[JakiChan]

In my current truck I have a Kenwood deck that supports CarPlay. It also has it's own Navi. I'm glad it does, because I was getting this today:

My usual case for having on-board Navi is that you might be somewhere without cell coverage, but you can see that I have LTE at this point. Apple Maps just wasn't working this morning.

 

[dpcompt]

Case for NAV

I 100% agree. I really like Google maps using CarPlay, but sometimes I can lose the cell signal. Both my cars have NAV and CarPlay.

 

[Viffermike]

Yep. You're susceptible to updates that might have bugs, or cellular service outages. You're basically at the mercy of whatever app (and whatever smartphone) you're using.

You're also limited to areas that have cell service -- For instance, about 61 percent of the state of Nebraska does not have regular cell service -- and the quality of Nav will go down as the quality of service slides from LTE to 4G, then to 3G, and downward. OTOH, the OEM Nav system uses GPS satellites that work pretty much everywhere.

These, as well as a few others, are very, very good reasons to opt for Nav/Porsche Connect Plus. What someone has to weigh is if the nearly $4k cost (IIRC) of both options, as well as the PITA and added cost of what amounts to a separate phone line because of the dedicated SIM card PCP's telephony requires -- is worth it.

 

[JakiChan]

Yep. You're susceptible to updates that might have bugs, or cellular service outages. You're basically at the mercy of whatever app (and whatever smartphone) you're using.

Right. Apple Maps is a service. Living here in the valley, and having worked on hyperscale web infra, I'm glad that Google Maps is coming to CarPlay. Much love for my friends at Apple, but Google's infra is just better.

What someone has to weigh is if the nearly $4k cost (IIRC) of both options, as well as the PITA and added cost of what amounts to a separate phone line because of the dedicated SIM card PCP's telephony requires -- is worth it.

That's something I need someone to explain to me. I asked my dealer if I need to bring a SIM with me and they said no, the first year is free. So does the price we pay for the service after the first year include the data component, or after one year will I need a SIM *and* to pay for the service? It's a bit confusing.

 

[Viffermike]

That's something I need someone to explain to me. I asked my dealer if I need to bring a SIM with me and they said no, the first year is free. So does the price we pay for the service after the first year include the data component, or after one year will I need a SIM *and* to pay for the service? It's a bit confusing.

And that's part of the reason I said 'no' to PCP out of a matter of course. The whole 'first year free' thing just doesn't resonate well for me ... and as I understand it, the car's telephony requires a SIM and service activation of that SIM, so your dealer saying that your car doesn't require it isn't totally accurate.

PCP's telephony hardware -- including the WiFi hotspot that also comes with PCP -- is inactive without a SIM to drive it. That's why PCM4 relies on a smartphone connection in the tiers below PCP: either wired or via Bluetooth with Porsche Connect, and Bluetooth-only with neither upgrade. That's also why the Porsche Connect app doesn't work on any smartphone; it requires the WiFi hotspot to interface with the app.

 

[JakiChan]

And that's part of the reason I said 'no' to PCP out of a matter of course. The whole 'first year free' thing just doesn't resonate well for me ... and as I understand it, the car's telephony requires a SIM and service activation of that SIM, so your dealer saying that your car doesn't require it isn't totally accurate.

PCP's telephony hardware -- including the WiFi hotspot that also comes with PCP -- is inactive without a SIM to drive it. That's why PCM4 relies on a smartphone connection in the tiers below PCP: either wired or via Bluetooth with Porsche Connect, and Bluetooth-only with neither upgrade.

Then why did I sign up for something with Vodaphone?

 

[JakiChan]

BTW - it was an Apple Maps outage. https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/15/apple-maps-down-for-all-users/

 

[Viffermike]

Then why did I sign up for something with Vodaphone?

Did you order PCP? If so, that's probably the vendor your dealer (or Porsche NA) uses to supply the first year of SIM card service for the car's telephony.

So I guess your dealer is right in that you don't need to bring your own SIM card -- but the car does require one for PCP. However, in a year's time, will you be tethered (pun partially intended) to that Vodaphone SIM card or can you choose to use another? It's my understanding that you can use any SIM card you want in the system as long as its active and supplying service. It's like any smartphone in that regard.

 

[aeronca65tl]

I tend to keep my cars a long time.

