ZsoIt, I guess it all is a matter of money. Most certainly Tomtom could buy licenses for maps from other companies, but people are already now complaining about the prices of maps and updates. Actually - and coming back to the topic - Tomtom has the tools to improve the maps based on real-life user input. All they'd need to do is to get these improvements into the maps QUICKLY. A time lag between report and implementation up to a year (but certainly not less than 6 months) is just not acceptable. Google maps can do it in a week. Ok, maybe they have more people, maybe they have more money, maybe whatever. But setting the priorities right is key in the business. 

I think that Tomtom has a huge base of motivated users than could supply data, but there needs to be some reward. The most basic of all rewards is that the reports make it into the map quickly, before the user loses motivation to contribute. I myself, for example, would be willing to supply hundreds of street names in the villages in my area (basically all of which are missing), bringing the maps the be best status possible in these areas. But knowing that these changes might (or might not) make it into a map that will be issued after more than a year is holding me off. "One year" actually means after my update subscription, meaning I'd need to extend the subscription or buy a new map to see my OWN changes. At the very LEAST the maps should be free for those who significantly contributed to the update.

@to any of the mods: Could these last 3 (inc this, fof's and my other comment) being moved to a separate topic?

@fof: The reason why people are complaing about the price is roughly answered by Shorty. The maps in certain areas are literally rubbish and unusable. Would you pay £70 for each map, when half of the map is outdated by 50-100 years??? Even though you want to help and make corrections, it will be in like a year or so. How would Tomtom expect anyone to purchase an "updated" map than? Just answered this to a private message that I received from another member, but tell it here as well: Tomtom could purchase Navteq maps, and could use their own map, MSR, Navteq maps (and their corrections). Therefore Tomtom would have the best coverage on the planet (apart from the local authorities...). That would increase their PND, in-dash and mobile sales. They could even make Android and WP7 based Tomtom software also. The better maps would result to better sales figures. People from Eastern Europe wouldn't prefer the £50 alternatives with better maps, if they could get some entry level Tomtom unit or software, with the best maps. That would lead to increase in map sales, that could decrease the price of the maps, which would lead to even more map and map update service sales, which would make even more revenue. Not just this, but Tomtom then would have more users, and more people would appreciate and anticipate the MSR, which would make the maps even better. Please anyone, tell me, how could Tomtom lose on this??????????

Well, of course it is also the price-quality ratio that matters. If for 70 Euro you get a map (update) that's worse than a free map from a competitor, complaints are justified. However, and I am very sure of this, people will not be willing to pay more for better map updates, no matter how good the map is. So, Tomtom could not increase prices even if they bought a Navteq map licence. Rather they should "invest" in benefits for volunteers who can improve the map based on their everyday experience. 

I didn't talk about increasing the price. I was talking about people choosing Tomtom product over other manufacturer, which obviously leads to more sales, more revenue, more customers. More revenue means more money to invest in other map solutions. It is a chain reaction. Back home I would never buy a Tomtom PND, when I have to pay £70 for a map, and my father's £50 iGo has better coverage. I would rather buy a new £50 iGo, sell the old on an auction site. That would put my new unit with new map and better coverage somewhere around £30. And that is one customer less for Tomtom. And I am not alone.

I understood what you said, but you asked "Are those maps not available for Tomtom for purchase?" - and the answer is: most certainly they are, but that would automatically increase prices, with the result that people will buy the competitors more than ever.

It doesn't have to increase the price automatically. Obviously a Navteq map doesn't cost billions of Pounds. I would love to see some financial details, such as map sale figures (quantity of purchases) on a yearly basis and the price of Navteq maps. Than it is just simple maths to divide the two to find out how much it would increase the price. If it comes to a Pound per person, than Tomtom wouldn't have to increase the price, as they might give away much more as compensation to unhappy customers. There are many factors, but one thing for sure, they can't lose on this.

I haven't read the whole of this thread but for me the serious issue with both map corrections and Map Share reporter is that there is no meaningful way to set up diversions.

 

For example in San Pedro de Alcantara in Malaga, Spain, there have been major roadwork diversions from the A-7 (N340) right through the centre of the town for at least 4 years and will remain so for a good while. Trying to block or unblock the section of the A-7 effected is nigh on impossible.

 

There is no provision to simply create a diversion: 'Find Alternative' on the TomTom does not work either since it will take you back to the offending roadwork as soon as is possible rather than logically re-calculating the route as a diversion. In this case the real world diversion, along Calle Lyon nearer the beach front, doubles back on itself, going round in circles until it returns to the, at the moment, non existent stretch of the A-7.

 

Map corrections in any form seems only to work for genuine errors of traffic-flow and mapping but semi-permanent diversions caused by major roadworks or far more serious to navigation in my view.

Perhaps I could lay to bed some myths, quite logically put above ( see The Fight of the Elephants) but first of all, for suggestions as to Map Share Reporter:

1.  Very definitely time-to-map is a very important issue

2.  Price per map is also high compared to others available, and

3.  We should try to include software that makes the correction of interchanges easier for the user ... all added to the list

I agree, I think we have a list comprehensive enough to break into priority groupings and put those forward to be incorporated.

 

I've started a new topic over there to chat about "the Elephants" less we take this sacred topic   way off it's intended purpose.

 

Edit: Fixed links  ::  Shorty

 

I'm sorry but if you'll excuse the pun there some serious navigation issues in finding 'the Elephants' you're talking about - what do you mean?