KickAss

Looks like I was wrong. The site that allows me to register the sim still doesn't work, but by using the pin number from the myaudi site, I was able to link up the vehicle to my online account.

McFuzz

Welps - looks like RedPocket is swapping over to ATT network and dropping T-Mobile, which means that GSMT SIM cards are slowly being phased out and disconnected.

I guess it's truphone or no phone. My commute is about 30 miles round trip and we use google overlay heavily. I guess it's either that or the T-Mobile plan :\

Hulamau

Excuse my ignorance, but by Google Maps you are referring to the 3D photographic satellite images correct and not the standard animated computer generated maps, correct?

Its not a big extra expense to run the standard GPS maps, is that not the case, but running the Google photograph topography is what really cost the extra change??

We have Google maps in my wife 2015 Prestige A4 but not in my 2012 A4 so am not as up to speed on those details as yet until swapping out my A4 for the A6 in a handfull of days from now.

JRomulus

Exactly. Its the visual bling that costs the MOST $.
Running the "standard GPS maps" costs nothing.

That said, most agree that the true utility is not the bling, but the ability to find a destination on your home pc on Google maps, and with a couple mouse clicks send it to your car's nav. The car requires a working SIM to do that.

The other benefit is doing a google search online in the car. That also requires a SIM, and has the ability to access far more POI than the standard ones preloaded on the GPS aninmated maps.

Rush2112

So my time with my Sprint 30 month plan is coming to an end in October. Seeing there are a lot of posts on here and I've read about 5 pages worth I'm going to hope someone can guide me in the right direction.

I use all functionality in my car, google maps, POI's, WiFi all of it (wifi only when my phones dataplan is reaching it's limit).

I want to make sure that my Google Maps Earth overlay will continue to work
that I can use the cars "Online Destinations" function (I use this more then anything)
The Sending to the car has only worked inconsistently with me, if I want to send something to my Car's MMI, I have to do it from Audi's MyPlan site, and not from google.

I live in the DC Metro area, so 4G and 3G are easily accessible.

Is the TruPhone still the way to go ? (I have no idea how much b/w I use per day/week/month).

Thanks for your feedback

JRomulus

Assume you meant 30-month T-Mobile plan?
First question is who is your smarphone provider now?
If AT&T, then based on your comments above, get an AT&T sim and add it to your AT&T mobil share plan for $10 + tax per month. Cheaper by $2-$3/month that T-Mobile, no contract and you can cancel any time. At some point you will need to have your 3G hardware in the vehicle updated if you already haven't done so, since the TMobile 3G signal the 2013 Audi Connect was based on is changing nationwide. There is a list somewhere on this forum that shows rollout cities for the changes.

If not, then remember that Tru-phone is only good for limited use, cost is $.09/MB. Most people that use it do so only for sending destinations or a quick occasional google search. Many keep their usage to a buck or two per month via Truphone. But if you leave Google earth on all month, assume 200-300 MB easy with any daily driving and then you are at $18 - $27 respectively. But at $.09/MB, download a movie over wifi and that will be the most expensive movie you ever rented!

HaveBlue

With that kind of usage truphone is NOT the way to go. Better off with T-Mobile unlimited plan for that.

Send to car no longer works with Google maps/earth api. All the apps no longer work either. The only way to do it is via Audi app. It can load Google maps and pull addresses from calendar entries and send that.

bobcash

2016 Q5
Disappointed, Canada has no Audi connect. And the Nav system is quite poor, hard to use and voice is of little help. Simple requests like searching for a Tim Hortons just doesn't work. Not user friendly at all. 2800$ for that MMI? Damn

Rush2112

My current smartphone provider is Verizon, and I know Verizon doesn't doesn't offer sims for cars.

Sounds like I'm signing up for their current plan 30 months for $450 again.
Thanks for the quick feedback.

snagitseven

Before you sign up for $450, see if you can monitor your usage. It's possible the US Mobile 500MB plan for $9.70 per month might be the way to go (they use the same T-mobile network and you pay for one month at a time). If you were to use 500MB, that would cost $45 on TruPhone! You could also go with their 1GB plan for $15.70 with no prepaid commitment and see how it goes before switching to T-Mobile direct.

If US Mobile won't work financially because you are going to consistently use more than 1GB in a month (that's quite a bit of mobile data) and you're not sure you are going to keep the car another 30 months, you can also get the T-Mobile 12 month plan for $199 which works out to about $17 per month (vs $15 with the prepaid $450 30 month plan). Keep in mind, T-Mobile's rules on their own plans state there is no refund for unused months if you sell or trade your car before the plan is up.

BTW, it's not that Verizon doesn't offer sims for cars, it's that Verizon works on different frequencies that Audi doesn't support. Only 3G for T-Mobile and 2G for AT&T for MY2012/13. When the modem upgrade is announced for your area, the new T-Mobile and current AT&T 3G frequencies will be supported. MY2016 for the A6 uses AT&T 4G LTE.