Heard of PhantomAlert.com?

Sounds like you just answered your own question.

Guess it might depend on cost vs how well/often they update. Constuction zones, dui check points and speed traps change by the day, time of day and by the hour. looks like they simply compile info. probably from this site and others and simply charging people while they expect you to give/verify
the info for free.

I had questions on phantomalert also, one being how do they ensure up to date data? If they are simply a "compiler/aggregator" program then how would accuracy be determined? If on the other hand they have specific technologies to validate their "current" data for accuracy etc. than that might be an option for some motorists.

As I'm doing now, I often read these forums on my lunch break at work. I just went to have a look at the Phantom Alert site, and Websense blocks it as "Illegal or questionable" content.

I don't think I'll bother to look at it from home.

I have the app on my iPhone and it work pretty good. Nice app.

I have it on my Garmin Nuvi 2450. But you can not customize the installation.

It worked great on my older ones, but with the 2450 I have to download the entire US location file. Fortunately it has enough space for it.

If you download the custom version it only gives you a visual clue of the approaching hazard or speed limit, etc. and two audio tones. There is no voice.
They state clearly on the website they are coming out with a beta version soon to ensure compatibility with the newer Garmins and add the voice, etc.

I emailed their support about this, and I got a phone call from them about a week later. A tech said he can get with me on my PC and modify the file so at least I can get the voice alert.

It was totally out of the blue, but he acted like I would have my Garmin with me when he called and that I was ready to go and have been waiting for a week. Very strange.

Anyway, told him I was not ready, and will call support back when I am.

If they know what has to be done what are they waiting for? I'd rather have a finished piece of software even it is beta then go in and have to manually revise software. For all I know it's Garmin software and that's why it is taking long. If that's the case they will have some problems as more and more people purchase newer models.

Phantom advertises "it has the largest database of a product of its kind." Know what? That may be true. What they leave out is the FACT that they give more false alarms than true ones. In speaking to a technician there he stated their latest update removed 70,000 false alerts. Can you imagine that? And yet the following accounts I endured happened after this update.

Forget using the "speed camera or trap" alert. It's virtually useless, My experience was 75 to 80% false alerts. Picture this....someone got a speeding ticket at milepost 1.10 two years ago. Someone else got a speeding ticket at milepost 1.20 one year ago and someone else at milepost 1.30 a month ago. And someone else once saw a police car on the side of the road at milepost 1.50. The Phantom alert people now have 4 alerts for a speed trap that may or may not exist. Your unit will sound false alerts to drive a person crazy. This example is an exaggeration using closer proximity alerts than I experience. But indicative of the reality.

Lets move on to the alert that I wanted most. The "redlight camera" alert. In both New Jersey and Florida I experienced 30-40% errors. Previously I used an app provided by another company which I have returned to. I know what a redlight camera looks like. I know what sign before an intersetion warning of a camera to look for.

So I know there were no cameras where I received false alerts. At several intersections when I had time I "double" checked. No cameras.

Additionally in both states I received redlight camera alerts where there are "NO" traffic lights. Go figure?

At several intersections I received false alerts and went to the PhantomAlert website to indicate there were no cameras there and.....their website also shows no cameras and still the program gives a false alert.

Finally, I used their website to ask a question about false alerts and a second letter voicing my displeasure at the product and to date (weeks later) still no response to either email.

This is a real case of "Buyer Beware"

Good luck to all.

Why would anyone want something other than POI Red Light and Speed Camera files??