BMW Connected drive 3G to 4G?

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that as long as what ever subscription you had at the time used/needed the cell connection to function, it qualified for the free com box update.

 

[alohart]

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)

This is an important distinction. For our 2014 U.S. i3, 10-year subscriptions to Remote Services, Teleservice, Assist eCall, and eDrive Services were included in the car's purchase price, so they won't expire until 11/05/2024, well after AT&T's 3G service in the U.S. is terminated. I have chosen not to renew my subscriptions to Advanced Real-Time Traffic Information and ConnectedDrive Services and don't believe that I was ever subscribed to Concierge Services. The annual subscription cost for these 3 services totals $200 which is way more than their value to me. I hope that my active subscriptions are sufficient to qualify for a no-cost 4G telematics module upgrade.

 

[Anonymous]

I hope that my active subscriptions are sufficient to qualify for a no-cost 4G telematics module upgrade.

As do a lot of us - let's hope with the 'new' upgrade BMW follows the same rules they did with the old one.

 

[EMRintheBimmer]

I thought I would share my recent experience getting the TeleMatics Control Module replaced on my 2015 i3 Rex.
I purchased the car used from Carvana a few weeks ago and after days and days of trying to get the connected drive app working I filed a warranty claim. They approved and I went to the dealer to have it looked it.
BMW Dealership said the module was dead and they were going to replace it but had to order one and it would take a few days.
A day before my appointment the connected drive magically started working so at least I was able to see what it could do. I noticed the 3G logo in the corner of the screen and it would take at least 1-2 minutes to unlock the door from the app.
The dealership replaced the module and the radio for some reason.
I looked under the seat and the new TeleMatics module was made on Nov 27 2020.
I still have the 3G logo in the corner of the screen but the car seems to only take 20-30 seconds to unlock the door from the phone app now.
I asked if it was a 4G module but the sales rep had no idea and neither did the tech.
My old module part # was 84. 10 9 371 791-01 it was made Jan 28 2015
My new module part # is 84 - 10 - 6 - 836 - 777
The new module part number is compatible with some newer BMWs according to the parts page so maybe it is 4G?

The new Radio Cost was $480
The new module cost was $700
The backup battery in the module was $35
Labor was another $480
They had to replace and reprogram the TCB and do a Connected Drive refresh according to the labor breakdown.

I hope this helps.
Thanks
Erin

 

[richs]

I still have the 3G logo in the corner of the screen but the car seems to only take 20-30 seconds to unlock the door from the phone app now.
I asked if it was a 4G module but the sales rep had no idea and neither did the tech.

Erin, thanks for sharing your experience. I have a 2017 i3, the last year which came with the older iDrive system, like your 2015. My iDrive screen also says "3G" in the corner, but remote lock/unlock/climatize from my phone app consistently takes about 20 seconds. I've read endless complaints here and elsewhere about how unreliable/slow/buggy ConnectedDrive is, but it's always just worked fine for me since I got the car 9 months ago. Maybe 2017 i3's came with 4G telematics from the factory? Who knows?

Your experience with asking BMW dealership service for technical details about the car is the same as mine--they know nothing about the i3 beyond how to run diagnostics software and swap out parts.

 

[eNate]

Just to put 3G vs. 4G in context, this is simply the frequency band / encoding technology used for the car (in this case) to communicate with the nearest cell phone tower.

Everything else -- cell phone to cell tower or wifi router, internet connection to some BMW server somewhere -- all that stuff is the same, and that's where the delay is occurring.

The tiny stream of data that commands the doors to unlock or climitazation to begin get to the car just as quickly regardless of what radio technology the car has installed.

There's even an argument to be made that a 3G signal may be more reliable than 4G in an area of sketchy coverage, far from a cell tower -- though it's also true a cell tower can support a greater number of simultaneous 4G users.

But realistically, in actual use in most instances, there should be no difference.

 

[alohart]

I purchased the car used from Carvana a few weeks ago and after days and days of trying to get the connected drive app working I filed a warranty claim.

Many i3 owners have reported problems accessing various ConnectedDrive functions. Frequently, the software running on the telematics module has apparently hung. Rebooting the module by removing and replacing its fuse has resolved these problems, at least temporarily, for many. This might explain the problems you were experiencing, especially because your telematics module seems to have begun working correctly.

I still have the 3G logo in the corner of the screen but the car seems to only take 20-30 seconds to unlock the door from the phone app now.

