I had a 3G to 4G TCU upgrade to prove a point.

[airman2482]

My BMW has original factory warranty until the end of Feb 2022.

The remote services started “acting up”, I reported it to the dealer and they replaced the 3G telematics unit with a 4G unit.

I don’t know what price the whole thing cost, when I picked up my car, the service invoice stated it was under warranty and the paperwork listed the same parts and labor as the OP, except there was no price.

BMW was obligated to keep the car working as stated under the original factory warranty and I guess I’m probably “lucky” I brought up the spotty remote service.

There’s the whole story!

 

[airman2482]

Is it possible to hook up the new 4G telematics module to an NBT EVO ID6 unit?

Is there a cable for this?

(I know a WiFi antenna is needed, a transformer to adapt voltage for video screen and I believe an ethernet cable for GPS)

 

[3pete]

My BMW has original factory warranty until the end of Feb 2022.

The remote services started “acting up”, I reported it to the dealer and they replaced the 3G telematics unit with a 4G unit.

I don’t know what price the whole thing cost, when I picked up my car, the service invoice stated it was under warranty and the paperwork listed the same parts and labor as the OP, except there was no price.

BMW was obligated to keep the car working as stated under the original factory warranty and I guess I’m probably “lucky” I brought up the spotty remote service.

There’s the whole story!

Thanks for confirming. It makes sense they would do this under those warranty circumstances. But it's also more proof that BMW is lying when they say the upgrade is not possible which is unfortunate.

Sorry, I don't know anything about the NBT EVO ID6. Not sure if you'd get any bites if you put together a dedicated thread for your question but someone would have to dive pretty far down this one to see it here.

 

[airman2482]

I confirmed the ICC and IMEI is 4G of the new unit and the part number.

I should start a new thread on this because it would be nice to run an NBT EVO ID6 box rather than the RoadTop box I put in.

Yup, I confirmed it. I hope what I posted helped.

 

[tezarc]

OP here catching up on the discussions in this thread as February 1 looms. I must admit I'm more on the i3 Reddit than here.

I have been trying to renew ConnectedDrive services ahead of time but looks like the active "complimentary" package that will expire end of January seems to lock out any attempt at renewing. I did make sure the 4G TCU's IMEI is the one they have registered in their system. What else is there to do until we've gone off the cliff of February 1st?

I have been considering getting that ID6 upgrade but going to hold off until this mess is sorted out. Right now the head unit is below the 3rd party battery upgrade replacement AgentiMi is working on of the things I want for my i3.

 

[appie]

I am not sure this has been posted before, so: sorry if it has, but: does the 3G module support 2G as well by any chance? In my county, 3G will be discontinued soon too, but 2G will still be available because a lot of utility-style hardware still relies on it (alarm systems, smart gas&electric meters in peoples homes - so the power company can remotely read out their usage for billing, that kind of stuff). So if the 3G module supports 2G as well, then the connected services might still work (albeit a bit slower, but I don think they will suffer from a lower bandwidth that much because it is not a lot of data?).

 

[eNate]

2G has been phased out in the US, but it sounds like the second issue here is it wouldn't matter, because BMW won't renew the service —just like what tezart is experiencing — so even if there was back-channel connectivity, there'll be no server to connect to.

 

[tezarc]

On February 1st, I logged into ConnectedDrive portal.
Complimentary package marked as "Expired". No items to renew.
Sent climatize command to car via app. Car starts climatizing.
Sent departure time update to car via app. Car updates departure time.
Sent destination message to car via app. Car received a minute later.

Off the cliff of February 1st, today I logged into ConnectedDrive portal:
Complimentary package now gone. No items to renew.
Remote commands tried in previous update still working.
From within the vehicle, trying to access BMW Online begins the connection process but returns "The BMW ConnectedDrive Store is no longer available in this vehicle."
Real Time Traffic no longer shows in navigation, contrary to rumors that it might work over the air instead of cellular.

So it is looking like for affected owners BMW separated eDrive services from the ConnectedDrive package and my subscription lasts until 10 years after vehicle purchase. I will be able to use remote services for 2-3 more years, but lost Real Time Traffic unless I keep trying to get the ConnectedDrive store re-enabled.

 

[EvanstonI3]

From within the vehicle, trying to access BMW Online begins the connection process but returns "The BMW ConnectedDrive Store is no longer available in this vehicle."

My 2017 has always shown that since Original Services expired and I renewed last June 2021.
I'll check again tomorrow but I'm pretty sure that was changed awhile back.

 

[ronbot]

...

So it is looking like for affected owners BMW separated eDrive services from the ConnectedDrive package and my subscription lasts until 10 years after vehicle purchase. I will be able to use remote services for 2-3 more years, but lost Real Time Traffic unless I keep trying to get the ConnectedDrive store re-enabled.

Just the followup I came looking for. My local BMW dealer said to wait until we had some evidence before exploring deeper. The shop foreman here was asking for a contact so that he could call for details.

Was it you that said your dealer was: BMW Northwest, Tacoma WA., supervisor Jeffery Stanford, shop foreman Antonio Avina ?

Personally I wonder if a 'used' module (same p/n you used) can be reprogrammed/re-used if they work their ISTA magic on it.

ALSO... do app functions like "Vehicle Finder" still work?

My system was working at 10pm last night, but not today. I have Connected service contract through 2026.

 

[ksnax]

On February 1st, I logged into ConnectedDrive portal.

AT&T has not shutdown the service yet. That happens on the 22nd. (Tomorrow.)

 

[tezarc]

Illustrating that even though I'm now on a 4G TCU it's really not AT&T that is preventing me from getting full service, it's BMW.

 

[3pete]

AT&T has not shutdown the service yet. That happens on the 22nd. (Tomorrow.)

