i3's on-board cellular technology discontinued 12/31/16?!

[alohart]

I just took our i3 out of storage and was immediately notified that my first scheduled service was overdue. I called BMW of Honolulu to schedule this service plus any product updates, recalls, software updates, etc., and was told that because the i3's on-board cellular technology would not be supported after 2016, I would need to decide what to do about this. I was told to go to this Website to select one of 3 options:

• Have the cellular transceiver deactivated and receive a $200 Visa gift card to compensate me for the balance of my prepaid contract
• Have the cellular transceiver deactivated and receive a $300 BMW Lifestyles and Accessories credit to compensate me for the balance of my prepaid contract
• Have the cellular transceiver updated to the current standard and pay $199/year to subscribe to the cellular service

One problem is that when I enter the VIN of our i3 in the form on this Website, the response is "You have entered an invalid VIN. Please re-enter for validation." Another problem is that the title of this Website's home page is "BMW 2G Sunset - VIN". i3's have 3G, not 2G cellular service, right? AT&T will be discontinuing 2G cellular service at the end of 2016, so that would affect any use of 2G cellular service, but that shouldn't affect i3 owners. Apparently, some earlier BMW models use 2G cellular service, so I'm guessing that BMW of Honolulu's service department is confused.

Have any of you heard anything about this?

 

[jadnashuanh]

This press release might shed some additional information...
http://www.bimmerfest.com/news/927752/bmw-assist-retrofit-and-compensation/

 

[SSi3]

http://www.bimmerfest.com/news/891542/bmw-assist-prior-to-2014-will-not-be-reactivated-in-2017/

 

[I33t]

Repost from another thread.

I think it is only the internet access that is being cancelled:

We received a message from BMW recently:

"Dear BMW ConnectedDrive Customer,

The following BMW ConnectedDrive Services in your BMW with the Vehicle Identification Number **** will expire on 2016-09-30:

Internet "

I found this message strange so made a query, and the answer was:

"A decision worldwide was made by BMW Head Office in Munich to discontinue the internet function (option code 6AR) due to limited functionality this feature offers. Only the Internet browsing function within your vehicle will no longer work once this subscription expires."

So sounds like internet browsing is being cancelled on the i3 worldwide.

 

[alohart]

Thanks jadnashuanh and SSi3 for the links to articles that indicate that i3's aren't likely affected. I33t, this seems to be about the obsolete cellular network used by older BMW's rather than the Internet option. 2017 i3's still use the G3 cellular network just like all i3's, so BMW can't be discontinuing support for the cellular network on a car that it is currently selling.

If BMW of Honolulu continues to insist that BMW is discontinuing support for the cellular network used by our i3, I'll request the installation of a 4G LTE transceiver at which point they'll discover that this isn't possible.

 

[I33t]

I33t, this seems to be about the obsolete cellular network used by older BMW's rather than the Internet option. 2017 i3's still use the G3 cellular network just like all i3's, so BMW can't be discontinuing support for the cellular network on a car that it is currently selling.

If BMW of Honolulu continues to insist that BMW is discontinuing support for the cellular network used by our i3, I'll request the installation of a 4G LTE transceiver at which point they'll discover that this isn't possible.

Like me, you missed the relevant info from the notification... I have to say that the communication from BMW was both confusing and vague.

The cellular network is not being obsoleted or discontinued in the i3.

What is being discontinued is the Internet option. All this means is that we will not be able to browse the internet via the i3's cellular network connection and the browser on the i3's display. Nothing else is effected at all. The i3 data connection that updates it's parameters that are accessible via the internet from home or your mobile are not altered or disconnected at all.