You can use MyTomTom (or TomTom Home for older devices) to back up your POI and favorites before a factory reset. A soft reset should not loose either of those:
- Factory reset: using the Settings or Preferences menus (the name depends on the device).
- Soft reset: hold down power button until you hear drums, then release immediately.
The duration of the LIVE Services subscription (including HD Traffic) included with the device may vary between countries and between different devices. Where the included subscription is one year, it should be possible to extend the subscription on the device itself (usually for another year).
However, it may be necessary to update the firmware application version on the device for this work. There were problems reported initially (mostly in April and May of this year) where users had difficulty extending their subscription without intervention from Customer Support. These seem to be entirely resolved now. I initially had the problem (where I could not renew, even though my services were expiring), but I waited and the fix was available before my subscription expired. I eventually renewed on the device itself, with no help from Customer Service being necessary. Once renewed on the device itself, the subscription is instantly extended for fifteen days. An e-mail is then sent to the account e-mail with a request for payment. Once payment is confirmed, the yearly subscription is added on to the remainder of the fifteen day grace period already allowed.
Try to renew your subscription before it expires completely, or the SIM card may become deactivated in some countries (certainly in North America, but not usually in Europe). Once deactivated, it is not normally possible to reactivate the SIM card without intervention from Customer Support.
If using an older TomTom, such as an XL with LIVE Services, then I believe the best way to renew is simply to connect that devices to TomTom Home. This method will not work with newer devices (they will not be recognized by TomTom Home).
garyfeb wrote: ... go with the the other guys that include traffic for life ?
In most countries 'traffic for life" simply means a pre-paid lifetime subscription to RDS-TMC traffic. The quality of this varies widely from one country to the next. In North America, it is vastly inferior to HD Traffic. The required receiver is included in the power cord for the purchased device. Usually, these power cords can be purchased for LIVE Services enabled devices as well (making it possible to use the device in other countries, where the SIM card will not be compatible with local HD Traffic where available). If the user wishes to convert the device to an RDS-TMC based device instead of renewing LIVE Services, the specific power cord/receiver will work for that too. Only RDS-TMC traffic will be provided (no other services, such as local search or weather). You should be able to figure out who provides the service in South Africa browsing through the TomTom website for your country.
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TomTom XL 340S LIVE & XL 340TM (RDS-TMC) & GO LIVE 2535M - in daily L.A. Traffic
