MSN Direct "lifetime" no longer available.

 

I am really bumbed. I just bought another 885T, thinking I would purchase another lifetime verion of MSN Direct but after calling MSN Direct, I learned that it was no longer offered. Only the free trial and the annual at $49.95. If I had known this a week ago, I could have purchased the lifetime version from them. Too late now. I am surprised that I didn't see this in any posts, here. Maybe I missed it.

Could have saved you money.

That could be a message that the service may be ending soon.

Yes, however, the current

Yes, however, the current contract with Garmin, runs until 2014.

Missed it!

Can't believe I missed it...I was going to go for lifetime MSN also!

So was I.... but not now.

I bought the traffic receiver in June and have be 'arguing' with MSN Direct ever since about why they have a station in a major market transmitting data that does not include traffic, while 2 other stations are. If the device locks onto the non-traffic signal, which it always does because of my start location being very near that transmitter, I'm stuck for 20-30 miles before it scans for a stronger signal. That makes it a useless service for this area - I'm in the thick of the traffic before I receive any data.

Dare I say it? Typical Microsoft logic.

Well, I called & spoke with a agent . . .

She was very polite and so was I.

After I explained that I have two units subscribed and that there was simply no way that I would pay essentially twice as much for service ((4 years at $50 a year compared with $99 one time) and that I wondered at how Microsoft would simply forego all the revenue from people like me who would drop the service rather than be overcharged, she said the;

It is possible that they may structure different plan offerings in the future and that they might even have a new lifetime offering (which, of course does nothing for my units, one of which dropped dead last week and the other will expire in November).

I asked that she have a supervisor contact me and she agreed - they should call at some point between now and COB Monday.

Perhaps they have made the conscious decision not to extend service beyond 2014 - but until 2012 it would be a better deal to take on lifetime over year-by-year . . .

IMO if the saervice has not been a stellar success, it will be because Garmin (who seem to be the only navigator company with the product) are not promoting it is a prima faci feature, but as an 'in addition to all of the stuff you need' option that 'seems nice'.

In any case, let's see what they say when they call.

I have discovered that (at least as far as Montreal in concerned) the consumer CAN influence the content . . . perhaps we can also influence policies.

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Currently have: SP3, GPSMAP 276c, Nuvi 760T, Nuvi 3790LMT, Zumo 660T

Please keep us updated.

Please keep us updated. Thanks.

Garmin nüLink

It seems that Garmin is going to a service called nüLink which appears to use the cell phone system.

Yes, Please keep us posted

Yes, Please keep us posted on this one. Thanks

MSN Direct - No Lifetime Service

I have purchsed several of the lifetime subs..... It sounds like they plan to abandon the service *or* they figured they could make a lot more money by NOT offering a lifetime sub.

Problem is... although the sercie is kinda cool, it has to compete with the FM/TMC traffic services AND the new Garmin NuLink service.

MSN Direct will have to offer something really special to make me people pay $50/year for it.

MSN Direct

What a bummer. I find the service extremely useful and was going to buy the lifetime when my free one year subscription expired. Anyway thanks for the info.

NuLink in Canada? Who can tell!

I looked at NuLink on the Garmin site. Appears it's limited to the Nuvi 1690 only so far, and if you look at the coverage map page it says it's NOT available in Canada. However, if you check the Garmin NuLink Traffic service page, it say's Montreal and Toronto are covered. I wonder which is correct? I'm starting to think that the technology and data suppliers are moving the goalposts faster than the consumer can keep up, so anything we buy will be obsolete before it's ever fully functional.

It will be in Canada

The NuLink service will be in Canada. Garmin have been in talks with Rogers but haven't heard how that stands currently. Last I heard it will be 1 year free and then a monthly charge but I can't remember what it was other than it was higher than the monthly charge in the US. What else is new neutral

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Nuvi 350, 760, 1695LM, 3790LMT, 2460LMT, 3597LMTHD, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, DriveSmart 61, Garmin Drive 52, Garmin Backup Camera 40 and TomTom XXL540s.

a "one-time payment" special & guaranteed service to Jan 1, 2014

When I purchased my MSN Direct Navigation Services One-time Payment‏ deal back on August 6th I posted the special deal they were then offering on this forum. I had gone to the web page to extend for a year and the special deal appeared as a choice at that time. Plus the deal offered a pro-rated refund if I cancel the plan any time during the first three years so it was too good a deal to refuse. I paid $99.95 total and there was no tax charged.

