BMW Connected drive 3G to 4G?

[panamamike]

Anyone know if any version of the i3 comes with a 4G cell radio? I recently learned that 3g is being sunsetted in Dec. 2021, meaning no more 3g service. My understanding is the i3 uses 3g. When the change occurs, will it be possible to upgrade to 4g?

 

[vreihen]

When the 2G sunset left BMW owners with no connectivity in the USA, they gave everyone a choice between a $200 gift card or updating them to 3G hardware:

https://www.bmwcca.org/news/2g-based-bmw-assist-and-connecteddrive-service-ends-december

I'm not pulling the trigger on a $2,000 Bimmer-Tech NBT EVO upgrade until I see if BMW will be doing it for free as part of the 3G sunset.....

 

[panamamike]

When the 2G sunset left BMW owners with no connectivity in the USA, they gave everyone a choice between a $200 gift card or updating them to 3G hardware:
https://www.bmwcca.org/news/2g-based-bmw-assist-and-connecteddrive-service-ends-december

Thx, good to know.

 

[richs]

What was the first i3 model year that included LTE/4G? Wondering if my car will lose access to BMW Connected in Feb. 2022.

I'm about 90% sure that my 2017 i3 has 3G cellular, so I'll just ask. What hardware (at a minimum) will need to be changed out in a 2017 model to enable LTE connectivity? I've gotten spoiled with the ability to precondition the AC and check the charge status remotely, but these features are definitely not worth spending $2000 on a new infotainment system, as the previous posts in this thread suggest. Is there a way to just change out the cellular hardware for a newer LTE version and leave the infotainment system alone?

 

[BL5]

AT&T is notifying cellular users about the change as of today.

https://www.slashgear.com/att-update-needed-buy-a-new-phone-or-lose-service-22630223/

This week AT&T started sending out emails about how users will need a new smartphone if they want to continue “receiving service.” AT&T’s message does not suggest that users will lose service instantly – but they DO suggest that some users will NEED to upgrade to a new phone if they plan on continuing to get phone calls by the time the countdown is done.

An update email from AT&T suggested that they’re upgrading their network “to use the latest technologies.” AT&T continues, saying “these updates are to serve you better and bring faster speeds and greater reliability.”

BMW still has a ton of old vehicles on the road with 3G. Curious what their plans are.

 

[robthebold]

Should I be seeing anything in the quotes above? Looks like back-to-back open/close quotes, but maybe something's blocked on my end that you'd included . . .

 

[BL5]

Question for 2018-2020 i3 (LTE) owners. Does your ConnectedDrive app send commands to the car quicker than 2014-2017 (3G)?

My Tesla processes commands in seconds, of course it’s on AT&T LTE.

Today my MY 15/17 can take up to 90 seconds to respond to commands, hoping LTE is an improvement?

I also read AT&T is transitioning away from 3G in Feb 2022. Let’s hope BMW has a plan, as they’ve promised ConnectedDrive access for 10 years after purchase.

 

[alohart]

Question for 2018-2020 i3 (LTE) owners. Does your ConnectedDrive app send commands to the car quicker than 2014-2017 (3G)?

I would be very surprised if remote command execution is faster under 4G. The amount of data being transmitted wouldn't need to be great, so data speed shouldn't make a big difference.

I'm guessing that remote command execution is slow due to BMW's servers that must relay remote commands in both directions: BMW Connected app -> Internet -> BMW server -> mobile data network -> telematics module -> command execution -> telematics module -> mobile data network -> BMW server -> Internet -> BMW Connected app. Delays could occur at any point along this chain. Tesla's servers might be faster.

 

[Deutsch100]

Wasn't it not confirmed on this Forum by a great member, that even showed the part number & diagram that 2018-2020 i3 already has 4G (I asked this question too)?

Btw, sending commands via the BMW connected app on my 2020 i3 is as slow as on my 2019 i3 Tesla has the app pretty perfected. Jaguar, Mercedes, BMW and even the Porsche connected apps are very slow and glitchy!

