3G / 4G Data usage with Audi Connect

[Cultivate]

Does anyone have a clue how much data the Audi connect MMI eats on an average month?

I need to buy a 4g Data sim for the new arrival soon as I haven't got a clue if it's going to use 100mb, 1gig, 10 gig - can anyone advise? For some reason most of the providers don't offer unlimited data unless it's a phone tariff or its crazy expensive.

Obviously depends how much you use it but I plan on hooking up to google maps etc and wanted to know if it chews through the data...

also- am I right in thinking that I CANT tether on my iphone (I have an unlimited data package on this) and take calls?

Your advice as ever, Appreciated

[Guest 2]

When I had a loan A6 out I used 4-5gb in roughly 10 days but that was heavy usage.

There have been a few threads on Connect, a search will aid you.

[M1tchy]

I have 3Gb disposable SIM cards which I use and then bin. They last for the full amount of data or 3 months and in a year of having the car I've never used the full 3gb. I use the Audi connect, Google Earth and rarely the wifi hotspot so it does get a fair amount of use. I've done 13000 miles this year to give you an idea.

If I were you, I'd get a similar SIM card package to those I use and see how it goes for the first 3 months so you can judge it for your usage.

As for your iPhone, no you can't tether it and use its data, however, I am considering taking the SIM card out and trying it in the dash after this 3 month period is up and see how it fares.


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[Cultivate]

Bang on Mitchy - thanks very much, this is just the info I was after.

Out of interest which network do you use and where are you based?

Finally, its normal sized sim (as opposed to Nano) right?

[M1tchy]

Yeah the car takes a full sized sim. The last one I bought was a nano sim though but the shop gave me a free adapter and it fits and works fine.

I've only used it on the 3 network and never had a problem, I am based as far south and west in Wales as you can go but travel all over the country, (Blandford, Sheffield, Catterick, York, Cardiff, Swansea, Thetford, Heathrow, Anglesey) and not noticed a problem.


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[snapdragon]

GiffGaff (naff name - owned by O2) are soon to do a 4G 2GB-limited data phone 'goodybag' for £12 /month without contract.
You could try that to see if it is sufficient without any tie-in.

They also do unlimited 3G for £15 /month without contract, but tethering is prohibited and you have to renew the 'goodybag' the £15 at least every 2 months to get unlimited data.

They do another 3G at £15 /month which has a 5GB cap and no repeat top-up requirement and tethering is allowed.

4G Launch Update - Official feedback thread - The giffgaff community (http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Contribute/4G-Launch-Update-Official-feedback-thread/td-p/12127982)

[@mark]

My experience was similar to the others.

I started out using the 3GB pre paid Three SIMs off Amazon and found I never used them up. I tended only to use them for Google Earth and didn't use the WiFi feature.

The Three network worked well for this purpose and of course was a fixed cost.

I then switched to a Vodafone contract because I work for them and can apply a staff discount but also because I wanted to use my SIM when driving across Europe and at the time the Three Feel At Home deal did not cover France.

Again this worked just fine.

As for data usage, on a 2 week trip to Charante in South West France, I had Google Earth running and we used the internet look up quite a bit. So on the drive from Lincolnshire and back plus running around when we got there, total data usage was less than 300MB

As for coverage, ALL networks have good and bad coverage. On my street Vodafone and O2 coverage (because O2 and Vodafone are now sharing masts) is shocking where as Three is very good. When I am in central London, Three is over congested and hardly usable whilst Vodafone is brilliant (especially on 4G). In a car it doesn't matter as much as it's always moving so on your journey, you will no doubt pass through dead spots on all networks. The Audi system however s very god at caching the Google Earth images so this is normally not a problem.

You could argue that as Vodafone is Audis global partner (the newer cars with built in SIM cards are all Vodafone worldwide) this is a better route but the reality is that in a car, if you travel around (rather than just commute 2 miles a day) then it comes down to price.

[Matt Fisher]

Looks like a 1GB 4G card from Vodafone for £10 a month should be plenty then? thx for the info.

[Scott K]

If you are on ee, they do a data share plan for about £8 pm which shares your phone data plan. I usually buy the 6gb 3month cards. Don't use much myself but the kids use a lot with wifi, music and netflix. The other weekend my daughter used 7gb on a long trip-6 hours each way-but this is unusual. Worth it to keep the peace!

[M1tchy]

Do you just ask for a data share SIM card and that then can stay in your car? I don't use much in my phone or in the car so to split it without having to take the sim out each time would be perfect.


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[Scott K]

Hi Mitchy,
Yes. It is some sort of sharing plan where you can get extra SIM cards for family etc but they also do it for data devices. They phoned me up a few weeks ago offering it to me but I have already bought a couple of the 3 month ones. Once they are gone I will probably go for it.

[M1tchy]

Thanks Scott. I will give them a call later and see how it works. I've got a few weeks left on my 3 month p+g sim so could work out perfectly.


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[M1tchy]

So I've ordered a spare sim. They do two plans so you can either:
1. Have a new sim with a new phone number, unlimited texts and calls but still share the data of my current plan for £11 a month.

2. The one I went for. A data only sim that shares the data allowance of my main contract. I think it's a great idea and only £7 a month extra.


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[watronik7]

Check the spec of the car to find out if you have 3G or 4G option available. MMI connects to internet through the SIM in the dash slot or via remote SIM profile over the bluetooth from mobole phone, however in both cases MMI is using built-in module to connecto to network. UMTS/3G is available in all models pre 2014. 4G option is available in post 2014 cars.

[Mdc124]

On the Q7 you can use Audi connect and real time traffic by using the wifi hotspot on the iPhone if that helps.

You can't then route other devices through the car hotspot but it works for live traffic at least

[JayNana]

Has to be very low consumption based on my experience.

I plugged in a 3gb sim valid for one year about an year back. It's automatically on as ive disabled the prompt. my display is often on the nav - which means it has to keep bringing down google map data.

3GB still hasn't run out, although the sim would expire any day now.


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[Mdc124]

I did a test today using my iPhone as a hotspot for the real-time traffic aspect of the MMI / Nav

7.5 Hrs with the live traffic on consumed just under 6Mb of data - around 800Kb per hour which is pretty light in my view

obviously google satellite imagery is going to blow that but of the water - but basic usage isn't worth worrying about - either get a long lived data sim or use your phone as a hotspot

[Pilchardpeach]

I got my 2016 A7 3 weeks ago. Initially it connected to my Note 4 by bluetooth and I got traffic data updates from google, 4g connection. I updated UK north and south maps on the Nav. It would not accept my Audi PIN code however.
Then I got a BT mobile SIM card with 15 Gig data allowance. I activated the BT SIM in a spare phone handset, then put the SIM into the car SIM slot. It seemed to work for a few hours and I could designate calls to my Note 4 and data to the BT SIM in the car. After a couple of hours this all stopped. Now it doesnt like the BT SIM and with this removed from the car, it wont take data from my Not 4 handset either. Just TMC on the Nav (I did for a short time see TMCpro in the box on the left bottom of the screen, but its back to TMC now).

It seems Audi cant help either, even with the non-acceptance of the Audi PIN code.

Its cold sitting in the car for hours at night, and with the engine running not really nice for the neighbours, so I will look again this weekend.

Is there a way to reset the comms system in the car ? I have reset the "data module" a couple of times but this doesnt help.

Back to a bluetooth earpiece and dumb traffic on the Nav. A lot of money extra for this unfathomable tech !

I will try this weekend, warmer weather too. (Beautiful car, my 1st Audi, dream motorway cruiser !)

Anyone with any bright ideas please advise.