My email purchase receipt they sent me stated the following exact quote:
"The MSN Direct Navigation Services One-time Payment Plan includes Traffic, Gas Prices, Weather, and more for a one-time payment of $99.95 + applicable taxes. Service is not transferable to a new owner if you sell the device, and may not be transferred to a different device. Service is not guaranteed beyond January 1, 2014. Your payment instrument will be charged immediately upon completion of signup. You can cancel this subscription and receive a pro-rated refund at any time during the first three years of your subscription by calling MSN Direct Customer Service at 1-866-658-7032."

One of the other people on here saw my posting and had just paid for a yearly service just a couple weeks earlier. He contacted MSN to try to get them to give him the "MSN Direct Navigation Services One-time Payment‏" deal. He posted back that they told him the "One-time Payment" was a temporary promotion and could end at any time and would not change the plan he purchased earlier to the special deal.

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Garmin Drive Smart 55 - Samsung Note 10 Smartphone with Google Maps & HERE Apps

"Could have saved you money."

jjen wrote:

That could be a message that the service may be ending soon.

MSN One time payment deal has the service guaranteed until January 1, 2014.

They gave that to me in writing plus a pro-rated rebate if I cancel any time during the first three years.

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Garmin Drive Smart 55 - Samsung Note 10 Smartphone with Google Maps & HERE Apps

.

One time payment has been a feature of the system from day one. The fact is that the price was reduced from $129 to $99 during the summer . . . Amazon still had it for $129 . . . which makes me wonder . . . I'm checking . . . nope. The lifetime is no longer available there.

Going to a cellular notification model means that the provider won't have to pay the FM broadcasters to transmit the signal and the signals will be distributed more generically. However it also means that there will be much higher operating costs.

Then again, with the bandwidth available over the cellular network, they ought to be able to deliver 'more' services faster. But they will no longer be able to broadcast that data, meaning an exponential increase in the amount of informatiom being sent.

What does it all mean?

They're likely going to abandon the product in favor of a more customizable offering (it just means 'more money'. It likely won;t be any better, mind you.

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Currently have: SP3, GPSMAP 276c, Nuvi 760T, Nuvi 3790LMT, Zumo 660T

Good food for thought...

(@bramfrank)

...but I see this move away from FM broadcast and towards cellphone-based service to be a good thing. Could provide opportunity for 2-way communication and therefore more customized (and timely) traffic service.

So, I spoke with TWO supervisors . . .

The long and the short of it is that I was not the only voice they heard from, but at the call center their hands are tied.

When I explained that I could buy a traffic receiver with a lifetime subscrtiption for about half of what the 4 annual renewals required to get to 2014 . . . I would be leaving MSN Direct unless they reiterated the lifetime subscription.

He then said that if you can find a prepaid card at BestBuy (in the USA - I'm in Canada) they will accept those - but THOSE were not discounted to $99 . . .

I was told that my comments (and those of the people who have escalated to supervisors) would be sent 'upstairs' - and that there is a feedback form on their web site for the grassroots to make their wishes known.

So, the long and tyhe short of it is that for the moment you MIGHT be able to get prepaid cards for $129 - and that we can start a feedback filing protest.

Sorry I couldn't provide more positive information.

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Currently have: SP3, GPSMAP 276c, Nuvi 760T, Nuvi 3790LMT, Zumo 660T

and this is what I wrote . . .

I have been trying to purchase a lifetime update (for $99) since you finally managed to get the traffic coverage to the point where it is useful just this week.

You finally get the service to be useful and now I can't buy a cost-effective subscription - and if I can't, then I'll just pay $100 for a traffic receiver with a lifetime subscription and let my MSNDirect service lapse.

I am not alone in my opinion - people in a couple of web sites I participate in are not happy . . and lots more people out there that I know personally.

I would like to discuss the matter with someone with the authority to discuss the matter and perhaps override the 'system'.

Had you done a e-mail blast (or an announcement over the system) to your subscribers announcing the pending change I and others wouldn't be in this situation. So I hope we can get this resolved favorably.