 

[Deutsch100]

Great forum member alohart sent me this:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=8P23-USA-11-2019-I01N-BMW_i-i3_120Ah&diagId=84_1272

 

[richs]

So...to sum up:

2014 - 2017 i3 : 3G telematics that will stop working in early 2022 when AT&T pulls the plug on their 3G network.

2018 - 2020+ i3: 4G LTE telematics built-in. No problem for the foreseeable future.

So, what's the plan for the older cars? I still haven't heard anything. Will there be a BMW-supported upgrade path from 3G to 4G for 2017 and older cars?

 

[richs]

I had the day off today, so I decided to spend the morning on the phone trying to get a definitive answer on how to upgrade my i3 from 3G to 4G. I never got a good answer from anyone, but here's what I did find out:

- I called the local dealership. Service department didn't know. They transferred me to the parts department. They didn't know, either. They suggested I try the BMW Connected line at 888-831-1117.

- Called the BMW Connected support line. They didn't know. They suggested that I talk to my local dealership. :lol: I explained that I'd already talked to the dealership and they referred me next to to the BMW Genius line at 833-443-6487.

- Called the BMW Genius line. They didn't know, either, but were slightly more familiar with the situation. They informed me that until BMW puts out a service bulletin, the local dealerships won't know what to do and there isn't any official upgrade. They did verify that BMW has not put out a service bulletin yet. I asked if BMW has any current plans for an an official upgrade coming up soon. They had no information either way.

- I tried to get an answer as to whether there would be an upgrade of just the combox (keeping the existing iDrive system, but upgrading to a 4G "radio"). They thought that it might be possible to do that, but no one really knows for sure. They seemed to think (but they could not verify) that this is what was done for customers during the 2G-to-3G upgrades around 2014.

- The consensus view seems to be that a 3G-to-4G upgrade will almost certainly be possible if the entire iDrive system is replaced along with the combox but even BMW concedes that this will be a ridiculously expensive upgrade that hardly anyone would actually consider doing.

So, I got a little more information, but not much. Dealing with BMW corporate has been frustrating, to say the least. They obviously haven't made this a priority, even though the AT&T 3G network is already being "phased out" and is supposed to be entirely gone by Feb, 2022. It's really bizarre how they just don't seem to be thinking about it much and still have very little idea of what they plan to do.

 

[Deutsch100]

I had the day off today, so I decided to spend the morning on the phone trying to get a definitive answer on how to upgrade my i3 from 3G to 4G. I never got a good answer from anyone, but here's what I did find out:

- I called the local dealership. Service department didn't know. They transferred me to the parts department. They didn't know, either. They suggested I try the BMW Connected line at 888-831-1117.

- Called the BMW Connected support line. They didn't know. They suggested that I talk to my local dealership. :lol: I explained that I'd already talked to the dealership and they referred me next to to the BMW Genius line at 833-443-6487.

- Called the BMW Genius line. They didn't know, either, but were slightly more familiar with the situation. They informed me that until BMW puts out a service bulletin, the local dealerships won't know what to do and there isn't any official upgrade. They did verify that BMW has not put out a service bulletin yet. I asked if BMW has any current plans for an an official upgrade coming up soon. They had no information either way.

- I tried to get an answer as to whether there would be an upgrade of just the combox (keeping the existing iDrive system, but upgrading to a 4G "radio"). They thought that it might be possible to do that, but no one really knows for sure. They seemed to think (but they could not verify) that this is what was done for customers during the 2G-to-3G upgrades around 2014.

- The consensus view seems to be that a 3G-to-4G upgrade will almost certainly be possible if the entire iDrive system is replaced along with the combox but even BMW concedes that this will be a ridiculously expensive upgrade that hardly anyone would actually consider doing.

