ScubaJoe

I'm not yet an Audi owner and I haven't looked into AudiConnect much but I'd be curious to hear what people mostly use their data for? I would think streaming music etc would be a job for the cell phone connected via BT (I have 7GB/mo data plan on the phone).

Redd

FWIW, AT&T and TMob have been using the same frequencies for 2G data, but not 3G. What AT&T and others in the US called "4G" was often "HSDPA+" which isn't anything at all like "LTE" which they call "4G LTE" just to keep you confused.

TMob and AT&T apparently are using the same LTE bands (in the continental US) but as they keep deploying new equipment, things keep changing. AT&T has announced plans to drop all 2G coverage in 2016 or 2017, at which point any compatibility with TMob on the 2G bands would end as well.

Can't know your players even with a scorecard....they won't make it easy.

A6forMoi

Audi and other car manufacturers are either going to make a lot of money or lose a lot of money swapping out modems to maintain band compatibility during the life of their cars and NAV systems.

Redd

Those highly overpriced captive systems are highly profitable for them all. They can well afford to change hardware from time to time. Or, to orphan it and compel the suckers, ergh valued customers, to just buy a new car. The same way that AT&T orphaned analog customers, then all of their TDMA customers, in favor of gsm.

Of course a sharp dealership will try to sell you a newer car any time you walk in the door, so upgrade service is just another sales opportunity.

I don't know about now, or Audi, but it used to be the dealers got reimbursed well below their usual shop labor rates for warranty jobs, too.

A6forMoi

I suppose it's a balance - you won't have too many repeat customers for a $4000 NAV system, or the car it's built into, if it doesn't operate for any purpose after 3-4 years. But 5-6? Maybe.

Recollection with AT&T was that they gave customers with TDMA phones free, new basic phones.

f_399

Really anything Audi Connect can do, a smart phone can do better.

I don't even use the nav, I use it as a map but if I need directions I am on google maps or waze(better then a radar detector in big cities)

Streaming music, bluetooth is all you need. I use my itunes library, pandora or spotify.

Even sat radio isn't used much, I only use it when there is breaking news i would like to listen to live on the road.
- Google and waze traffic is much better

Need a hotspot? my iphone can do it at much higher speeds.

snagitseven

There's something to be said for the nav to be completely incorporated into the MMI such as voice control with Google online search, and the large screen. While a smartphone can do nav. etc, it isn't as convenient to use while driving. In fact, it can be dangerous as you fiddle with the phone or try to see detail on the small screen.

A6forMoi

It could also be said that fiddling with the built in Nav system creates similar dangers. The best would be a screen that simply mirrors what's on a smartphone.

snagitseven

All I do is tap the voice command button on the steering wheel and speak everything else. There are voice commands for almost everything entertainment or nav related. No fiddling required.

As to mirroring a phone, it's coming sort of. My understanding initial implementation of CarPlay and Android Car will be functionally limited.

ScubaJoe

That makes sense. For those activities I'd venture a guess that unless it's used frequently, the data usage is very minimal.