Audi connect data usage question

[Holymoly]

In a Connect enabled A6 would I be better off using rSAP to connect my Galaxy S4mini to get a data connection or should I buy a separate data sim such as from 3? I'm really thinking about the amount of data I am likely to be using. What is going to be the long term cheapest option?

If I opt for the separate sim card will the car use it or my phone for calling? Does the car effectively clone my phone's sim so I'm using my normal number when phoning form the car?

Sorry for the possibly stupid questions but this technology is blowing my tiny little mind.

[M1tchy]

I have 1GB a month on my EE phone contract. I have two sims that share the data allowance. Never gone over yet and I permanently leave one in the car


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[tonye60]

I bought a 6 gb 90 day eye sim for £15 of eBay, I leave it in the car at all times, if you constantly travel to new areas you will use more data as the car will download the maps from Google. If you don't travel around as far as I understate map data is cached into the car and therefore at lot less data is required. So 1 gab a month will be plenty unless you take long journeys all the time to new unmapped areas

[belly buster]

250 - 500 Mb / month seems to be the average usage based on previous threads.

[Scott K]

If you have people in the car who will use it, you can guzzle a lot of data if they are streaming music, films etc but for day to day stuff it's not bad. Very much depends on how you use it. For a light user, I would connect my phone.

[AllotmentChap]

Agree. I've been using rSAP and haven't noticed any significant dent in my normal data usage.

[Splash]

I got a Vectone SIM, topped up with £5 which lasts upto 5 months on their £1/month tariff with 50MB and 50 mins/texts if you're a light user and have cached your maps. It's your choice to use the car SIM for data and calls or just data. It's a bit of a faff to remember to forward calls to the cars's SIM if you're using that to make calls as well, but I do this for long journeys.

In both scenarios, the car can read your "phonebook", but I always dial using full numbers from my memory (can't forget stuff like my driving licence number, NI, menbership, bank etc. etc.) so don't really have any experience of its use.

Vectone have just rewarded its users with 3Gb data for some issues recently. I noticed my Google Maps wouldn't go to high resolution despite showing "online". So I've now got an extra 3Gb to use for £5 total outlay which will come in handy as I've just cancelled my broadband. For £5 you can't go wrong by trying it, even if you use up your credit early. At least you can find out your usage inexpensively.

If your broadband is with BT, their most basic mobile tariff 500Mb and 200 mins is £5 and can be capped at a maximum £5 overspend i.e. £10 total. Otherwise 1Gb is typically £7.50 - 10 elsewhere.

A little-known perk on T-Mobile (hoo) is that you can have unlimited use for £3/day, so I sometimes use this facility if the kids are on a long journey - then eject the SIM. Otherwise its £5/month for 1Gb on a legacy tariff.

Too much time and probably too many data SIMs too...

[chesterfield]

I pay an extra £3/month on my 3 contract for unlimited data. Total contract price is £12.90/month. 200 minutes, 5,000 texts and unlimited data. I use rSAP and the wife or kids just use the wifi hotspot in the car without the worry about data.

[Splash]

Yeah, rSAP would be ideal but I've failed to find a definitive list of devices that allow it (and which are waterproof) so I remain commited to Sony who don't support it. Unfortunately the unlimited data I have on O2 is next to useless near home as a recent test of data speeds showed just 11k up and 9k down.

As we use cars depending on journey/application i.e. not "his" or "hers", a dedicated SIM is very handy as my wife often forgets her phone or leaves it in her handbag in the boot (undiverted) and is oblivious to ever receiving a call until she next looks at the phone a day or two later.

If only there was a way to divert texts too...

[wildbore]

Yeah, rSAP would be ideal but I've failed to find a definitive list of devices that allow it (and which are waterproof) so I remain commited to Sony who don't support it.

I use the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, which is waterproof with rSAP. The Galaxy S5 was also waterproofed and supports rSAP. It is likely that Samsung will launch the S6 Active this summer, though it may or may not be made available in the UK. I haven't checked, but I would expect that to support rSAP as well, as most Samsung devices do.