Data Plans Value and Infotainment Problems

15734 Views 40 Replies 18 Participants Last post by W04t3r, Apr 2, 2019

PGhiron

Discussion Starter · Dec 22, 2018

So after digging a bit about the AT&T data plan I noticed that my dealer never set me up with a trial.

SO that bring up a few thoughts and questions:

1) What value is the plan for most people?

2) Do those who have issues with the infotainment and blank screens have active data plans and is there a correlation?
Note: I have never had any problems so many people are describing

3) Can you disable the plan once activated if it is in fact causing you issues?

Thoughts??

1 - 20 of 41 Posts

gordondd

· #2 · Dec 22, 2018

Similarly, I had been trying to understand the value/benefit to add a SIM card to the vehicle or paying for ATT subscription after trial period. If you turn the hotspot on your phone on and connect your car to that, it serves the same purpose. The only downside is a slightly quicker discharge of your phone battery.

As an aside, my dealer visited me yesterday, it was 2 weeks after taking delivery. While not planned, for me, the timing was perfect. He was extremely knowledgeable. Issues I did not understand he answered flawlessly. I had a handle on most things but some were a mystery. Without a doubt, the best element of the dealer experience thus far.

Dantrium

· #3 · Dec 22, 2018

PGhiron said:
So after digging a bit about the AT&T data plan I noticed that my dealer never set me up with a trial.

SO that bring up a few thoughts and questions:

1) What value is the plan for most people?

2) Do those who have issues with the infotainment and blank screens have active data plans and is there a correlation?
Note: I have never had any problems so many people are describing

3) Can you disable the plan once activated if it is in fact causing you issues?

Thoughts??

1. I do not see any value in the vehicle data plan, as you point out your phone plan covers everything the ATT plan does. The ATT plan for the I-Pace is 90 days or a set amount of data (I believe it is 5GB), whichever comes first. But, I suppose it may be worthwhile for others if their phone plan has a more expensive data option.

2. As with every new car I buy, I did activate the plan and will let it expire it's natural death without renewal. I have not had the blank screen problems others seem to have. Once or twice the screens remained black, but I ignored them and it self resolved without any extra action on my part. My system has odd little quirks occasionally, smart settings may or may not load, ambient light settings may or may not hold, the cameras have activated while driving a few times, the rearview camera can only keep up in real time if you back very slowly, etc. but so far it self resolves the next time I shut off & start the car.

3. You can cancel it at any time

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bruintoo

· #4 · Dec 22, 2018

I plan on replacing whatever SIM comes in the car with a Google Fi data only SIM card. It's part of the family plan we have. $10 per GB and free after 10 GB.

[email protected]

· #5 · Dec 22, 2018

I can add a SIM data plan onto my T-Mobile account for $10 a month. I believe it gets me 5 or 6gb

WattAJag

· #6 · Dec 22, 2018 (Edited)

I'm sorry if I'm dense, but ... WHAT does the AT&T Plan do for you? What will the driver or passengers lose when the 90 days expire?

Reactions: 1

Dantrium

· #7 · Dec 22, 2018

WattAJag said:
I'm sorry if I'm dense, but ... WHAT does the AT&T Plan do for you? What will the driver or passengers lose when the 90 days expire?

The ability to use the car as a hotspot. That’s it. Most cellphone plans allow you to do that with your phone, so using your car as one is duplicative

Joshuableu

· #8 · Dec 23, 2018

I have been told by two separate and unique JLR sources that US spec vehicles will only accept the AT&T SIM.
Doesn't the user SIM provide data for live traffic in navigation?
I don't have my vehicle yet so anyone with a vehicle want to try it out?

Reactions: 1

WattAJag

· #9 · Dec 23, 2018

Dantrium said:
The ability to use the car as a hotspot. That’s it. Most cellphone plans allow you to do that with your phone, so using your car as one is duplicative

So, I would be safe in asserting that this does NOTHING for anybody actually driving the car, as you're not supposed to even be looking at your cell phone (which already has 4G), and I'm not trying to drive and use a laptop or a tablet.

Right?!! This is basically a useless feature that they are putting in car after car after car?

Why?!! Is it just some means to keep your children quiet?

Dantrium

· #10 · Dec 23, 2018

WattAJag said:
So, I would be safe in asserting that this does NOTHING for anybody actually driving the car, as you're not supposed to even be looking at your cell phone (which already has 4G), and I'm not trying to drive and use a laptop or a tablet.

