Audi Connect SIM card choices.

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Leeber

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Hi folks,

having spec'd the version of Tech pack with Audi Connect I was just wondering what others were doing with regards to a data connection. As I understand it you can either connect to your smartphone using Rsap protocol and use it's data tariff, or insert a seperate SIM card into the holder in the glove box and allow the car to have it's own data connection. The first option saves you the hassle of having to have a seperate data account but means that when you receive calls and texts they are logged by the car and not on your phone. The second option means you can still connect your phone using hands free profile and keep the call/text log on your phone whilst the car does all the data stuff independently of this. Are these assumptions correct?

if so, what have the rest of you chosen to do. Has anyone tried using one of the 'free' data sims from Ovivo?
 
Yep, what you've said is correct. I'm currently on an unlimited data plan with t mobile but I don't use it anything like enough to justify this so am going to cancel and pick something else.
 
Well I was looking at Ovivo, have you heard of them? You basically buy the Sim for £20 and they give you 750mb allowance every month for free in return for being redirected to an ad whenever you open your browser. AFAIK there is no impact on your usage of emails and other apps, the ads are just on port 80. If Audi connect doesn't use port 80 then in theory it shouldn't matter. Was wondering if anyone else had tried it.
 
As far as I understand it iPhones don't support RSAP protocol so I'm going to add a sim to my 4G EE phone contract which is an additional £5 per month and shares the data usage that your phone has.
 
I'm liking the ovivo route, not heard of them before but might test out a sim in an old galaxy s3 I have lying around.

Very good suggestion, just need to know how google maps get on the audi nav - is it port 80!?
 
It looks like the data freedom tariff is the best option here - OVIVO Mobile for Tablets and Mobile Broadband | Ovivo Mobile

1500mb for free a month, every month for a one off £20 initial fee - doesn't include any call or text allowance but that's just fine in this case. It does also allow for tethering (ie wifi hotspot) which is good news too.

Looks like they also offer a £5/month tariff for 3gb/month.

Pity it's on the Vodafone network which doesn't have the greatest 3g coverage but from what I've heard the audi nav will cache google earth images locally for the areas you frequently visit
 
My mobile contract is with Vodafone, mainly because it's the only decent signal where I live so that's fine with me. It does mean that you/I would be unable to use the car's 4g facility but coverage is so patchy at the moment that I think that's irrelevant.

I was looking at the exact same tariff, but then started wondering if a phone and data package might not be better? The car does have it's own GSM module anyway does it not? So in theory it could have it's own mobile number and account which might come in handy if your smartphone has a flat battery for example. Would this then preclude you from connecting your normal handset using BT hands free profile for normal, everyday use whilst having a seperate voice/data sim in the slot for data use by AC and backup use for voice calls?

All of this speculation assumes that there is no compatibility issue caused by the force-feeding of ads on port 80 though, which is by no means a given. In any case it's a little premature considering that I'm still waiting on a confirmed build week!

oh, and by the way, it's only 1500mb for the first month if you sign up during November, the normal allowance is 750. That's what they told on the phone anyway.
 
Leeber said:
Hi folks,

As I understand it you can either connect to your smartphone using Rsap protocol and use it's data tariff, or insert a seperate SIM card into the holder in the glove box and allow the car to have it's own data connection.
Click to expand...

Leeber,

Not sure if this is relevant to you, but according to the latest brochure (October), S3 Sportbacks from launch or A3/S3 3dr cars built after the 4th November can no longer use the data connection on the phone for the Connect services.
I'm guessing this is related to the move to the 4G hardware. So you'd need a separate data SIM in this case. It doesn't have to be a 4G SIM, 3G will still work.
Interesting that the brochure doesn't say anything about non-S3 Sportbacks built after 4th November. Maybe they stay on the 3G version that can use data via the phone?

This is in the notes on page 61 that list Tech Pack High.

The OVIVO SIMs look interesting if they do really work.
I've been considering the Three 12month 12Gb SIM for £70 that's been mentioned on another thread.
 
