Another HD Traffic FAIL

DennisN · Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:33 am Post subject:

Yesterday I think I came across another thing.

Bristol to Newcastle and back. Outbound OK - no traffic problems, sundry roadworks reported.

Coming back, it offered me a diversion round a problem in the M18/M62 area, which I accepted and to my great (cynical) surprise it proved to be correct - I saw the stationary traffic as I criss-crossed the motorways at speed.

So when it offered a faster route as I approached M1 junction 28 southbound, I decided to accept that too. All went well, but to my horror, at the bottom of the A38, it dropped me onto the M6 Toll - it happened too quickly for me to start playing traffic dodgems to pull out. It had not given me any warning that the diversion included toll charges (my other devices DID, but I ignored them because they were not as clever as the XL Live HD traffic!! - maps not as up to date etc.).
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

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

So, I just returned from the MPH Show at the Birmingham NEC where to my surprise I noticed that TT had their own stand and were heavily promoting their HD Services. I wandered across and having first ascertained that the 3 staff present were employees of TT (rather than agency staff) I suggested they took a look at this thread to understand the strong feelings of frustration that a number of users are currently having. (I haven't used it much recently so can't comment other than it seemed ok on my 200 mile round trip today but then again there weren't any traffic issues)

Anyway, bottom line is all 3 steadfastly refused to believe that there have been ANY recent issues with HD traffic claiming their units had performed faultlessly. They just wouldn't have it, not a bit of it, so in the end I gave up and continued my stroll to find the Navigon stand only a short distance away.

There, the rep was able to show me their new LIVE units, demonstrate how the units will work, (the SIM card will be in a "dongle" which forms part of the power cable rather than embedded in the unit like the TTs). The UK service goes live next month and the service will cost £5 per month (for European cover) which significantly undercuts TT's monthly AND annual subscription rates.

(and separately it would seem that the units will be enabled to receive 3rd party POIs e.g. PGPSW speed camera database sometime next year since I know that has troubled some people)

Guess where my money is going next time?

Seamaster · Frequent Visitor Joined: Jun 05, 2006 Posts: 331

Epic failure yesterday, which proved beyond any shadow of a doubt the long held belief that HD Traffic is useless when it comes to road closures.

The M1 was closed in both directions between two specific exits due to an accident. The TT alerted me to the resultant tailback, and routed me around that, but then tried to dump me back on the M1 at exactly the point - the closed exits - where traffic was being diverted off it!!! The result was a tortuous additional two hours of nose to tail back road traffic - correctly showing as a jam on the unit - but with TT trying at every opportunity to get me back on the closed road!!!

Exasperating!

It has done for me and Live services (I noted also that fuel prices were a nonsense - despite being updated yesterday they claimed unleaded available all over for 85p/litre). If you can't trust the data, what's the point in a subscription. I won't be renewing.

Matt865 · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 30, 2006 Posts: 92

Another epic fail tonight. Massive delays in Kent on the M25 clockwise from J4 onwards. 30 minutes of delays at the very least and HD Traffic says.... 1 minute of delay. Of course, the TomTom therefore routes you straight into chaos... again. I will definitely not be continuing with the "HD" FAIL(TM) subscription after it expires.

Jammy1 · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 20, 2004 Posts: 63

I've just emailed TomTOm stating that my HD Traffic does not update every 3 minutes at advertised during peak travel times. Not sure what good it will do though.

swash · Regular Visitor Joined: May 22, 2009 Posts: 65

Jammy, good to add to their growing list of disgruntled customers, but all I keep getting are the same old standard responses to run factory resets, delete files and reinstall them etc etc, none of which has made a blind bit of difference.

Once again this morning not one single update on my hour long journey to work.

MrT · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:27 am Post subject:

Mine connected first time this morning then went to "could not establish a data connection" until around 9:15.

I think that TomToms network and servers are just not up to coping with the numbers of units they have operating in the rush hour. I notice that there were 634 incidents on my unit when it made its first connection. It was also reporting "grey" accidents on the M25 that I did not see.
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Drivelux

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

ah yes, but see my interaction with TT above - it must be your satnavs because according to their staff "There's absolutely nothing wrong with the HD servers"

....and until they acknowledge there is a problem I think this is just going to continue

swash · Regular Visitor Joined: May 22, 2009 Posts: 65

So I take it that nobody that has reported their problems to Tom Tom has had anything other than the bog standard factory rest etc etc response?

From the mention of the Tom Tom employees at the Birmingham MPH event above it sounds very much like they are living in denial.

MrT · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:46 am Post subject:

I had the usual reset your device advice, even when I pointed out that many problems were also visible on the Route Planner.

The problems are not local Vodafone mobile issues as my mobile is using Traffic TV over Vodafone when my TomTom cannot establish a data connection.

I later received a survey on the HD Traffic and this survey from its questions, was obviously aware of the HD Traffic problems. I made my views very clear on the survey.
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Drivelux

Jammy1 · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 20, 2004 Posts: 63

I went from Sheffield to Aldershot this morning. I connected at 6:15 am with no problems. HD reported some roadworks on the M1, jnc 23 I think. It seemed to update until about 7:15 where auto updsates then ceased. Turning it off and back on again would result in the traffic info being refreshed, although it did take 4-5 mins to actually process the update. I think auto updates then started again at about 10am.

I'll cut and paste this post to TomTom support if they ask for more info!

swash · Regular Visitor Joined: May 22, 2009 Posts: 65

I've had yet another reply from Tom Tom support this morning which completely failed to answer any of the specific questions I asked and just asked me to end my system information etc to them.

Anybody fancy a trip to the Watchdog studios when the show comes back in the New Year?

swash · Regular Visitor Joined: May 22, 2009 Posts: 65

Jammy, interesting to see it is not just a South East problem a lot of the reports I had seen seemed to be in and around the M25, looks like their systems are well and truly stuffed!

Jammy1 · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 20, 2004 Posts: 63

From my amateur analysis, and the fact I drive 35,000 miles a year between Brighton and Edinburgh and all the bits in between, the problems only seem to be at peak times. By peak time I mean 7-10am and 3:30-6-30pm approx. It doesn't seem to make any difference where I am in the UK.

swash · Regular Visitor Joined: May 22, 2009 Posts: 65

That's what makes it all the more ridiculous that Tom Tom try and blame individual units, mine worked fine when I went out and about on Sunday, but as soon as I was out in this mornings rush hour, zero updates again.

They need to realise that unhapy customers would be more sympathetic if they put their hands up and admitted a problem at their end and at least gave us some hope that they are working on it.

I suppose they think people will want compensation then, but personally I'm not bothered about getting back any money, I just want the damn thing sorted out.

I already had a Sat Nav that worked perfectly well and only upgraded to the 540 live for the HD Traffic, so I am particularly hacked off at the moment.

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