MIB2 Amundsen - alternative 'fix' for loss of TMC service

[Tell]

Suspect when the software was written they only had 3G. Probably work happily on 2G. The 2G O2 network is suppose to be being kept going for Smartmeters in England Wales. EE and 3 are turning 3G off now. 3 never had 2G. Probably the ideal is to have O2 🤣or 4G which will continue.

[PetrolDave]

6 hours ago, Tell said:

EE and 3 are turning 3G off now.

... and Vodafone.

[Tell]

48 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

... and Vodafone.

It's a pain got tricked by EE even thou they were keeping 2G on longer. Told me my vintage 3G phone was compatible when it wasn't. Just after sales.

[Chris48]

Not sure if this has been mentioned elsewhere but another way of getting data to the infotainment system is by tethering a mobile phone. I tried this on my wife's Karoq and the red globe turns white, confirming there's a data connection.  You also get "wlan" alongside it, rather than 3g. It's a fairly straightforward process on Android phones where there's a section in the connection settings that allows tethering and Bluetooth linking. However, I didn't manage to get navigation updates... seems I managed to let the Skoda Connect subscription lapse. Yeah I'm in the doghouse!

[Chris48]

Just reread this thread and realised that @joek666 already mentioned tethering so apologies! I haven't been idle though - I've written to the Highways Agency to see if they're aware of the issue and to enquire whether they can influence Inrix to reinstate the service previously provided by Trafficmaster. The Agency uses them for their own traffic information so they might be able to have a grown up chat with them.  I've also emailed Inrix themselves but I doubt I'll hear anything as they seem geared up to businesses. Watch this space!

[Tell]

1 hour ago, Chris48 said:

Just reread this thread and realised that @joek666 already mentioned tethering so apologies! I haven't been idle though - I've written to the Highways Agency to see if they're aware of the issue and to enquire whether they can influence Inrix to reinstate the service previously provided by Trafficmaster. The Agency uses them for their own traffic information so they might be able to have a grown up chat with them.  I've also emailed Inrix themselves but I doubt I'll hear anything as they seem geared up to businesses. Watch this space!

 I think the Highway Agency folk have swapped to Inrix from my reading and what's been posted up. They are using Inrix themselves....

[Chris48]

Yet another update. I've just been renewing Skoda Connect on my wife's Karoq and they are offering a month's free trial.  For anyone who is unsure,  that sounds like a very worthwhile deal. Already it's clear that the traffic information is more detailed than TMC.

[joek666]

On 14/08/2023 at 17:22, Chris48 said:

Yet another update. I've just been renewing Skoda Connect on my wife's Karoq and they are offering a month's free trial.  For anyone who is unsure,  that sounds like a very worthwhile deal. Already it's clear that the traffic information is more detailed than TMC.

 

Yeah I tried the free month first to see if my 'solution' would work, and I was pleasantly surprised. You're right, a lot more traffic data than was ever supplied via TMC, I assume that's down the lack of bandwidth available over radio vs mobile data. 

 

I didn't like the mobile tethering option as I think it required me to have my mobile hotspot turned on all the time so that I could step in and out of the car without having to think about it. Otherwise you have to manually turn it on each time. With my CarStick it just sits there and connects within about 30 seconds of turning on the ignition.

[Tell]

4 minutes ago, joek666 said:

 

Yeah I tried the free month first to see if my 'solution' would work, and I was pleasantly surprised. You're right, a lot more traffic data than was ever supplied via TMC, I assume that's down the lack of bandwidth available over radio vs mobile data. 

 

I didn't like the mobile tethering option as I think it required me to have my mobile hotspot turned on all the time so that I could step in and out of the car without having to think about it. Otherwise you have to manually turn it on each time. With my CarStick it just sits there and connects within about 30 seconds of turning on the ignition.

It could be they are just feeding more data, Inrix via the FM broadcast is showing more data than Traffic Master ever did. As I mentioned before I reckon there is a market in travel data these days so it's bought and sold between providers.