Leeber said:
Well I was looking at Ovivo, have you heard of them? You basically buy the Sim for £20 and they give you 750mb allowance every month for free in return for being redirected to an ad whenever you open your browser. AFAIK there is no impact on your usage of emails and other apps, the ads are just on port 80. If Audi connect doesn't use port 80 then in theory it shouldn't matter. Was wondering if anyone else had tried it.
Click to expand...

It'd probably use 443 to be honest which may have the same result.

I'll have a look, but I get a discount on Orange and EE through work so will probably go with one of them to be honest - although no point in EE if it isn't 4G.
 
I will use a dedicated sim for mine in March ! Which one I go for will depend on which carrier gives best network coverage. My son who is a switched on graphic designer suggests the data only sim from 3 is the best bet as the frequency they use has the best penetration/coverage as a rule! I have plenty of time to do more research, but I am aware how variable different providers phone signal is so I do think its worth considering this :think:. The other consideration is the data usage, surely it will use a fair bit if its connected to google earth/maps all the time? At present I have no idea how much data it will consume?
 
Depends how much you use the nav! My usage meter says I've used 186MB download so far (!), over 2 months...
 
cemerson said:
Depends how much you use the nav! My usage meter says I've used 186MB download so far (!), over 2 months...
Click to expand...

thats ts interesting, really quite low usage actually. What kind of mileage is that over the 2 months?

Also, what kind of journeys were they? Mostly around the same place geographically or lots of new trips?
 
marshalld said:
Leeber,

Not sure if this is relevant to you, but according to the latest brochure (October), S3 Sportbacks from launch or A3/S3 3dr cars built after the 4th November can no longer use the data connection on the phone for the Connect services.
I'm guessing this is related to the move to the 4G hardware. So you'd need a separate data SIM in this case. It doesn't have to be a 4G SIM, 3G will still work.
Interesting that the brochure doesn't say anything about non-S3 Sportbacks built after 4th November. Maybe they stay on the 3G version that can use data via the phone?

This is in the notes on page 61 that list Tech Pack High.

The OVIVO SIMs look interesting if they do really work.
I've been considering the Three 12month 12Gb SIM for £70 that's been mentioned on another thread.
Click to expand...

It is indeed, thanks for pointing that out. The printed brochure that I have is the August print, it was updated in October. I've just found it online and seen the text you mentioned. This basically means that it's a seperate sim or nothing. From the experience of others, it seems that data usage is really quite low so even the Three option might well be considered overkill. I think that for £20 the Ovivo job is well worth a punt, if it doesn't work then the Three sim is the one to go for. I'm assuming that as Three don't charge extra for 4g it will make use of it where it's available. However given that they only started including 4g capability in the builds 3 days ago none of us are going to be in a position to confirm this yet.

The only problem is that in our house the Three signal is rubbish. Vodafone seems to be the best (sickeningly), Ovivo uses Vodafone's network. If nobody else has tried it by the time my car arrives then I'll try the Ovivo sim and report back.
 
Leeber said:
The only problem is that in our house the Three signal is rubbish.
Click to expand...
The signal in your house is pretty irrelevant to the signal in your car (unless you intend to drive your car indoors and need internet connectivity at the same time).

Personally, I'd narrow down your choice of providers to one or two and then apply for a free PAYG SIM and topping with a £10 credit. You can then use the SIM for a month in the car and see how it behaves. You will also get an idea of data usage. £10 spent for a month, but it will narrow down who will give you the best service.
 
You can always try this link to see all different providers coverage maps

Network Coverage Maps

Clearly it is best to look for the area you most often use your car! I havent spent too much time on this site yet. Interesting update from Cemerson - thanks - very low but is that because you don't have your satnav on much of time?

I also need to factor in being on line to find petrol stations to fill up my S3 :whistle2:

Edit - This is a good start - population coverage
 
I find the generated coverage maps "optimistic" at best.....
 
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arad85 said:
I find the generated coverage maps "optimistic" at best.....
Click to expand...

So you have seen these before and done your own tests to compare? What networks have you tested?

I live out in the sticks somewhat and the map is like a patchwork quilt for my current provider- (Tesco on o2) and I have to say, the map looks accurate to me as i know the valleys and dips where i lose signal and it matches the map i have just viewed.
 
