatorguy]

The deal explained is here: TomTom LIFETIME Map & Traffic Subscriptions - TomTom GO Forum - Page 2

Essentially they've bundled the equivalent of two years of map update payments, or what a current buyer would pay for two years traffic, with a device. Smart move. They get a marketing bump, but really gave nothing away. In fact they'll probably make even more on these devices since some significant percentage of buyers may never update their maps, and others only a couple of times.

 

[mvl]

It appears that the lifetime traffic receiver will be sold separately for $69.95 (see here)

Tomtom said that the new lifetime traffic receiver will be "informatively designed into the vehicle's power cord", and this has been confirmed by a few members who have already purchased the new "T" lifetime traffic Tomtom models.

Now this integrated power/traffic cord is for sale separately, and is mentioned as "FREE traffic" with no mention of subscription/expiration.

Tomtom also says it works "in your Country or abroad (where TMC service is available)".

However (see here) it appears to be compatible with newer Tomtoms only.

 

[georad]

TomTom is Trash Trash

I bought a new 540XXL only 4 months ago and now I have to buy a NEW ONE to get Life Time Map Updates!!!

I got excited about buying a subscription to Life Time Map Updates after reading their ad email tonight.... but then after clicking on the link in the email, I was sooooooooo disappointed in what I saw...

NO UPDATE FOR YOU.... unless you buy a NEW UNIT!

Very misleading and disappointing.

[snipped by moderator per warez website policy]

 

[hutch10]

If you have a GO 920 you are out of luck as any updates to the TomTom Traffic Updates for RDS-TMC USA & Canada are no longer valid. TomTom Traffic was running fine until the annual update. Then with the update, traffic no longer works. TomTom tech support states that they are "working the issue," but do not have a resolution date.

Traffic is a major issue in California and they expect us to wait until they have a resolution, which according to one tech support person may be nine months or more away, another said they may have resolution within the next few weeks.

Tech support also said that I could purchase a newer TomTom model to get traffic updates if I needed it badly enough. My original GO 920 (US, Canada, and Europe) unit cost several hundred dollars. There is no trade-in or discount for us loyal TomTom legacy users AND their resolution is to buy a new TomTom. What gives? Traffic updates are a software not a hardware issue.

 

[mvl]

If you have a GO 920 you are out of luck as any updates to the TomTom Traffic Updates for RDS-TMC USA & Canada are no longer valid. TomTom Traffic was running fine until the annual update. Then with the update, traffic no longer works. TomTom tech support states that they are "working the issue," but do not have a resolution date.

I had no problems with PLUS (bluetooth) traffic on my 930 in Los Angeles last week, and I was on map 850. I just checked now and PLUS traffic still works in Boston, too.

I also just tested an old round-plug antenna I had in a drawer, and it works fine in Boston too. If you want to buy one, they're under $20 from digitalonesurplus on ebay.

I shipped my USB RDS-TMC antenna back from LA and it should arrive by UPS today - I'll check if that works also.

There are numerous reports of traffic issues on the 740, and I'm wondering if Tomtom phone support misunderstood that your model is different. Perhaps something else is wrong with your device/setup.

To help troubleshoot, what is the:
- specific errors/error messages you are getting with your traffic?
- full version of your application (including everything to the right of the decimal)?
- full version of your map (including everything to the right of the decimal)?
- first two characters (letters or numbers) of the serial number on the bottom of your device?
- size and date of the \north_america\traffic.dat file?
- size and date of the \north_america\tmccodes.dat file?
- size and date of the \mctx.dat file?

 

[doctormstein1]

I had no problems with PLUS (bluetooth) traffic on my 930 in Los Angeles last week, and I was on map 850. I just checked now and PLUS traffic still works in Boston, too.

I also just tested an old round-plug antenna I had in a drawer, and it works fine in Boston too. If you want to buy one, they're under $20 from digitalonesurplus on ebay.

I shipped my USB RDS-TMC antenna back from LA and it should arrive by UPS today - I'll check if that works also.

There are numerous reports of traffic issues on the 740, and I'm wondering if Tomtom phone support misunderstood that your model is different. Perhaps something else is wrong with your device/setup.

To help troubleshoot, what is the:
- specific errors/error messages you are getting with your traffic?
- full version of your application (including everything to the right of the decimal)?
- full version of your map (including everything to the right of the decimal)?
- first two characters (letters or numbers) of the serial number on the bottom of your device?
- size and date of the \north_america\traffic.dat file?
- size and date of the \north_america\tmccodes.dat file?
- size and date of the \mctx.dat file?

No problem with Plus Services in Long Island, NY

 

[Weecosse]

Traffic for Go 920T

Gents, I have an XXL 550TM and I am very satisfied with the traffic. I would like to add the traffic app to my GO 920T. Do you know if that is possible?

 

[dhn]

I don't think 'lifetime' traffic is offered for that model. Once the 1-year subscription is up with the 'T' model, you'll have to renew......

 

[Weecosse]

Thanks

DHN, thanks. Weecosse.