Right?!! This is basically a useless feature that they are putting in car after car after car?

Why?!! Is it just some means to keep your children quiet?

Yes, you would be correct. Most new cars have this 'feature' and I suppose ATT has the agreement with the manufacturers because they are able to get a few percentage of new car buyers to opt in. I can't explain why anyone would do it. Most phone data plans are moving to unlimited data or ast least large amounts of cheap data, not sure why making your car a hotspot is an advantage.

NerdUno

· #11 · Dec 24, 2018

Also gives you remote access to and tracking of your vehicle.

WattAJag

· #12 · Dec 24, 2018

So, you're saying that we'd lose the "current vehicle location" and possibly the "journeys" data or the ability to schedule/stop charging (should they ever get that to work!) after the 90 days if we don't subscribe? That's a different matter.

Dantrium

· #13 · Dec 24, 2018

WattAJag said:
So, you're saying that we'd lose the "current vehicle location" and possibly the "journeys" data or the ability to schedule/stop charging (should they ever get that to work!) after the 90 days if we don't subscribe? That's a different matter.

No, not at all. Those are things that will always be part of the car. The paid data plan is simply allowing you to use the car as a hotspot and using the car’s internet browser for browsing the internet, etc. but if you have a cellphone with a decent data plan, buying ATT’s data plan for the car really doesn’t make any sense at all.

fedorachef

· #14 · Dec 27, 2018

Joshuableu said:
I have been told by two separate and unique JLR sources that US spec vehicles will only accept the AT&T SIM.
Doesn't the user SIM provide data for live traffic in navigation?
I don't have my vehicle yet so anyone with a vehicle want to try it out?

I was told that only sim the car will accept is At&t as well. I even called Verizon to see if I could add it to my plan and they said their sim would not work for the I-Pace. I use the sim for the nav.

PGhiron

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 28, 2018

fedorachef said:
I was told that only sim the car will accept is At&t as well. I even called Verizon to see if I could add it to my plan and they said their sim would not work for the I-Pace. I use the sim for the nav.

How do you "use the sim for the nav"?

They seem completely unrelated

McRat

· #16 · Dec 28, 2018

I find this very puzzling. What was the massive USB download I just did for NAV?

Dantrium

· #17 · Dec 28, 2018

McRat said:
I find this very puzzling. What was the massive USB download I just did for NAV?

The NAV updates is to update the map data. It is unrelated to the OS updates for the infotainment and telematics. JLR updates their map data quarterly. I doubt it will ever be OTA.

NerdUno

· #18 · Dec 28, 2018

Dantrium said:
No, not at all. Those are things that will always be part of the car. The paid data plan is simply allowing you to use the car as a hotspot and using the car’s internet browser for browsing the internet, etc. but if you have a cellphone with a decent data plan, buying ATT’s data plan for the car really doesn’t make any sense at all.

I disagree. Without the SIM activated in the vehicle, there is no way to check the location of the car when the car is shut down. Depending upon your home charger (some of which do not report the status of the charging process), there's also no way to check charging status and time remaining without an activated SIM in the vehicle.

PGhiron

Discussion Starter · #19 · Dec 28, 2018

NerdUno said:
I disagree. Without the SIM activated in the vehicle, there is no way to check the location of the car when the car is shut down. Depending upon your home charger (some of which do not report the status of the charging process), there's also no way to check charging status and time remaining without an activated SIM in the vehicle.

I do not believe that is correct. I get all of that on the incontrol app as well as charging status on the chargepoint app ( I have a home Chargepoint Level 2) and my dealer never activated the AT&T wifi on my car as far as I can tell. AT&T says it isn't active for my VIN and the Incontrol website says my AT&T wifi was never activated.

Dantrium

· #20 · Dec 29, 2018

NerdUno said:
Dantrium said:

No, not at all. Those are things that will always be part of the car. The paid data plan is simply allowing you to use the car as a hotspot and using the car’s internet browser for browsing the internet, etc. but if you have a cellphone with a decent data plan, buying ATT’s data plan for the car really doesn’t make any sense at all.

Click to expand...

I disagree. Without the SIM activated in the vehicle, there is no way to check the location of the car when the car is shut down. Depending upon your home charger (some of which do not report the status of the charging process), there's also no way to check charging status and time remaining without an activated SIM in the vehicle.

That’s ok that you disagree, however what I wrote is correct. The fact is the car data, etc has noting to do with the ATT data plan SIM.

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