craignhp

Has anyone else received a package from T-Mobile? They just send me a box with a mobile 4G hotspot, a $200 debit card, and an apology saying they're upgrading their service and it will cut the speed of my mobile service. I use the google earth and Audi Connect quite a bit. Am I out of luck and forced to purchase a 2016 to replace my 2012? They're even giving me 5gigs a month for a year on the mobile hotspot. Obviously trying to do the right thing, but that won't help if my navigation doesn't work.

TimTheEnchanter

I haven't received anything like that. I don't know where you live but here in central Florida the Tmobile connection for my Audi was already terrible. Can't imagine what it would be like if they were to cut the speed further. Not sure what you could do besides try another provider (AT&T), though you may only get 2G service from them.

jasonlitka

T-Mobile is upgrading most of their 2G & EDGE (2.5G) network for LTE service. I believe what is being left behind is for emergency services & M2M devices.

The 2015 and older Audi 6/7 do not support LTE which means that once they've completed their upgrade in your area you'll be limited to whatever is remaining of that 2/2.5G network (likely not much), plus their 3G network (which doesn't have great coverage outside metro areas to start). At least 2014 & 2015 owners can switch to AT&T and get 3G coverage there.

It's possible they sent you the package because you've got a ton of prepaid time left and are located in an area about to be upgraded.

T-Mobile Celebrates 1st Anniversary of LTE Rollout By Launching Major Network Upgrade Program | T-Mobile Newsroom

This is one reason, of several, why I held off on my S6 order until the 2016 models were available.

craignhp

Sounds like that leaves the 2012-2015 A7 owners kinda stuck. I'm in northeast Indiana and T-Mobile isn't too strong around here anyway. I realize that I can still use nav in the old fashioned way, but I really like the Google Maps and Audi Connect services. Seems like Audi should somehow be responsible for upgrading existing cars so we can at least switch to AT&T at speeds other than 2G.

jasonlitka

Well, no, it leaves 2012-2013 owners stuck. As I said, 2014 & 2015 can switch to AT&T and get faster speeds than they were getting with T-Mobile.

I've not spent any significant amount of time in a 6/7, so I don't know the answer here, but can you tether the car to your cell phone (USB, Bluetooth, or WiFi hot spot) and use the service from that? If so, then it doesn't really matter.

EDIT: To answer my own question, no, but sort of with a pretty ingenious workaround.

3G+ MMI - Tethering Data from a mobile and WAP activation

feralc

And why 2012-2013 owners can't switch to AT&T?
What is the difference? I have used my IPhone AT&T SIM card in my car but only at 2G, someone mentioned it was getting 3G but only if you add the line as a broadband device (ie iPad)

jasonlitka

You can swap to AT&T, it will just be stuck at 2G.

The cellular radio was upgraded in 2014 models. The one in the 2012-2013 model does not support the bands used by AT&T for 3G service.

feralc

So that is why the ATT worked in 3G?
I thought it was because the SIM was a broadband sim (iPad like)
But isn't the radio update a software related issue? So if the MMi has the latest version it should work in 3G or not?

jasonlitka

No software update will magically make a hardware feature appear.

feralc

That was my question, if the radio update was software or hardware related
I thought it was software