TallMartin

My complimentary AudiConnect subscription is coming to an end, and I'm wondering if I can add my car to my Verizon subscription. I previously used a TruFone SIM in the 2012 A6 I had before getting my new S6 earlier this year.

19hole

I doubt that you will be able to. Verizon uses a CDMA network and the cellular equipment in the car is GSM. Two incompatible technologies....

superswiss

It may work. Somebody got it to work in a 2017 A4. However, the issue with Verizon is that the SIM is only for their LTE network. Devices designed to work on Verizon's network must have two cellular radios. One for CDMA and one for LTE. The CDMA radio is used as a fall back in areas where there is no LTE coverage. The MMI doesn't have a CDMA radio, so if you drive in areas without LTE coverage, the MMI will have no network connection instead of falling back to 3G or 2G.

75 Fox

In a nutshell, no.

I took the SIM chip from my 2016 S6 to my local Verizon dealer. They had the same size chip and all, but when it was plugged into the S6 it would not allow for a connection to my Verizon account.

The dealer tried it several times before declaring defeat.

Problem is, the cost on the T-Mobile plan is outrageous, but they have a captive audience so they can get away with it.

Island Maser

To me it is just more marketing gimmicks. Its way easier for me just to use the smart phone I already have which does it faster and easier. I am stillnin my trial but I will just let that lapse and not renew. Way too expensive for what it is. I can't believe an 80K cars only comes with a 3 month trial for Sirus!

HiTEC

I know this doesn't help, but I got an LTE connection when I put my T-Mobile SIM into my car. Just FYI. I wouldn't hold out too much hope for VZW and Sprint working.

19hole

That is because T-Mobile is on a GSM network, like AT&T. Verizon is still stuck in the CDMA world.

superswiss

Here's a good article that explains it all. The main issue is that T-Mobile and AT&T run 3G GSM networks, while Verizon and Sprint run 3G CDMA networks. The MMI doesn't support 3G CDMA, so there is no fallback if you drive outside of LTE coverage. With LTE all carriers are moving to the same technology, although there are still some differences as explained in the article when it comes to frequency bands and in case of Sprint a slightly different LTE standard.

CDMA vs. GSM: What's the Difference? | News & Opinion | PCMag.com