I can be reached at xxx xxx-xxxx and my account is at xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx

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Currently have: SP3, GPSMAP 276c, Nuvi 760T, Nuvi 3790LMT, Zumo 660T

Through 2014 ?

Bought a lifetime subscription in Aug 2008.... Paid $129 and was told at that time it was not guaranteed beyond 2012. This would be a nice deal if it lasts through 2014, no complaints here.

---snip----------
The MSN Direct Navigation Services One-time Payment Plan includes Traffic, Gas Prices, Weather, and more for a one-time payment of $129.95 + applicable taxes. Service is not transferable to a new owner if you sell the device, and may not be transferred to a different device. Service is not guaranteed beyond January 1, 2012.

Garmin 755t - lifetime MSN Live - Lifetime Map Upgrade

How much should I sell this for?
thx,
Jen

To me?

jennyzita wrote:

How much should I sell this for?
thx,
Jen

For 15 bucks:))

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You can walk a horse to water, but a pencil has to be led.

thanks for the info

thanks for the info

MSN Lifetime

Rayzers wrote:
jennyzita wrote:

How much should I sell this for?
thx,
Jen

For 15 bucks:))

Heck.. I'll give you $20.

MSN Direct

Canceled mine altogether,,,,,just seemed way less than accurate most of the time (Greater Baltimore Area)

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nuvi' 2450

Just in time!

cool
Purchased the lifetime feature when the trial period ended, just in time...

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"Destination Eternity" Garmin 765T, & Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

more about nuLink

Hi,

I kept putting off getting a new GPS and had finally decided to get one with the MSN feature. I guess I won't now. Thanks for the info.

The 1690 with the nüLink service looks interesting, but I am unsure of how nüLink will fare, how long it will last, and if it will be a reasonably priced service. Does anyone have a good feel for how it will play out, or for how long Garmin is committed to providing the service?

nüLink

I bought one two weeks ago. Just got back from a 1100 Mi round trip from Gainesville FL to Jacksonville NC and back. It would seem that it might be around a while. It uses AT&T cell towers so the coverage should be very large. I never lost contact once, not even in my motel room. I'm learning more each time I use it, it's my first GPS. It probably uses the same technology as the nuviphone. Hope this helps.

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Lets Roll

Great Info

jhoyt49, thanks for the info, it's all positive and quite helpful. What did you think of the various services that are available?

MSN direct

For one, the gas search feature can save some mony. I was SB on I96 about 5 mi or so from Savannah GA, it gives the higher prices in red and the lower prices in green and points in the direction of the station. Straigh up arrows are the ones that will be right off the interstate and anything else will be somewhere else even the ones behind you BUT what I experienced was this.
At the point I descrebed above there where 6 or 7 prices in red (higher prices) straight ahead and about 20 other lower prices behind me. I said to myself I'm not going back or paying the higher prices, I'll wait a while. Then after I passed all the exits that lead into Savannah with the higher prices I did another search and wowa, there where a bunch of cheaper prices just ahead. The question I had was, Why did I get all these location with the lower prices behind me and not after Savannah? The ones after Savannah where closer on the first search.
Anyway that is a great service that will save you money. It tells you the last price update also by saying today, yesterday, two days ago... I'm new at this GPS thing so that's the best one so far. The google search for Wall-Mart or anything that can be located even by phone number is great. You can't load all those POI's. Not that you don't need POI's. The one I just love is the rest area POI, I set it to 3 mile alert and couldn't believe how many rest stops there where. We use them a lot to stretch and walk around. The next POI I get will be the red light cameras. I can go on but want to keep it somewhat short, chat later.
Jim

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Lets Roll

Will the nüLink service

Will the nüLink service work with the 755T?

nüLink only available on the new nuvi1690

No.
Go to the Garmin site. It'll show the newest model is the only one with nüLink. It's to take over where the MSN lets off. nüLink will have much much more coverage area. Some of the services will probably evolve over time like traffic and weather. The nuvi1690 connects with not only the GPS sats in space but with AT&T cell towers.

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Lets Roll

More Great Info - Thanks

Jim,

Thanks for the first hand info on the nuLink. Sounds like a good service.