Toadoftoadhall said:
So you have seen these before and done your own tests to compare? What networks have you tested?
Click to expand...
They are computer generated and will have different thresholds for acceptable signals. Add that to your phones ability to pick and hold a signal and they can be at best optimistic. They also show different thresholds and doesn't show things like how often you have to swap masts (my understanding is that the 4G cells are smaller and a colleague on Orange has said anecdotally signal support has reduced now they have merged with T mobile and moved to 4G)

For example, for me, 3 have a distinction between Indoor and Outdoor coverage - T-mobile don't and say they have 100% coverage between here and work for me (I'm just about to test these out as I have t-mobile & 3 PAYG SIMs arrive this week, but I know T mobile won't be 100%...). Vodaphone (who I am currently with) is far more realistic and says variable signal between here and work which is true.
 
marshalld said:
Not sure if this is relevant to you, but according to the latest brochure (October), S3 Sportbacks from launch or A3/S3 3dr cars built after the 4th November can no longer use the data connection on the phone for the Connect services.
I'm guessing this is related to the move to the 4G hardware. So you'd need a separate data SIM in this case. It doesn't have to be a 4G SIM, 3G will still work.
Click to expand...
A question does arise from this. Assume you have a SIM dedicated for the connects services. Can you still register your rSAP enabled phone to the unit to enable you to benefit from the roof aerial and hands free services. I would assume yes, but you never know!
 
My work phone is on EE (I don't have a choice in the matter), the signal is pretty bad unless I stand halfway up the stairs at the front of the house and even then I get frequent dropped calls. When we moved in in 2007 I had an account with O2, and my wife had and an account with 3. O2 was ok for voice calls but the 3G signal was virtually non-existent. With 3, data was non-existent and voice varied from bad to unusable. To my knowledge no new masts have been erected nearby, in fact there was a campaign to stop O2 from doing just that recently. Now we are with Vodafone as it's the best signal of a bad bunch. All of the coverage checkers including that of our own provider, estimate that we should have a near-perfect signal. On my particular street they seem to be a work of pure fiction. They may be perfectly accurate on the other side of the street or even outside my next-door neighbour's house but that's no use to me unless I want to stand in the street to take all my calls. :blahblah1:

I appreciate that the car, whilst not sat on the drive might be a completely different kettle of fish depending on the quality of the equipment fitted to it but I really won't know until I start playing with different sims. I really do hope that either the Ovivo option or indeed the prepaid Three sim fit the bill perfectly but I'm not holding my breath in regards to the latter.
 
Leeber said:
My work phone is on EE (I don't have a choice in the matter), the signal is pretty bad unless I stand halfway up the stairs at the front of the house and even then I get frequent dropped calls.
Click to expand...
It may be a good idea to ask EE for a femtocell signal box for your house.

The aerial in your car is far better (and nearly always outside) than the one in your mobile phone.
 
arad85 said:
A question does arise from this. Assume you have a SIM dedicated for the connects services. Can you still register your rSAP enabled phone to the unit to enable you to benefit from the roof aerial and hands free services. I would assume yes, but you never know!
Click to expand...

You don't need RSAP for hands free, only the basic bluetooth profiles that all phones support anyway, and MAP for messaging
 
arad85 said:
A question does arise from this. Assume you have a SIM dedicated for the connects services. Can you still register your rSAP enabled phone to the unit to enable you to benefit from the roof aerial and hands free services. I would assume yes, but you never know!
Click to expand...

I think the answer to that is no.

In the on-line configurator, you can't select both Audi Phone Box (which uses roof aerial) and Tech Pack High with Connect.

The Tech pack high description states:
"When a separate SIM card is used, hands-free phone calls are possible using the SIM card or by connecting a different mobile telephone via Bluetooth Hands-Free Profile"

This reads to me as:
1) The dedicated SIM for connect data is using the roof aerial
2) Phone connects via hands-free bluetooth profile not rSAP, is using its own aerial, not the roof one.

More than happy to be corrected though.

Given the brochure says S3 Sportbacks from launch have 4G connect, any S3 Sportback drivers out-there who can bring some first-hand experience to this?
 
cemerson said:
You don't need RSAP for hands free, only the basic bluetooth profiles that all phones support anyway, and MAP for messaging
Click to expand...
No, I know, but I do for the roof aerial - which is what I'd most like (my phone but with far better signal).

