Plan your journey with TomTom and Vodafone Netherlands

As we have just learned TomTom and Vodafone Netherlands are planning to jointly develop and introduce a technology that according to them will revolutionise the way people plan their daily journeys. The solution is planned to be available from the second half of 2007.

This development will see TomTom's technology convert anonymous, raw GSM signaling data supplied by Vodafone Netherlands' network into accurate, real-time, information on the speed and direction of cars traveling throughout the road network of the Netherlands. The technology has been tested and proven on a regional scale and this will be the world's first nationwide, commercial deployment.

The information will initially be available to TomTom subscribers exclusively. The Travel Time Information will be distributed using Vodafone's data network in the Netherlands. All current and future TomTom users will be able to benefit from the service once it is available. TomTom travel time information service will cover all major roads of the Netherlands as opposed to just the motorways. It will also contain door to door travel time information rather than just the length of a traffic jam, also allowing for comparison of various alternatives for total travel time and can automatically calculate the best alternative.

The solution will be made available for consumers but also for road authorities and businesses, who may use it for dynamic traffic control measures and improved fleet management.