Just had an email this morning from TomTom informing me that certain functions on my stand alone SatNav like live traffic data and 'Danger Zone' alerts (Speed camera zones in plain English!), will cease to work in France this year due to the Mobile network operators switching off the 2G network. The SatNav will continue to navigate OK with it's inbuilt maps, but no more 'live' data feed to give the enhanced data. I assume that some enhanced search features will also disappear as well, as data driven!
Now, my SatNav is quite old, and has it's own inbuilt SIM card on the 2G network, giving 'lifetime' live data, unlike many newer ones that use your mobile phone data via a Bluetooth link, those should not be affected.
I'm guessing a number of other brands of SatNav with inbuilt SIMs may also be affected, so may be worth checking your own SatNav to see if it's also going to lose live data.
Not sure about my car with it's inbuilt SatNav (and safety SOS alert system etc.) fed from an onboard SIM, the (TomTom based) SatNav has the enhanced data feed capability, but I personally don't pay the subscription fee (stupidly expensive!) to keep that active. It may well be these functions cease too with the demise of the 2G network!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
It does not affect me as such as I have been using Google Map on my main phone since I got my van with no in-build Sat Nav since 2021 with no reported issues.
I have unlimited data and roaming in EU with EE for my main phone for work related purposes which helps.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
It might be just Tom Tom products I have a Garmin Camper and have not heard this Garmin use an app from your phone for Live Traffic, as for speed camera alerts they are illegal in France and Switzerland here is a warning from the Pocket GPS World website which I use
UK and Europe Database
Please note that the European database DOES NOT include UK cameras. This is because the UK database is in mph and the European database is in kmh. If you want both UK and Europe then you will need to download both versions.
France & Switzerland
Using a speed camera database like ours in Switzerland is illegal. As such the data is available as an option with the European database.
As of 5th January 2012 'Speed Cameras Warnings' are illegal in France. However, 'Warnings for Dangerous Zones' are legal. The French data is available as an option in the European database. Unfortuntely until manufacturers open up the 'warning zones' to 3rd parties we cannot comply with the French law as we only provide set points. Use of the French data is at your own risk.
Quote: Originally posted by cliffbrown on 15/2/2026
It might be just Tom Tom products I have a Garmin Camper and have not heard this Garmin use an app from your phone for Live Traffic, ......
I think the issue is with ANY SatNavs that have their own inbuilt SIM card as mine does, that works off the 2G mobile network. Any SatNav linked to a modernish phone is likely fine as it'll be on 4G/5G and ignore the demise of 2G/3G.
There are still millions of 'machine to machine' (data) devices using 2G/3G though, so I'd be checking things like trackers too!
The issue will come to UK too soon enough, 3G should have ended last year, 2G is slated to end 2026-27!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
The only 3G network still available is O2's and that is supposed to be ending soon.
They kept it going for longer to avoid an abrupt end for mobile devices that rely on 3G network apparently.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Some SatNavs losing features in 2026
