TomTom Launches Safety Camera Alerts in South-Africa
Johannesburg, 4 December 2008 – TomTom, the world’s leading portable navigation provider, today announces the availability of an extensive safety camera database, for the entire TomTom product portfolio.
TomTom Safety Cameras will help motorists identify and alert where safety cameras are and thus encourage them to drive more safely, while at the same time saving money on fines.
The TomTom Safety Camera database can easily be downloaded onto the users’ TomTom device via TomTom HOME, TomTom’s free desktop application. After this, drivers receive timely alerts on their device when approaching a safety camera location. The TomTom safety camera database is verified by TomTom and updated on a regular basis. New updates can be downloaded via TomTom HOME, so drivers continuously drive with the latest safety camera information on the market.
Availability & price
The TomTom safety camera database is now available to download via TomTom HOME for free until the end of January 2009. As of beginning of next year devices will be shipped with the safety cam database pre-installed and 1 free up date will be available via HOME. Further updates will be available on a subscription basis at a cost of 399 Rand per year.
I purchased the safety camera database and subscription for South Africa and have been driving with it activated, for a few days now. It has not picked up one fixed camera so far.
TOM TOM does not show any safety cameras (speed traps) in South Africa. I have had mine ONE for two months.
Spike is quite right, TomTom at the moment does not have the speed traps pre loaded on our devices.
We request that our customers upload this information via our user-friendly software TomTom Home. Up until the 31st Jan 2009 you where able to download the cameras for free, we now charge R399 yearly subscription for this service.
TomTom is working on a better solution, for now however this is the situation.
I have recently within the (25 March 2009) last week received a tom tom XL as a gift, there are no speed camera alerts on my device, and the free down load has expired, will I have to buy a subscription to get this feature. If the person had known this when they bought this device as a gift they would have rather purchased a Garmin which has this feature.
[Response since received]
Dear Sir
I have received an email regarding a message you have recently posted on a forum regarding your Safety Cameras download.
I am sorry that this does not appear to have started working automatically so I have placed the download on your account so that when you log in to HOME and connect your device you should be offered them fo immediate download. You should certainly not have to pay for the subscription.
You have ten days in which to use the download so I hope this gives you enough time. If you have any difficulties or would like this period extended just respond to this email or call our support team on 0800 980 670 and we’ll be happy to troubleshoot with you.
Best Regards,
David Watkins
Customer Care Manager
I want to load speed cameras on my TOMTOM and would appreciate if you wuold be able to assist me.
So if I buy a TomTom ONE on 1st April 2009, will it not have the safety camera database installed? Do I have to subscribe and pay? or will it be offered free via HOME?
By the way Craig, does the safety cameras database now work?
The answer to the question is that Safety Cameras will not be pre-installed on the device. Instead this will be offered free of charge when the unit is first connected to HOME. The reason for this is that the Safety Camera database is regularly updated with new camera locations. If the unit has them pre-installed it will not benefit from the most recent updates while sitting in the store.
The answer to the other question is yes, and for the time being it’s free. See below for instructions on how to install Safety Cameras. If this doesn’t work then call Customer Support on 0800 980 670
How do you get the safety cameras on your TomTom device?
Make sure you have the latest TomTom HOME software on your computer. Visit TomTom HOME to get this software.
Log in to TomTom HOME, set up an account. (Make sure that South Africa is selected as Country, otherwise will not work)
Go to ‘add maps, voices etc.’
Click on safety cameras.
A free product safety cameras South Africa will be available for you there. (Make sure HOME country settings are SA)
File will be downloaded.
Next time you will connect to HOME, the safety cameras will be offered to you directly.
I bought a TomTom ONe classic on 25 July and have tried everything mentioned by Johan to get the safety cameras installed, but it keeps insisting on buying the subscription. I have also logged this as a support query on TomTom support. No reply to date.
Hi Len,
You should get a one off download after linking your device up to HOME for the first time.
I’ve assigned this manually to your account so it should now be pro-actively offered the next time you log into HOME with your device connected. You’ve got 10 days to redeem it so let me know how you get on.