Our 2014 i3 has the original 3G telematics module, so I'm not familiar with the logo displayed by the 4G module. It could be that the connection could be either 3G or 4G, maybe depending on the relative signal strengths. Or maybe the module defaults to 3G unless only 4G is available. As eNate wrote, the amount of data typically transmitted isn't high, so 4G might not be noticeably faster than 3G and might cost BMW more than 3G.

My new module part # is 84 - 10 - 6 - 836 - 777
The new module part number is compatible with some newer BMWs according to the parts page so maybe it is 4G?

RealOEM lists this telematics module as 4G.

84106836777
Telematics control unit
TCB US 4G

You might have gotten lucky to have a functional telematics module replaced unnecessarily. You won't need to be concerned about the end of AT&T's 3G service in a little over a year.

 

[richs]

84106836777
Telematics control unit
TCB US 4G

Ah, now we're getting somewhere. If a given i3 has the above part installed, it almost certainly already has 4G connectivity, regardless of what the iDrive screen says.

What is the easiest way for me to check if my 2017 i3 has the above part installed?

 

[alohart]

What is the easiest way for me to check if my 2017 i3 has the above part installed?

This seems to suggest that all U.S. i3's built after 7/2016 have a 4G telematics module. You could lift the rear seat cushions, get part number for your telematics module, and look on RealOEM to determine whether that part is 3G or 4G.

 

[symonray]

I am hoping Art is correct about this. I purchased a CPO 2017 i3 Rex (manufactured in November 2016) to replace my 2016 i3 Rex about a year ago, and the ConnectedDrive connection for my 2017 is much more stable and quick when I use the App to communicate with the vehicle. I had many ConnectedDrive communication problems with my 2016 and had to resort to pulling the fuse for the module several times over the years to get it to work again. I have had no such problems with my 2017.

 

[djbrh]

Interesting. Anyone know if upgrading the Telematics box *requires* dealer programming? I suppose the smart thing to do is hold tight and see what BMW offers.

My 2014 takes 60-90 seconds to issue commands. I’ve only had the car a couple months, but it has 60k on it. It only came with one key fob, so I got a second one and paired it and made sure it works, but since then I often lock one of my fobs in the car with my phone while I run because I don’t want to get a fob all sweaty or have to deal with bags and whatnot. But it sounds like I might be playing with fire by doing that if the telematics boxes often go sideways. Ugh.

—Donnie

 

[richs]

I had many ConnectedDrive communication problems with my 2016 and had to resort to pulling the fuse for the module several times over the years to get it to work again. I have had no such problems with my 2017.

Yes, my experience exactly with my 2017 so far. ConnectedDrive just works, and takes about 20 seconds, pretty consistently. My car was manufactured in June of 2017, making it one of the last 2017 i3's produced, so if any 2017's have the new module from the factory, mine would. (I will take a look and verify once I figure out how to remove the back seat cushion without breaking it.)

I don't think that the speed/reliability difference has anything to do with the Telematics module being 4G-vs-3G, per se. As others have pointed out, 3G is plenty of speed to send little data messages to the car and back. I think it's more likely that the older modules were just buggy and BMW doesn't want to admit it. The new modules seem to be much more reliable, but they also just happen to be 4G modules.

 

[symonray]

I agree with all points made by Richs. My hope is that having a 4g module already installed (if that is true) on my vehicle might make my i3's transition on ConnectedDrive from 3G to 4G easier (and less costly) when ATT's 3G network is shut down a little over a year from now.

 

[eNate]

My build date is 7/17 and my TCU says:

1D 2 447 185-01
BMW 84.10

Chance in looking at the wrong box? It has an IMEI assigned and I think I'm looking in the correct place according to the diagrams.

 

[Anonymous]

In Idrive/connected drive, try connecting to the Connected Drive Store. You should then see what network com you are using top left of the screen. Not sure if a 4 G box would show 4G here, or 3G if ATT 4G LTE is operable. Might depend on what 'data-plan' BMW has attached to the car.

View attachment CD.png

 

[dleasman]

I talked to my BMW dealer today. Service dept knows nothing, but then I talked to parts. It seems there is an upgraded module for under the back seat. Basically, it's the entire infotainment system, as he called it. The cost of the updated unit is $2000, but he said to wait and see if BMW offers a discount to owners as they did when early models from BMW needed to upgrade from 2G to 3G.

