Audi Connect - Switched SIM to AT&T can't register at myaudiconnect.com
10-05-2018, 11:34 AM
#21
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I also got my SIM card directly from AT&T and plugged it in to my 2014 A6 and all is working except for Google Earth Street View. When I logged into myaudiconnect website it shows an inactive T-Mobile card from previous owner. I first tried to choose the AT&T shared plan on the site for $10 but it would not accept the SIM card number. I then called them and they said they could not activate a non-Audi-AT&T SIM even though it works in the car. They sent me an AT&T SIM card but I have not activated it as it sounds like I would have to deactivate the current AT&T SIM currently in the car. I was hesitant to do this as I wasn't sure if Audi will charge me for the activation in addition to the AT&T monthly charges. Any one aware of any benefits to registering and using the AT&T Audi SIM card as they suggest? I would like Street View but not sure if it is not working because of the lack of activation on myaudiconnect.
10-05-2018, 12:30 PM
#22
AudiWorld Super User
" I then called them and they said they could not activate a non-Audi-AT&T SIM even though it works in the car."
Most of the public is (intentionally kept) unaware of how the cell phone carriers work. There are something like 33 carriers in the US, with four big ones. (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint &T-Mobile in the process of merging.) But there are also many "MNVO"s. These are "mobile network virtual operators" and they purchase bulk time, by private contract, from one of the real carriers. So a company like H20 has a private contract with AT&T that allows them to use the AT&T network. But you or I will never be told if that contract says "Your customers will only get service if it is available after all of our customers have gotten connections first." Or it may say, "You get unlimited 2G data service but you only get LTE when we have spare capacity." Or almost any other complication you can think of.
There's a big carrier "Straight Talk" IIRC that has some decent offers--but you can't do a 3-way or other multi-party call with them. That's part of their contract as an MVNO, only one call connection at any time.
And then there's Comcast (excuse me, Xfinity) Mobile, which uses the Verizon network--but can't and won't authorize the use of any phone that isn't bought from Comcast. (Except iPhones, they're harder to block out.)
If Audi cut a deal with AT&T to be the official "connection" for Audi cars in certain years, the plan and plan prices will be SIM-locked to SIM cards that are supplied for that plan, with whatever tricks come attached to it.
Sometimes, you can slip things past a carrier. Sometimes, you can't. Pretty much all the big carriers interrogate the SIM card for every device every night, and if you've switched devices? Either they register the new device, or they shut off the service. This is not entirely evil, since specific devices do and do not support specific service features, like different service frequencies and bands. (Yeah, well, that's like saying the devil isn't all bad, he helps scare little children into saying their prayers. Sure.)
US cell carriers are notorious, worldwide, for gaming the consumers.
Most of the public is (intentionally kept) unaware of how the cell phone carriers work. There are something like 33 carriers in the US, with four big ones. (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint &T-Mobile in the process of merging.) But there are also many "MNVO"s. These are "mobile network virtual operators" and they purchase bulk time, by private contract, from one of the real carriers. So a company like H20 has a private contract with AT&T that allows them to use the AT&T network. But you or I will never be told if that contract says "Your customers will only get service if it is available after all of our customers have gotten connections first." Or it may say, "You get unlimited 2G data service but you only get LTE when we have spare capacity." Or almost any other complication you can think of.
There's a big carrier "Straight Talk" IIRC that has some decent offers--but you can't do a 3-way or other multi-party call with them. That's part of their contract as an MVNO, only one call connection at any time.
And then there's Comcast (excuse me, Xfinity) Mobile, which uses the Verizon network--but can't and won't authorize the use of any phone that isn't bought from Comcast. (Except iPhones, they're harder to block out.)
If Audi cut a deal with AT&T to be the official "connection" for Audi cars in certain years, the plan and plan prices will be SIM-locked to SIM cards that are supplied for that plan, with whatever tricks come attached to it.
Sometimes, you can slip things past a carrier. Sometimes, you can't. Pretty much all the big carriers interrogate the SIM card for every device every night, and if you've switched devices? Either they register the new device, or they shut off the service. This is not entirely evil, since specific devices do and do not support specific service features, like different service frequencies and bands. (Yeah, well, that's like saying the devil isn't all bad, he helps scare little children into saying their prayers. Sure.)
US cell carriers are notorious, worldwide, for gaming the consumers.
10-24-2018, 11:07 PM
#23
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We switched from TMobile to ATT for the same reasons you want to plus the fact that T-Mobile was over twice the cost of ATT. Our Audi is a 2015 Q5 that came with T-Mobile. Before switching, we had Audi update our car’s MMI (for free) to accept ATT then added the Audi to our existing ATT plan w/o a problem.