I wonder about this date. It seems like AT&T specified Feb of 2022 and some media outlets took that to mean Feb 22, 2022. I can't find a credible source (AT&T or BMW) that has a specific day in the shutdown date.

Either way, my 2014 car still has connectivity today (Feb 23, 2022) but I know I'm on borrowed time, so I'll try to enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[crp]

The 3G connection to my i3 was working on Feb. 25th, but not now (the 28th). I've read that AT&T 3G service will be gradually ending at somewhat different times in different regions of the country.

 

[airman2482]

Well, here is an update on my 2017 i3 REX and the 4G TCU replaced under the original BMW factory warranty which expired on 12FEB2022…now my BMW 24 month extended warranty kicked in on my i3.

I extended my RTTI services for another year (until MAR2023) on the BMW website and connected drive still works fine which I’ll extend when it expires this fall.

I tried an old iPhone 4 (3G) driving up north (AT&T locked phone) and it didn't work, 3G is spotty in the metro area. (It is being shut down) The Tracfone service in my old Apple iPhone 4 backup phone is good until July 2022 at which time Tracfone claims it won’t work anymore unless I upgrade to at least an iPhone 7 with new sim…(Tracfone sent me a letter last year the 3G service would be discontinued and it may not work at all in many areas after Jan 2022)

…the 4G LTE TCU box the dealer replaced under original factory warranty a few months ago works fine everywhere I’ve driven…The old NBT running ID4 is a bit slow, I’d love to buy an NBT EVO running ID6 and adapt the 4G telematics box to deliver Ethernet to the EVO boxes OADR connector, but I don’t want to open the 4G TCU up and modify it with a USB to Ethernet adapter and try it.

I’ve asked the dealer if they would install, code and register an ATM box with connected drive, they said they would check, but told me the ATM/EVO combo is not listed as compatible with my 2017…

I guess I’m lucky my older 3G TCU was replaced under warranty with a 4G LTE TCU.

Some “know it all” guy was telling me on a different BMW forum the 4G LTE TCU I have now wouldn’t work. That was a bunch of garbage. As I mentioned, Connected drive services let me renew RTTI for another year.

I don’t know if someone who replaces the 3G TCU with a 4G TCU would be allowed to continue services or not.

This is my updated report.

 

[frictioncircle]

I wonder about this date. It seems like AT&T specified Feb of 2022 and some media outlets took that to mean Feb 22, 2022. I can't find a credible source (AT&T or BMW) that has a specific day in the shutdown date.

Either way, my 2014 car still has connectivity today (Feb 23, 2022) but I know I'm on borrowed time, so I'll try to enjoy it while it lasts.

I recently upgraded from at 2014 BEV (3G) to a 2021 i3s (4G) which allows connected services that should last for some years ahead but BMW is failing older i3 owners by not upgrading 3G telematics units for 4G. This is a repeat of the 2G sunset years ago: https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/bmw-sos-emergency-connected-drive-assist-2g-cancelled-telematics/

AT&T may extend 3G service via T-Mobile roaming:
https://www.lightreading.com/4g3gwi...e-3g-roaming-deal-with-t-mobile/d/d-id/775491

The above said, BMW should have upgraded all older i3 owners to a 4G telematics unit. With their new iX & i4 inbound, it's a bad look to degrade the legacy product while the replacement goods are still not available.

 

[eNate]

Well, here is an update on my 2017 i3 REX and the 4G TCU replaced under the original BMW factory warranty ...

Wait, yours is a 2017? What's your build date?

Are you sure your original box wasn't 4G? My July 11 2016 had a 4G box, despite the screen indicating 3G.

 

[EvanstonI3]

Wait, yours is a 2017? What's your build date?

This is a different owner than the OP responding.

 

[ronbot]

My 2015 finally stopped giving me updates on its condition (and stopped responding to my requests) on 3/10/2022... sad day.

 

[Barvelh]

So, I upgraded my i3 from 3G to a 4G telematics box myself this week.

Can you do it yourself? Yes, and no.

I used a used 4G box from a 2017 X3 (eBay, about $100). It plugged in in place of the 3G box under the rear seat. I thought it was worth trying a used box, since there's a significant cost savings. I just made sure the part number matched tezarc's part number

There is one extra antenna connection on the 4G box that my car didn't have a wire for. From my research it seems to be redundant and not needed on this car.

After installing the new box, when I turned the car on, it complained that the emergency call function was disabled.

I then used my Chinese knockoff ICOM Next box with a laptop with the presumably pirated ISTA software, and had ISTA do its thing - that consisted of updating basically every module on the car to the latest 2021 "i level", and coding any modules that didn't match (in this case the telematics box was automatically re-coded to match my car).

Was I successful? Well, it appears the box is working. I still receive notifications on my phone when charging starts and ends. What didn't work is that ISTA couldn't contact the ConnectedDrive Portal to register the new box, so I can't send commands from the app to the car. Apparently because my copy of ISTA isn't attached to a licensed dealership, it couldn't connect to that portal.

I had already coded my car so that the remote's panic alarm button now activates the climatize function, and climatize was the main thing I used the app for, so I've not done anything about it yet.

Could a BMW dealer service department do this with a new (or used) 4G box and make all the functions work properly? Absolutely, 100%.

I'm going to be charitable and say that the person at BMW who wrote the letter stating that there is no upgrade path from 3G to 4G for these cars was at least misinformed. The cynical part of me thinks that maybe BMW is on the hook to pay the wireless phone companies a tiny amount of money every time a packet of data gets sent to or from one of these cars, and they saw this as a way to slightly reduce their ongoing costs at the expense of customer goodwill.

How is your 4G install so far?

I am looking at a few on e-bay but little hesitant..

Thanks for your reply.