So, it seems there will be an upgrade oath, but the actual cost is still an unknown, and hopefully will be less than the $2000 replacement cost.

 

[djbrh]

Do we know for sure that the i3 only works on ATT networks? Just noticed Verizon announced they are going to leave 3G working for a while longer again. They had tried to sunset it a couple years ago, then extended it to about now, and recently extended it again. Wondering if ATT might end up doing the same.

I’m in the group of people who has SUPER slow ConnectedDrive commands and am definitely 3G (2014). Been thinking about trying the upgrade to the 4G box, but willing to wait some if it means BMW pays for it. Ugh, what to do... Basically right now I want to be able to use my phone to lock/unlock (because I don’t mind carrying my phone when I drive somewhere to go for a run, but really do NOT like taking my fob), but I am too scared I’ll lose signal or the box will fail and it won’t let me in.


—Donnie

 

[EvanstonI3]

I have a fairly strong feeling that 2017 models in the USA all have 4G Telematics Control Units.
I accessed mine the other day to see what was on it. I was unable to remove the module to find the Part Number, but the LABEL on the Unit is most intriguing.

Can't post a pic here but here is what the Label on my 2017 BEV reads:

-----------
1D 2 447 185-01
BMW 84.10
IMEI: (bunch of numbers)
ICCID: (bunch of numbers)
Ser.: 0000067960 29/03/17
Model: TCB4G-01 T2-US-4G
HW/SW: 253.002.002/ 004.026.020
peilker caustic GmbH & Co. KG
Lieferanten Nr.: 550760-10

Contains FCC: QWY-V1140-101-1
Contains IC: 6588A-V11401011
------------
note bolded portion and compare with another label from the unit of an earlier i3 I found on eBay (lots of these):

------------
84.10 9 329 341-01
BMW
Assembled in Mexico
IMEI: (bunch of numbers)
ICCID: (bunch of numbers)
Ser.: 0000540652
Type: TCB-01 TCB US
Etc etc etc
--------------

I could not fully remove the Unit because I would have to use a T50 Torx to remove a bracket and I could not find one in my toolbox but I was able to pull the stereo and Telematics box back far enough away to snap a pic of the label.

Based on the differences in the label, I am going to assume for now that my 2017 has a 4G Telematics box. The build date on the label corresponds pretty much to the build date of my car, within a month. Of course I won't know anything for certain until mid-June when I can see if I can renew services, but I think that by then there will be some other people reporting between now and then on whether they were able to renew services that are expiring. Note this is only for 2017 and later models. Some owners of 2015 and 2016 models are reporting they are not able to renew services, most likely because they have the earlier Telematics Control Unit with 3G.

 

[eXodus]

I have a fairly strong feeling that 2017 models in the USA all have 4G Telematics Control Units.
I accessed mine the other day to see what was on it. I was unable to remove the module to find the Part Number, but the LABEL on the Unit is most intriguing.

--------------

I could not fully remove the Unit because I would have to use a T50 Torx to remove a bracket and I could not find one in my toolbox but I was able to pull the stereo and Telematics box back far enough away to snap a pic of the label.

Based on the differences in the label, I am going to assume for now that my 2017 has a 4G Telematics box. The build date on the label corresponds pretty much to the build date of my car, within a month. Of course I won't know anything for certain until mid-June when I can see if I can renew services, but I think that by then there will be some other people reporting between now and then on whether they were able to renew services that are expiring. Note this is only for 2017 and later models. Some owners of 2015 and 2016 models are reporting they are not able to renew services, most likely because they have the earlier Telematics Control Unit with 3G.

where exactly is the telematics unit? behind the headunit? I got a Torx 50 I would double check on my 2017 the next time I do something under the rear seats.

 

[eXodus]

Just put the part number in a catalog:

Does fit in a bunch of cars:
https://parts.bmwnorthwest.com/p/BMW_2017_i3-94Ah/Telematics-control-unit/68021511/84106836777.html
https://parts.bmwnorthwest.com/p/BMW_2016_i3-60Ah/Telematics-control-unit/68021511/84106836777.html


BMW i3 60Ah 2014, 2015, 2016
BMW i3 60Ah Rex 2014, 2015, 2016
BMW i3 94Ah 2017, 2018, 2019
BMW i3 94Ah Rex 2017, 2018, 2019
BMW i3s 94Ah 2018, 2019
BMW i3s 94Ah Rex 2018, 2019

Start looking in other BMW discussion boards - most BMW have the same box.