10-29-2018, 03:55 AM
#24
This was some time ago, and I am replying from memory For more accuracy, Pls and search for my post covering this in this forum where I laid out the details.
We first contacted the Audi rep that would renew the internet service in our car, and explained that we needed a more cost effective option than TMobile if we were to renew this service.
He offered the ATT option through them, and indicated that we just needed to go to our Audi dealer to change the modem at no cost
We simply explained this our Audi dealer, and they did it. We did have to have the two talk to each other.
Good luck
We first contacted the Audi rep that would renew the internet service in our car, and explained that we needed a more cost effective option than TMobile if we were to renew this service.
He offered the ATT option through them, and indicated that we just needed to go to our Audi dealer to change the modem at no cost
We simply explained this our Audi dealer, and they did it. We did have to have the two talk to each other.
Good luck
11-01-2018, 06:52 AM
#25
AudiWorld Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
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This was some time ago, and I am replying from memory For more accuracy, Pls and search for my post covering this in this forum where I laid out the details.
We first contacted the Audi rep that would renew the internet service in our car, and explained that we needed a more cost effective option than TMobile if we were to renew this service.
He offered the ATT option through them, and indicated that we just needed to go to our Audi dealer to change the modem at no cost
We simply explained this our Audi dealer, and they did it. We did have to have the two talk to each other.
Good luck
We first contacted the Audi rep that would renew the internet service in our car, and explained that we needed a more cost effective option than TMobile if we were to renew this service.
He offered the ATT option through them, and indicated that we just needed to go to our Audi dealer to change the modem at no cost
We simply explained this our Audi dealer, and they did it. We did have to have the two talk to each other.
Good luck
11-01-2018, 10:15 AM
#26
AudiWorld Super User
The difference could be the model year of the car, or the warranty status, or even the specific telecommunications module in the car. AT&T and T-Mobile are both GSM services, but they use almost totally different bands and frequencies for 3G and 4G. The only have 2G data service on common for many devices, and 2G has been largely phased out by AT&T while T-Mob still supports it.
So, a car with an older version of the telecom module might have been 'qualified' to be replaced as obsolete, while a new one, which was not compatible with both carriers, wouldn't be.
Just speculating--but these hardware problems are not just restricted to Audi, or to cars.
So, a car with an older version of the telecom module might have been 'qualified' to be replaced as obsolete, while a new one, which was not compatible with both carriers, wouldn't be.
Just speculating--but these hardware problems are not just restricted to Audi, or to cars.
11-30-2018, 09:40 AM
#27
AudiWorld Senior Member
Just looking at the Data connection and really, don't know what it for. Should I even bother with it?{won't pay for any of it so just anything useful if free}?
12-14-2018, 09:33 PM
#28
Hi folks,
I would appreciate help with the following Audi Connect issue.
Let's just say for the moment ATT has lost its mind and wants to go from $10 per month to $75 for my Connected Car. So, I went and bought a T-mobile 2GB a month Sim for $10 a month. This is for my 2016 Q3 3G MMI.
Google maps, online destinations, cell service, Sirius all work fine, but Online Destinations and Audi Connect time out. Is there a setting I missed to activate those? They work again immediately when I put the ATT sim back in.
APN shows automatically for both cards.
Appreciate any ideas for how to get Audi Connect working with the T-mobile SIM..
Thanks!
I would appreciate help with the following Audi Connect issue.
Let's just say for the moment ATT has lost its mind and wants to go from $10 per month to $75 for my Connected Car. So, I went and bought a T-mobile 2GB a month Sim for $10 a month. This is for my 2016 Q3 3G MMI.
Google maps, online destinations, cell service, Sirius all work fine, but Online Destinations and Audi Connect time out. Is there a setting I missed to activate those? They work again immediately when I put the ATT sim back in.
APN shows automatically for both cards.
Appreciate any ideas for how to get Audi Connect working with the T-mobile SIM..
Thanks!
12-15-2018, 12:02 PM
#29
AudiWorld Super User
rebop-
No sure answers but something that must be investigated:
AT&T and T-Mob use DIFFERENT 3G BANDS. And depending on whether you are postpaid (which get first priority) or prepaid (2nd priority) you get different priority when the nearest tower is busy or full up. So you can't simply swap AT&T and T-Mob cards, of any kind, on any piece of equipment, and be sure that it will work
I had endless service problems with the last phone (2-1/2 years old and top rated when I bought it, a factory unlocked "developers" model to work on all networks) when I switched from AT&T to TMob last year. Finally TMob admitted, sometimes some phones didn't behave right with them. (Ahem.) So I looked around and found that not only where there differences in the 3G coverage, but the phone covered about 4 LTE bands--when there are more than two dozen now in use. Meaning that with the old phone, if a band was busy or not locally available, SOL. With the new phone, incredibly larger chance that there was free local coverage.
