Tomtom Traffic - is it worth it?

perussell · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292

Having made the decision to change my satnav I have purchased a Go720 from Halfords online for £175 which doesn't seem bad - I hope to have it tomorrow.
Now based upon much past experience with RDS TMC on other units and having read the various threads on here there is no way I am going to waste another £40 or more on the traffic receiver - I just know it isn't going to work in my BMW - no other one ever has properly!
So, if I want to receive traffic info it seems my most likely option, assuming I can pair my week-old smartphone with the 720 is to subscribe to TT Traffic. OK so it involves a yearly subscription (about half the cost of a receiver) and data transmission costs but is anybody using TT Traffic and what do you think of it? At least I won't have to mess around with an unsightly antenna.
Is the service more reliable than the RDS TMC option, do you always get the info as long as you have a phone signal? Opinions and comments gratefully received.
Thanks

if1977 · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject:

I have the RDS-TMC reciever and find it to work well (the only one i think). But when i got my Wireless data connection working i got a 1 month free Traffic subscription. So when i was out i would get a report on the reciever and a report on the subscription. I did'nt see much difference exept the reciever gave me local traffic reports within 50 miles radius or so on my position and the subscription could tell me reports in Newcastle. But apart from that the difference in the time delay on the reports were at most 15 minutes difference. Hope this is of use to you and remember i have a 710 also.
_________________
NEW Tomtom GO 500 (hope it is good)
iphone (running all day, doesn't like it)
XL LIVE IQ Routes (Got stolen and miss it)
GO 510 (in drawer now, time for upgrade)

123dixie123 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 55

If you want totaly useless Trafic reports that are mostly wrong then carry on and get your 1st month for free but I would strongly advise you not to pay for it.
TomTom have a very LARGE damn cheek to ask us to pay for something that gives such hopeless info. The idea and the way it should work is brilliant but badly let down by their info suplier.

LT · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:51 am Post subject:

In my experience, it's quite useful, BUT it only seems to work for motorways. Any build ups on normal roads just aren't on. I opened a thread asking if this was the case some time ago and there were no replies.

I once travelled around Stoke for about 2 hours when the traffic took me off the M6 when it was really busy, and onto the A500, which had roadworks and that was even worse!

madnlooney · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:55 am Post subject:

well my year sub is up and i found the traffic not very good. it would tell you of traffic too late and then would report traffic that wasnt there/cleared

also for built up areas i found it worse so i wont be renewing

i may get a TMC but im not sure tho

my advice is dont pay for the subed one

hoolahoops · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject: TMC on Go920T

Hi

I've had my 920T for around 2 weeks, and had the opportunity to use it for my first motorway trip at the weekend. I was travelling from Milton Keynes to Fleet via M1, M25 and M3. Fri night there (8pm) and Sun morning (11am) back to MK.

When I set off at 8 on Fri night it said 4hrs 40m to do the 78ish miles. It said there was approx. 3 hrs of delays in the M1 J10-J6a roadworks. In the end I drove through them at the usual 50mph. There were no delays. As soon as I got onto the M25 my journey time dropped to 45 mins.

It did the same on the way back on Sun morning - 2-3 hrs extra journey time due to M1. Again I came through the roadworks at a steady 50.

Anybody else seen this problem with the M1 roadworks? If this is the accuracy I can expect (I have low expectations mind you - I know TMC is mostly a mainland Europe thing) then I won't be using it much.

Cheers - Kev
_________________
Kev

TT Go 950 Live. Fixed Brodit mount
Motorola Moto 4G

DennisN · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:41 pm Post subject: Re: TMC on Go920T

123dixie123 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 55

Yep its compleatly useless. What a shame.
Q1
Do TT know its this bad ?
Q2
Do they have staff out and about useing it ?

DennisN · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject:

1. Obviously not.
2. Obviously not.
3. Of course not.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

mikecymru · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 09, 2006 Posts: 38

guys

its taken them three months to repair mine.

Not only do they not care, they are useless to boot!

My 910 has been back to repair so many times it has its own carbon footprint

perussell · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292

So my question is..........

is the GPRS transmitted Tomtom Traffic any different from the stuff delivered via RDS-TMC?

This is why I chose not to buy the 'T' version but if you read the TT bumf it seems to suggest that the GPRS data is more comprehensive than what is delivered via TMC which is, I believe, 100% ITIS derived - and we all know what rubbish that is Laughing

stuart · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:58 am Post subject: Re: TMC on Go920T

[quote="DennisN
I don't know who to blame for it - either ITIS (the provider) or TomTom (the disseminator). But I always used to decry these traffic report systems (both GPRS and RDS-TMC, as probably no better, but more costly than Radio 5 Live) and I see no reason to up my opinion of them yet.[/quote]

If you take a look at 'their' web site - ITS Holdings - (http://www.itisholdings.com/directors.asp) you can see where all the money is going....Directors, Senior Managers, Maybe 2008 will be 'their' year of improvements.

Driving

if1977 · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:46 pm Post subject:

perussell · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292

stuart · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:41 pm Post subject:

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