TomTom Release Map Subscription Service

J1nxy

J1nxy

J1nxy

Soldato
Joined
17 Feb 2003
Posts
5,257
Location
Northampton
Hi Folks,

For those of you with a TomTom its worth getting the latest version of Home as they have now added a yearly subscription service allowing map updates. They will release updates on a quarterly basis and effectively will cost you 4x9.99 for the UK. You have to have the latest map on your device but there is a discount scheme to bring it upto date which works out cheaper than buying the standalone map and the updates.

My 530T has cost me £34 for a year and brings the latest map as well, which includes the changes to the M1 J10-6.
 
This new service is great! I've already got the latest map version but have still signed up - This is because you still "pay" for the latest map... You're a little inaccurate with the numbers but basically the rate you pay for the latest map is dependant on how old your current map is (As an incentive to the keep the device up to date). A further charge it made to have future updates. This is done yearly and the cost appears to vary dependant (On a sliding scale) on the map you have. For UK & Ireland I believe I paid £6.95 per quarter. Sure I'm not getting anything out of this *immediately* but once they release a new map, if I sign up then I have to pay to get to the current map and then pay for the 4 quarters. Now, I've paid £6.95 x4 and will not have to pay a penny for the next year, whilst always having the latest maps.

There is a great deal of information on this here:

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=70657

Only problem I'm having at the minute is payment!! I've completed the payment process but the money will not seem to clear. I'm about to ring the bank and/or TomTom about this in order to follow it up, but all others I've spoken to appear to have had no problems.
 
Sorry your right it was a typo, the cost was 6.95 for the Uk and more for the full Europe map. But the total cost to me was 34.75, 6.95 to take me to the latest map and 4 x 6.95 for the years worth of updates. Well worth the expense as they do seem to be very recent maps, rather than some of the others I've had which are meant to be updated.
 
Note that version 8 maps (Latest is v810) give the x20 series of units the lane assist and IQ routing functionality that previously only the newer units have, effectively transforming an x20 into an x30... Very useful if you're on the market for a new satnav as these do appear to be falling in price all the time.
 
I've picked up a 520 for £135 and done just that. Make sure you upgrade the software on the TomTom BEFORE you click on Latest Map Guarantee, or you may end up stuck with an older V7 map as some users have reported.

I've found the accuracy of some street names quite poor even on the latest maps - there are unnamed roads on housing estates that have been built and occupied for over 5 years. The developer has only just finshed erecting the street nameplates though, so it looks to me they are very reliant on what they see from their vans on the ground rather than using other data sources like OS MasterMap and the NLPG which are updated very quickly. Still, I'll update them myself via Mapshare - does anyone know how you become a "Trusted Source"?
 
I believe actually that TomTom "authorise" trusted sources... For example if a great deal of people report a specific problem TomTom will confirm and authorise it. Note that there have been cases in the past where massive inaccuracies have been put on the system. Most notable with a motorway (Cannot remember which) was closed for roadworks over night, the BBC reported this to TomTom who got the wrong end of the stick and "closed" this road on mapshare. Queue lots of extended journeys by those following a TomTom... And a nice quick motorway home for those without! MapShare has good potential, but I'd use with caution based on my research.
 
What you've said above is the different levels of mapshare you'll accept, which you set in home.
 
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