Before you go crazy looking for hardware problems, check out Wikipedia ("What cellular bands does T-Mobile use") and check out Audi to find out what bands your particular version of telematics can use. Make sure that you can USE the bands that T-Mob requires in your area. If that checks out, ask T-Mob support (and their first level support is often clueless, I've spent hours with them) to go over programming the APN and connection setup to make sure it matches their network setup. In my case, second-level support (the real support) eventually confirmed that three first-level guys had my phone programmed wrong, which made it unable to find data (even though voice was working) and unable to switch from wifi to cellular data, or vice versa.
Crazy stuff, but matching the system hardware and setup to your car's hardware and setup is critical, and there's simply no way you can reach anyone who knows both sides of that picture without making many calls. Or, showing up at headquarters and taking hostages. (Which, frankly, I feel is quicker and simpler.(G)
If you are really lucky? AoA can tell you which local dealer has the best rep for setups, or your local dealer can tell you what changes to make for the "best" configuration. Still doesn't mean it will work right, since T-Mob is changing their equipment in order to absorb Sprint (incompatible networks) and deploy 5G (ain't gonna happen for a couple of years). Figure you'll need to work the phones for about four to six hours, no kidding.
No sure answers but something that must be investigated:
AT&T and T-Mob use DIFFERENT 3G BANDS. And depending on whether you are postpaid (which get first priority) or prepaid (2nd priority) you get different priority when the nearest tower is busy or full up. So you can't simply swap AT&T and T-Mob cards, of any kind, on any piece of equipment, and be sure that it will work
I had endless service problems with the last phone (2-1/2 years old and top rated when I bought it, a factory unlocked "developers" model to work on all networks) when I switched from AT&T to TMob last year. Finally TMob admitted, sometimes some phones didn't behave right with them. (Ahem.) So I looked around and found that not only where there differences in the 3G coverage, but the phone covered about 4 LTE bands--when there are more than two dozen now in use. Meaning that with the old phone, if a band was busy or not locally available, SOL. With the new phone, incredibly larger chance that there was free local coverage.
Before you go crazy looking for hardware problems, check out Wikipedia ("What cellular bands does T-Mobile use") and check out Audi to find out what bands your particular version of telematics can use. Make sure that you can USE the bands that T-Mob requires in your area. If that checks out, ask T-Mob support (and their first level support is often clueless, I've spent hours with them) to go over programming the APN and connection setup to make sure it matches their network setup. In my case, second-level support (the real support) eventually confirmed that three first-level guys had my phone programmed wrong, which made it unable to find data (even though voice was working) and unable to switch from wifi to cellular data, or vice versa.
Crazy stuff, but matching the system hardware and setup to your car's hardware and setup is critical, and there's simply no way you can reach anyone who knows both sides of that picture without making many calls. Or, showing up at headquarters and taking hostages. (Which, frankly, I feel is quicker and simpler.(G)
If you are really lucky? AoA can tell you which local dealer has the best rep for setups, or your local dealer can tell you what changes to make for the "best" configuration. Still doesn't mean it will work right, since T-Mob is changing their equipment in order to absorb Sprint (incompatible networks) and deploy 5G (ain't gonna happen for a couple of years). Figure you'll need to work the phones for about four to six hours, no kidding.
12-15-2018, 01:49 PM
#30
AudiWorld Senior Member
Excuse my age induced ignorance of this subject but isn't carplay/android auto going to provide all that Audi Connect provides and much more.I have MMI 3G and it works very well for what it is.Fortunately Audi doesn't offer Audi Connect in Canada because they couldn't come to an agreement with one of our fine Cell providers.
From what I've read here I wouldn't fork out the extra $$/mth Sort of like Sirius.Absolutely mediocre sound quality.I had better sounding 8-track systems in my cars so they're not getting my credit card no.
The guys /gals? on this website who have upgraded from MMI have got some pretty cool results, including carplay/AA.
From what I've read here I wouldn't fork out the extra $$/mth Sort of like Sirius.Absolutely mediocre sound quality.I had better sounding 8-track systems in my cars so they're not getting my credit card no.
The guys /gals? on this website who have upgraded from MMI have got some pretty cool results, including carplay/AA.