We are not alone with MSN Direct poor signal.
Found these comments online:
This unit works well as a GPS however if you plan to purchase and use the Traffic feature from MSN direct expect disappointment. I live north of Los Angeles (91354) in a region covered by MSN direct and supported by Garmin however the unit will not receive a signal Until I reach the San Fernando Valley. MSN Direct unable to provide solution or assistance.
makes me happier about buying the 700 
how much does the service cost anyway? i can't find that info anywhere. The MSN Direct website is ridiculously lacking.
nice fight club quote catchmeifyoucan..
FYI - MSN Direct will not work if the FM antenna input is used for the HD Radio interface. It took me 1/2 day to figure that out.
nice fight club quote catchmeifyoucan..
What is the best way to get signal? It works for me at times... but I really think all this problem with the interface is with MSN & not with our units. They should have least had some sort of antenna... IMO
how much does the service cost anyway? i can't find that info anywhere. The MSN Direct website is ridiculously lacking.
Price is one time payment of $150 or $140 not sure which or a yearly fee of $50.
I'm in Durham (27713) but i dont receive great info till i'm in Raleigh, but i do receive info. Also my data comes in after about 3-4min.
so after 3 days of banging my head against the steering wheel, MSN Direct tells me "although we are showing full coverage in your area we cannot guarantee you will be able to pick it up."
Apparently the middle of a mall parking lot in Atlanta (and several other places) is not sufficient enough for the antenna. Smells fishy.
So the only complaints thus far are;
MSN Direct
iPod interface dropping connection a few times a day
Long boot-up time
so after 3 days of banging my head against the steering wheel, MSN Direct tells me "although we are showing full coverage in your area we cannot guarantee you will be able to pick it up."
+1
I should have strong data/signal also but my antenna icon never shows any bars.
I opted for the 6 months for $9.95 offer at activation, that gives me 9 full months to decide if it works well enough for 10 bucks. I live near the northern fringe area of coverage, but I have been getting updates. The 1st day after I activated it, I had a 40 mile trip into Houston, and the F series rerouted me around some traffic accidents automatically. The accidents were real ( I heard them on tv before I left), and I liked not having to do anything to get rerouted.
Time will tell if it works well enough to keep, but for the price of 2 starbucks lattes, you can try it for nine months. I did notice that I never get any bars on the display, even when driving into Houston (full coverage area).
so after 3 days of banging my head against the steering wheel, MSN Direct tells me "although we are showing full coverage in your area we cannot guarantee you will be able to pick it up."
+1
I should have strong data/signal also but my antenna icon never shows any bars.
Yeah - we spent half a day trying to figure out why there were no bars - HD Radio is the culprit. I'm going to try splitting the FM antenna. Speaking of which - there's another Pioneer 
When it see's HD Radio on the Bus, shouldn't it turn off the FM and AM inputs? Since HD will tune analog anyway?
I just recently added the HD module to my radio and it did not make a difference.
were you receiving digital broadcast? you will still get standard fm if you are not in digital range.