When I saw the NAV system option, I kept thinking about the 8 track tape player that came in my MGB.

Between my phone and the cheesy Garmin cigarette light GPS, I'm good without the factory NAV.

Also, I have some actual paper maps

 

[JakiChan]

Did you order PCP? If so, that's probably the vendor your dealer (or Porsche NA) uses to supply the first year of SIM card service for the car's telephony.

Just got off the phone with them.

The 2018, at least, has an embedded SIM. And when I pay for an additional year of service I can keep using that SIM. The *only* thing that getting your own SIM does (and you have to get it from Porsche, and it's only AT&T in the US) is enable the hotspot in the car.

 

[Viffermike]

Just got off the phone with them.

The 2018, at least, has an embedded SIM. And when I pay for an additional year of service I can keep using that SIM. The *only* thing that getting your own SIM does (and you have to get it from Porsche, and it's only AT&T in the US) is enable the hotspot in the car.

That is truly bizarre and raises more questions:

- So our car potentially has TWO SIM cards: one (non-removable) for telephony and another (removable) for WiFi?
- What exactly stops working after a year that is enabled by either SIM card?
- Is the Vodafone SIM card inserted under the head unit's lift-up door (the same place one inserts SD cards for music)? Does WiFi work via the Vodafone SIM being supplied with the car? What happens to telephony if you decide to use an AT&T SIM card for WiFi?
- What does the 'embedded' SIM card do in cars without PCP?

I have never heard of any single wireless device using two separate SIM cards for different services. Not only is it technically inefficient, it potentially sets someone up to have to pay two monthly fees. Granted, our infotainment system is made up of modular units that talk to each other through PCM4 and the MOST 150 interface, so I can theoretically see a necessity -- but it's just kind of doofy from a consumer's point of view.

WTF, VW AG?

 

[Viffermike]

I tend to keep my cars a long time.

When I saw the NAV system option, I kept thinking about the 8 track tape player that came in my MGB.

Between my phone and the cheesy Garmin cigarette light GPS, I'm good without the factory NAV.

Also, I have some actual paper maps

That was part of my thinking as well. If I really need GPS-based Nav (and I probably will since I'm planning to drive across Nebraska, among other remote places, on road trip early this fall), I'll buy a $150 Garmin Nuvi and a mount (that I can use in any car I choose) ...

... or use, you know, actual paper maps (which I print out for backup before my road trips)! :nerd:

 

[j997tt]

The dealer should provide you an ATT SIM card (mine did) when you take delivery of your car. Then you have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get it activated using the Porsche Connect and ATT website. You can buy more data through plans. I seem to recall that you get 3GB/month as part of the ‘free’ one year service. I have Nav and connect plus in my 18 CGTS and have not really played with it yet. To me, an non technology guy, it seem like a PITA. I am sure what I have written above is not entirely precise.

Ymmv...

 

[JakiChan]

- So our car potentially has TWO SIM cards: one (non-removable) for telephony and another (removable) for WiFi?

That's exactly what the woman on the phone said. The ONLY thing the AT&T SIM does (according to her) is enable a WiFi hotspot in the car.

- What exactly stops working after a year that is enabled by either SIM card?

The service you pay for, apparently, includes the data that goes through the embedded SIM. So the connected services in PCP.

- Is the Vodafone SIM card inserted under the head unit's lift-up door (the same place one inserts SD cards for music)?

No idea.

Does WiFi work via the Vodafone SIM being supplied with the car?

No.

What happens to telephony if you decide to use an AT&T SIM card for WiFi?

If you put the AT&T SIM in then it completely takes over all cellular functions and then the Vodaphone embedded SIM isn't used.

- What does the 'embedded' SIM card do in cars without PCP?

Provides connect services. ConnectPlus gets you things like traffic data for nav.

The dealer should provide you an ATT SIM card (mine did) when you take delivery of your car. Then you have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get it activated using the Porsche Connect and ATT website. You can buy more data through plans. I seem to recall that you get 3GB/month as part of the ‘free’ one year service. I have Nav and connect plus in my 18 CGTS and have not really played with it yet. To me, an non technology guy, it seem like a PITA. I am sure what I have written above is not entirely precise.

Again, when I called them they said that the embedded SIM would be used and that I wouldn't need the AT&T SIM unless I wanted to use the WiFi hotspot.