HOW TO: Make your iDEN phone work for data with 920/8.300

Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
417
Location
Central NJ
TomTom Model(s)
Go 920
Intro - skip if you want
When I first got my TomTom I was able to configure it for use with my Nextel iDEN phone for TomTom Services with no problems. DC calls really confused the hands-free feature on my TomTom, so I disabled that. Several months later I switched to Verizon, and configured that phone (with some issues), and somewhere along the line I deleted my iDEN phone from my TomTom configuration.

Jump ahead to last week, and I decided to reactivate my iDEN phone so I can use it instead of my Verizon phone and stop paying Verizon $30 a month for tethering. Much to my dismay, I discovered that the current device software (8.300) doesn't allow you to enter anything but numbers and a few special characters in the dial string. This is a problem because my iDEN phone uses a dial string of "s=2".

How did I overcome this problem? Read on...

The Fix
Before you get started, here's what you'll need:
  1. Your TomTom (obviously)
  2. A blank SD card (I used a 2GB card, but a 1GB card will work fine)
  3. A copy of version 7.221 of the device software (download here - thanks Oldboy)
  4. A Guam map, compatible with version 7.221 of the device software (should already be on your device - I used map version 715)
  5. Your activated iDEN phone (make sure the globe icon appears at the top of the display)

For the purposes of this post, I'll assume some familiarity with configuring your TomTom, and that your main obstacle is the limitations of the 8.300 device software.

Once you've gathered the above items, here's what to do:
  1. Backup your TomTom using Windows Explorer, as described elsewhere in these forums
  2. Insert your SD into your TomTom device and connect your TomTom to your computer
  3. Copy the entire contents of your TomTom's internal memory to the SD card, excluding all map folders.
  4. Copy the Guam map folder from your TomTom's internal memory to your SD card (I don't think this step is necessary, but this is what I did)
  5. Unzip the 7.221 device software and copy it to your TomTom device, preserving the folder structure
  6. In Windows, safely remove the drives in your TomTom, turn off your TomTom and disconnect it from the computer
  7. Turn on your TomTom. You'll end up going through the setup as if it has been restored to factory defaults. Don't worry if only the Guam maps appear - only maps that are compatible with 7.221 will appear
  8. Pair your iDEN phone with your TomTom device, as described here
  9. If the data setup fails, try again... TomTom's servers are sometimes flaky
  10. Turn off your TomTom and remove the SD card
  11. Turn on your TomTom and verify that it's working by trying the weather service (it's free)

Now you're probably wondering why I would activate another phone instead of just paying Verizon $30 a month. I'll save that answer for another thread.
 
Hey,

I have a GO 720 and am running into the same ver 8.3 problem with my nextels. When I bought my GO in october 08, it had version 7.481 on it and I was able to get data to work on my i335. Now the other day I was trying to sink my i580 for data and obviously can't do it.

I have downgraded my firmware back to version 7.481, but I do not not maps older then ver. 8.10. When I boot up the device it states I have no maps installed. Is there anyway I can get a hold of those older guam maps? Or anything for that matter that will allow me to get this to work? Thanks

Tim
 
Maps are keyed to your device, so there's really no way of getting maps from someone else and having them work on your TomTom.

So, all your maps that came with your device are version 8.10?
 
I'm not sure the version of maps that came with my device. But, Ver 8.10 was newest out when I did my free upgrade. I do not have the older version on my computer. I guess I am Out of Luck until they fix the firmware. Do you agree?
 
I'm not sure the version of maps that came with my device. But, Ver 8.10 was newest out when I did my free upgrade. I do not have the older version on my computer. I guess I am Out of Luck until they fix the firmware. Do you agree?

It looks that way, unless someone else has a suggestion. I wish I knew something else to suggest.
 

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