[srbs73]

I got a response!

Thank you for your follow-up reply to the HotSpot Drive team!

We have passed on your wording critic to our special department.

We are available for further questions!

I suspect the special department is a different bin

[Tam the Bam]

Originally Posted by srbs73

I got a response!

Thank you for your follow-up reply to the HotSpot Drive team!

We have passed on your wording critic to our special department.

We are available for further questions!

I suspect the special department is a different bin

Love the “special department”. Sounds like F*** off.

😀.

[srbs73]

Originally Posted by Tam the Bam

Love the “special department”. Sounds like F*** off.

😀.

Yep, that’s how I read it!

[DaveChan64]

Great thread, I thought it was just me not reading the tariff correctly. I did sign up to monthly payment as I was looking forward to Wi-fi in the car. it is not fair to charge £10 for 1Gbit😞

[del82]

Hahaha well done for getting a response. My email must have gone into the 'first F off special department'.

They've missed the entire point. Compared to other manufacturers the pricing is well over the top.

If no one uses it, hopefully someone at BMW will notice and rummage through the bin of these special departments.

[chrisnoy]

Not having a car yet, do you have to get this package to get wifi or can you use your phone as a hotspot etc?

[srbs73]

Has anyone else tried to get the second free month? I did it on the PC at home and after the first month expired it let me get another free month.

Still not great as 1GB barely lasted 2 weeks with minimal use. I think my daughter streamed some Apple Music and that was it.

[srbs73]

Originally Posted by chrisnoy

Not having a car yet, do you have to get this package to get wifi or can you use your phone as a hotspot etc?

I will have to try, but I think the problem with an iPhone at least is you want to connect to the car still so it fully integrates with wireless CarPlay. If someone connects to your phones hotspot, I think it will disconnect from the WiFi

[Funboy78]

Originally Posted by srbs73

Has anyone else tried to get the second free month? I did it on the PC at home and after the first month expired it let me get another free month.

Still not great as 1GB barely lasted 2 weeks with minimal use. I think my daughter streamed some Apple Music and that was it.

I signed up for a free month, data gone in a single journey, now waiting for the month to expire so I can try again and see if I can get a 2nd for free.

One things for sure though, WONT be paying for it at this price. My Audi had 2 sim slots, use whoever you like.... shame bmw don’t think of doing the same.

[del82]

Originally Posted by srbs73

I will have to try, but I think the problem with an iPhone at least is you want to connect to the car still so it fully integrates with wireless CarPlay. If someone connects to your phones hotspot, I think it will disconnect from the WiFi

Yes that is the problem. I can't make the car pick up my phone as a hotspot.

The car creates a WiFi connection but won't let other devices connect to the phone as a hotspot and keep the WiFi connection.

You don't need the hotspot for WiFi in the car - it'll use your phone data. The hotpot means many devices can use WiFi in the car.

[srbs73]

Originally Posted by del82

Yes that is the problem. I can't make the car pick up my phone as a hotspot.

The car creates a WiFi connection but won't let other devices connect to the phone as a hotspot and keep the WiFi connection.

You don't need the hotspot for WiFi in the car - it'll use your phone data. The hotpot means many devices can use WiFi in the car.

I just tested it and that's what I experienced. So seems these are the options:

1) Hotspot enabled - Internet Use selected, Phone & other devices connected to Car WiFi
- This gives you full features, Apple CarPlay connected and all devices use t-mobile contract
2) Hotpot disabled - Internet Use not selected, Phone & other devices connected to Car WiFi
- Apple CarPlay works from Phone
- Phone uses it's own data via mobile network
- Other inbuilt BMW features continue to work via inbuilt SIM without contract
- I think other Phones with the BMW Connected app get car info but no internet access
3) Hotpot disabled - Internet Use not selected, Phone & other devices connected to Phone HotSpot
- Same as 2 except the last point
- I am running iOS14 beta 3, but think the same is on iOS13, if the phone is connected to WiFi, the Phone Hotspot doesn't work
4) Hotpot disabled - Internet Use not selected, Phone connected to the Car WiFi & other devices connected a separate MiFI device with 3rd party SIM
- Similar to 2, except other devices are connected to their own network.

[srbs73]

Originally Posted by srbs73

So, i've now had the car a month and went back into the t-mobile site (https://www.bmw.hotspotdrive.com/) and it appears I can sign up for my second free month.

This tariff is even dumber than I thought!

And renewed again today for a 3rd month free trial. Looks like you can keep renewing to get 1GB free per month and pay the extra £9.50 for an additional GB so you get up to 2GB for a reasonable charge.

I would still rather pay £15 p/m for 5GB and not have to keep logging in and renewing but they don’t seem to want to take my money

[UnluckySaxon]

Wheres the SIM? Surely thats the answer?

[blaz]

So Carwow say here as follows
Thanks to its ability to allow up to eight devices to simultaneously connect, BMW’s Car Hotspot LTE is one of the best WiFi enabled systems for the easily distracted. The majority of the current BMW lineup boasts the facility to install a SIM card, which connects to the car’s external antenna for a strong signal. Located within the front centre armrest of most models, the system is removable and, thanks to its own battery source, can be used as a wireless hotspot away from the car. As a dealer-fit accessory, Car Hotspot LTE can be retrofitted to second-hand cars too.

[srbs73]

Originally Posted by UnluckySaxon

Wheres the SIM? Surely thats the answer?

It’s an eSIM built into the iDrive. You can’t swap it for your own SIM annoyingly.

[srbs73]

Originally Posted by blaz

So Carwow say here as follows
Thanks to its ability to allow up to eight devices to simultaneously connect, BMW’s Car Hotspot LTE is one of the best WiFi enabled systems for the easily distracted. The majority of the current BMW lineup boasts the facility to install a SIM card, which connects to the car’s external antenna for a strong signal. Located within the front centre armrest of most models, the system is removable and, thanks to its own battery source, can be used as a wireless hotspot away from the car. As a dealer-fit accessory, Car Hotspot LTE can be retrofitted to second-hand cars too.

I think the Hotspot LTE is the legacy device they used to put into cars. Nowadays it’s all built into the car as it’s used by other services such as CarPlay and also enabling people with the connected drive app to see some vehicle info.

[srbs73]

So went to renew for my 4th free month and it says no. Have to pay the ludicrous £9.50 for 1GB. So that's it then. That tech in the car won't get used and was a complete waste of money!

Hope one day, t-mobile will come up with a sensible data plan that isn't a complete rip-off.

[wassap]

tenner for 1gb, feels we are back in 2007!

[OM3RTA]

It seems they have updated their plans and cost since this thread was last commented on.
They now have:
1GB £9.50
2GB 14.50
5GB 24.50.

Nice to see some new options but still too expensive.

[srbs73]

I think its the same. These are add-ons, so you have to pay the 9.50 for the subscription first!

Mental. Does anyone on this forum pay?

[Keith_C]

Originally Posted by srbs73

Does anyone on this forum pay?

Personally, I don't see the point, the only people that could benefit are passengers. Everyone in ours has 10gb data plans so they can use their own, don't need a hot-spot that costs far more for far less. I'm sure if you have kids etc you can pre download things such as videos etc onto tablets, no need for the likes of YouTube etc that would pretty much use all the data in one hit. Spotify doesn't cost anything for the streaming other than the subscription, so they certainly won't be getting any money from me.

[paulockenden]

Is it an eSIM or a proper physical SIM? And if it’s the latter has anyone tried swapping it out for a cheap SIM from a different prover? Do we even know where the SIM is in the vehicle?