The phone box is out IMHO as I'd keep leaving my phone in there. All I want is the same as I have on my current Skoda - rSAP with my phone in my pocket. Convenience is king here....
 
marshalld said:
Leeber,

Not sure if this is relevant to you, but according to the latest brochure (October), S3 Sportbacks from launch or A3/S3 3dr cars built after the 4th November can no longer use the data connection on the phone for the Connect services.
I'm guessing this is related to the move to the 4G hardware. So you'd need a separate data SIM in this case. It doesn't have to be a 4G SIM, 3G will still work.
Interesting that the brochure doesn't say anything about non-S3 Sportbacks built after 4th November. Maybe they stay on the 3G version that can use data via the phone?

This is in the notes on page 61 that list Tech Pack High.

The OVIVO SIMs look interesting if they do really work.
I've been considering the Three 12month 12Gb SIM for £70 that's been mentioned on another thread.
Click to expand...

May help that i went for one of the 3 12gb SIM's - if you buy it from amazon the same pack is between £50-55 depending on the seller, still official 3 SIM and sealed etc :eek:)
 
arad85 said:
No, I know, but I do for the roof aerial - which is what I'd most like (my phone but with far better signal).

The phone box is out IMHO as I'd keep leaving my phone in there. All I want is the same as I have on my current Skoda - rSAP with my phone in my pocket. Convenience is king here....
Click to expand...

Oh. Mine certainly does that, though sounds like future versions won't be able to. I don't like it anyway, means any text messages you get are stored in the car rather than the phone, and call logs too.
 
Just starting to consider options for my March delivery S3 and wondering if anyone has any guidance as to how much data is actually being used by connect? I do a lot of business mileage and expect to be using sat nav at least of couple of times a week... I am currently looking at the OVIVO data only sim but if 500mb seems to be enough would prefer to go for the one that includes text and calls just in case of emergencies.... Also would be good to know if anyone has been able to use the OVIVO one successfully and not had problems with the ad redirecting thing...?
 
Well my estimated build week is 5 for a March 10th delivery. If, by then, nobody else has given the Ovivo sim a go I'll buy one and see what happens, if it doesn't work then I'll just bung it in my ipad (which has never had a sim since I've owned it) and get one of the preloaded "3" sims.
 
I've used 190MB so far since Sept 1st, though I don't use the nav as much as it sounds like you will
 
I'm using an unlimited data one from t-mobile at the moment, which is clearly over the top so I'm cancelling it! Undecided what to go for next, probably a pre-loaded 3 one
 
Response from OVIVO when asking if their sim would work in the car...

----------
Good morning,

Unfortunately I am sorry to inform you that Ovivo mobile does not support this type of usage.

If you check our website : http://ovivomobile.com/offer/supported-devices/

"Devices such as GPS trackers, satellite navigation, data-enabled cameras or other machine to machine devices are prohibited and will be disconnected from OVIVO’s network, resulting in your service being withdrawn."

I hope that answers your query in full, if you require further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
Many thanks
Regards
Gordon Smith

----------

Looks like it won't work, although I suppose it depends whether they can know that it is being used in this way....??? Any techys able to confirm if this is possible??
 
That's pretty much the same answer that I got on the phone, however "Ovivo do not support this type of usage" is not the same as "it won't work" so I reckon it might still be worth a shot (unless anyone with a better knowledge of the subject is willing to set me straight). What's the worst that can happen? I'll be £20 out of pocket that's what.
 
Most phones have software built in that can notify your network if tethering has been used I believe. However, whether Audi have implemented that in the car, who knows? There's certainly no way for them to tell otherwise (other than analysing usage patterns and guessing!) - data is data at the end of the day, either the phone is consuming it or something connected to the phone is, there's no difference.

I've bought a 3 pre-loaded SIM from amazon and am going to use that. It's a shame they come with time limits though (3 months for the 3GB one) and you can't just use them over whatever period of time you like.
 
I suspect their biggest worry is the car wifi / tethering potential use. The car using the data I can't see being a problem.

I think I'm going to order a sim anyway and try it in a few of my devices to see how it operates, will give me a feel before my car arrives.
 
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