Awesome, just signed back up for the first time since my 6 month trial ended (almost 2 years ago). It will be nice to be able to use these features again at a price that is at least approaching fair.

 

No. 3G works fine for what the system does if you're in a good coverage area. Its a car, not a desktop.

 

I disagree.. rolling Wifi feature is advertised as internet connectivity for up to 8 devices in the car. So I disagree that 3G "works fine". In the era of 4G and LTE it's puzzling why we would use 3G in the car. Try sharing 3G connection with 2 devices for example.

Even at the announcement of the new A3 I think President of Audi US mentioned 4G.

And I'll give you a scenario where you want 4G. I'm driving to LA and kids want to watch Netflix or TV shows, or I need it for video conferencing while I'm in the back seat. I'm just giving you hypothetical situations but this is definitely the purpose of the Wifi and internet connectivity in the new Audis.

So it's a bit disappointing if we are limited to 3G only.

 

I bought my new A6 on the 25th. My dealer also told me about the "7 day window" to buy at a deal price.

I've got 6 months for free; I'd rather wait if I could to spend $450 I won't even use until October.

So the 7 day new car time limit for plan purchase is BS, right?

 

I have to disagree with your disagreement. You are looking for a rolling conference video center, I think that expectation in a standard car is unreasonable. The purpose of the Audi wifi is bragging rights and the fact that its "neat" and uncommon. I'm sure you could find what you want in a custom limo.

Granted, in a year or so 4G/LTE may be fairly common in cars, but I think it will only be practical if they switch to Verizon, or at least AT&T as they are the only ones with enough coverage.

 

Within the next year it would not surprise me to see a 4G upgrade for existing vehicles. If AT&T or Verizon (or T-Mobile) will give someone a smartphone worth hundreds of $ for a 2 year data plan contract, why wouldn't they be willing to chip in $ to a retrofit or upgrade in exchange for 4G usage and steady revenue for years?

I called AT&T on Monday and asked them if I could add my Audi to my datashare plan for $10/month, just like it was a tablet. They put me on hold, came back on and said "does your car have an IMEI #" ? I said I don't know, haven't picked it up yet, but will call you. I did see an IMEI # in the MMI, will have to try it.
Even if only 2G, would it be worth $10/month? Maybe these other options is what drove T-Mobile's new pricing.

 

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2844871

Just waiting for confirmation that US models will have the offering. Sent an email to Audi and Gemalto asking the same.

Tony

 

Quite possible that your definition of 'standard car' is different from others..

IMHO, if there is a new feature and is available at reasonable cost difference (e.g. swapping 3G "module" with a 4G "module") that should be embraced by the manufacturer...

In this particular case, there is little risk to the manufacturer, since mobile phones seem to have done it without problems..

 

The 7 day limit from purchase was available up until this week but T-Mobile has now decided to extend that offer for everyone with Audi Connect. While there's no stated time limit to take advantage of the $450 30 month offer, there's no guarantee it will still be available in 6 months or whenever; there's some risk to waiting.

 

Hopefully we will get some kind of upgrade otherwise our Audi connect will look like a Motorola star tac

Audi connect®

The modular infotainment platform in the Audi A3 also brings several upgrades to the industry leading Audi connect® service. Audi's connected vehicle strategy targets features and services that enhance the driving experience for Audi drivers and their passengers by providing the benefits of access to information and content, when needed, through interfaces designed for the in-vehicle environment. Already, Audi is a leader with integrated high-speed mobile broadband in the vehicle. Now with 4G/LTE technology in the Audi A3, customers will be able to connect with a network capable of supporting data rates of up to 150 Mbit/s downstream and considerably faster response times. Using the existing Wi-Fi connectivity for up to 8 devices, passengers can now view high-definition videos and make video conference calls from the vehicle. Adding to the existing Google Earth™ 3D satellite imagery and intelligent POI search with Google Voice™ Local Search, the Audi A3 introduces a new Picture Navigation service. Here the driver can save photos of destinations, which are linked to geo-navigation data (GPS), in the "photo box" of MMI Navigation plus. These may be the driver's own photos or scenes from Google Maps Street View. Photos can be imported via an SD card or a myAudi account. A new app integration interface over Wi-Fi for music streaming and other connected device apps, voice-controlled social media features, and a completely redesigned user MMI interface allows drivers and passengers to continue to enjoy a connected lifestyle while in the vehicle without handling devices.