Best Regards,
David
TomTom
Hi David,
I have brought my TTXL in April 2009 and have tried your option of downloading safety camera by going in HOME. Dont see any option to download for the first time. Please help. Thanks
I have the same problem… bought the Go 720 in December and now the Home software asks for a subscription fee, what should I do
Thanx
another problem… my home says my ma i have installed is the latest available. i was under the impression that the maps get updated every 6months… and there is some roads in cape town that have been that way for probable 2 years and my map is still not showing the road
I bought a TomTom ONE V4 Cube on 13 December 2009. My device does not have the safety cameras loaded. I was under the impression that I could just activate it once connected to the TomTom home page. Now I see that I have to pay in the region of R335 to have it downloaded. Also, can you explain to me the free once off update of maps?
Hi There,
The TomTom safety Cameras should download automatically but occasionally this does not get offered so I have made this available on your account and you will be able to download them any time in the next 10 days.
The one off map update is to make sure that when you buy a device you receive the latest map for it free of charge if you don’t have the latest already installed.
To claim this you can select “Tools” in the top left hand corner of TomTom HOME and then select “Use Latest Map Guarantee”.
Best Regards,
David Watkins
Customer Support Manager
I have had a Tom Tom Home for about four months now and also no Safety Cams. How do I go about getting it without paying that huge amount or is it too late?
Referring to TomTom Customer Care
Hi Ryan,
In answer to your question on Arrive Alive below officially you are too late to get your one time download of Safety Cameras as you have 30 days to claim it.
However, we don’t want you to be without a really good feature of these devices so if you link up to HOME you’ll be able to get the camera download for the next 10 days.
I hope that brings your device up to date.
Regards,
David Watkins
Customer Support Manager
Good day!
I also have a TomTom classic and it also asks me for a subscription fee.
David could you please sort it out for me as well?
Thank you very much and have a great xmas!!
Wade
Thank you very much, just got the trap database now!
Thanks again to the support team and to David!!
have a great xmas and a great new year.
Wade
[email received from David from TomTom]
Hi Wade,
You too have 10 days to claim your download via HOME.
Have a good Christmas!
David
Hi. I have just purchased a Tomtom XL and downloaded the “Home” software. I am now told I have to pay 29 Euros for the safety cam update. I was told, by the salepeson, the update was free. What’s up with this?
Hi
I have a tomtom One xl and it has been updated with the latest mapshare software yet i cannot download safty cams, instead it asks me wheather i would like to buy it for €29.95. I have tryed to enter my product code in the hope that it would activate the service yet it does not allow me to activate it. Do you have any suggestions on what i could do?
thanks
Still no reply after more than a month after initial post with follow-up post like this deleted and direct mail response also unanswered.
Finally got my update. Thanks.
Dear Sir,
I purchased two tomtom one devices for myself and an employee in October of 2009. Before I was able to set up and use my device I was required to go overseas. On my return at end of May 2010 I set up and used my device for navigation, I was amazed at the versatility of such a small device. My employee informed me of the safety camera facility which he had installed on his device. I have been trying unsuccessfully to download this facility to my device and have been informed that a system which I was originally informed would be installed free of charge is now going to cost me 29 Euros. Would you kindly inform me what is happening?
Yours faithfully,
C.W.Hamlinton.
No word yet on my comment of 02-07-10
I recently bought a tomtom one xl.it doesnt come with the safety cameras.is there a way i can get it without paying the 29 pounds?
Thank you
Hi I recived a tom tom start as a gift and it does not show me the speed cameras is it not supposed to have it on the gps as there is a icon to enable safety alerts.
Please advise.
Thanks
I have a Tom Tom my fixed camera alert is working but when you change it to mobile speed cameras (speed traps ) it does not beep I have bought the 1 year subscription for spee cameras south africa what shoul I do?
hi i have a tomtom one 3rd edition trying to update now says i have to buy saefty cameras for 293zar, iam unhappy as i also bought a tomtom xl for my dad who now has the same problem, never had this issue with garmin.