So, I got a little more information, but not much. Dealing with BMW corporate has been frustrating, to say the least. They obviously haven't made this a priority, even though the AT&T 3G network is already being "phased out" and is supposed to be entirely gone by Feb, 2022. It's really bizarre how they just don't seem to be thinking about it much and still have very little idea of what they plan to do.

Wow, that sounds frustrating. If it makes you feel any "better", I would say dealing with Mercedes & Jaguar is even more frustrating :-o I am very surprised BMW is not actively working on this 3G to 4G upgrade as this will affect quite a few cars and could result in a large number of unhappy customers that could say f*ck it, and switch to another brand. Seems like bad business and terrible for brand retention. Thank you for taking the time to do this and share with us!!

 

[Anonymous]

am very surprised BMW is not actively working on this 3G to 4G upgrade

I'd be very surprised if the weren't. When the networks went from 2G to 3G there was all the same speculation and no 'news' from BMW at all, then suddenly BMW popped up with mailings out to customers that they could get a 2G to 3G combox swap through the dealer, or opt for a $200 gift card instead.

 

[Deutsch100]

am very surprised BMW is not actively working on this 3G to 4G upgrade

I'd be very surprised if the weren't. When the networks went from 2G to 3G there was all the same speculation and no 'news' from BMW at all, then suddenly BMW popped up with mailings out to customers that they could get a 2G to 3G combox swap through the dealer, or opt for a $200 gift card instead.

That's great then! Let's hope BMW does the same thing for 3G to 4G customers.

I would think BMW hopes most take the $200 gift card, as the parts and time to switch to 4G would cost more than $200, no?

 

[alohart]

I would think BMW hopes most take the $200 gift card, as the parts and time to switch to 4G would cost more than $200, no?

Even though the retail price plus labor cost for the upgrade would almost certainly be >$200, BMW would lose the subscription revenue for those who choose the gift card, so BMW might prefer the upgrade choice.

 

[Anonymous]

Even though the retail price plus labor cost for the upgrade would almost certainly be >$200, BMW would lose the subscription revenue for those who choose the gift card, so BMW might prefer the upgrade choice.

If you had a current active (paid) subscription, the upgrade, of course was free, or you could opt for the $200 cash gift card, or a $300 gift card for BMW swag. If you had a lapsed subscription, the cost for the combox swap (parts/labor/programming/activation) was being quoted at $1,000.

 

[richs]

If you had a current active (paid) subscription, the upgrade, of course was free, or you could opt for the $200 cash gift card, or a $300 gift card for BMW swag. If you had a lapsed subscription, the cost for the combox swap (parts/labor/programming/activation) was being quoted at $1,000.

That's useful information. I hope that the i3 and other BMW models are capable of a combox-only swap to get to 4G. This seems likely, but is still not confirmed. I'm sure that BMW would have to expend some technical effort to make the older iDrive communicate with a 4G combox (perhaps a software update).

My current free subscription expires in Sept. 2021, which is before the 3G network is taken down. The web site says that it's possible to renew it within 30 days of expiration. Sounds like my best bet to getting a free 4G upgrade would be to sign up for a paid subscription in August.

 

[eNate]

I wouldn't mind an update to iDrive 7, but I can't imagine there's going to be any difficulty in just swapping in the new cellular unit. Thinking of iDrive as the app, the comm box as the modem, and the data flowing through is agnostic to transmission speeds, no different than my phone switching between 3G and 4G as I move between coverage areas and the apps running unperturbed.

 

[EvanstonI3]

If you had a current active (paid) subscription, the upgrade, of course was free, or you could opt for the $200 cash gift card, or a $300 gift card for BMW swag. If you had a lapsed subscription, the cost for the combox swap (parts/labor/programming/activation) was being quoted at $1,000.

Do you have any insight into whether that had to be a full-blown full price subscription or could I just be on the $50/year plan and still benefit from this possible upgrade path (assuming they do it again for 3G users)