[AMILL]

I've been reading many posts on several different audi forums about replacement SIM cards that are prepaid and fairly inexpensive compared to the $30 audi wants to charge for this service. I don't care about having a hot spot in my car but I really like the Google maps and I use the traffic and gas prices sometimes too.

Looks like Truphone gets their service thru T Mobile and it's inexpensive after you purchase the SIM card. I'm interested to hear if anyone has replaced their trial SIM card yet and with which service? I have Verizon Wireless and they will not let me purchase a SIM card unless I have a phone to register it to and in that case it's ANOTHER $40/mo. Not me....Bill is high enough.

If anyone wants some of the info I've found just PM me.
Anne

 

[Ohio Joe]

Anne, Interesting thoughts.... We havent gotten there on our Q3 yet but on our A5 that time has come and gone and I havent really missed it... Might just be me but the maps and traffic (sirius traffic will stay way after the Audi connect expires) has worked just fine. That being said though, If cheap enough, I might think about having another go with it....

 

[rnlabas]

I've been reading many posts on several different audi forums about replacement SIM cards that are prepaid and fairly inexpensive compared to the $30 audi wants to charge for this service. I don't care about having a hot spot in my car but I really like the Google maps and I use the traffic and gas prices sometimes too.

Looks like Truphone gets their service thru T Mobile and it's inexpensive after you purchase the SIM card. I'm interested to hear if anyone has replaced their trial SIM card yet and with which service? I have Verizon Wireless and they will not let me purchase a SIM card unless I have a phone to register it to and in that case it's ANOTHER $40/mo. Not me....Bill is high enough.

If anyone wants some of the info I've found just PM me.
Anne

First, be careful NOT to confuse the relatively inexpensive voice service cost of a pre-paid SIM to that of data - needed for Audi Connect. Second, as far as carriers (e.g. Verizon) are concerned your car IS a phone -

 

[AMILL]

Roger,
Some of the articles I read people have gotten Truphone prepaids and used the sim card i their audi. Maybe they're pulling my leg. I thought if you have a sim card from a phone (I guess it would have to include data) you can just use it in the car?
anne

 

[rnlabas]

I don't know enough about Truphone plans to say really - I just want you to be aware that you need a data plan/service for your Audi and that voice and data plans from carriers are USUALLY separate -

Inexpensive pre-paid SIM cards are USUALLY for voice only, as data is still comparatively expensive ... just be aware and don't rush to stick a voice-only SIM into your car and be surprised/confused that it won't work -

Also, realize that in most of the RoW these cars (and BMWs, Mercedes, etc) can come with a phone only - that means, just a voice device in the first place. This was never very common nor accepted in the US, but in the EU was for many years - maybe still is.

 

[jtechico]

Not to hijack this thread but my SIM card and service came with AT&T as default. On the myAudi website (https://myaudiconnect.com/#/carrier/coverage) there is a selection for T-Mobile which is my current cell phone provider; which I was curious whether it was an option to consolidate my bills. When I asked my dealer about the possibility of switching to T-mobile, he said it wasn't available and that T-mobile shows only because it was a previous partner.

Does anyone know if switching to T-mobile is possible and/or if it's as easy as switching out SIM cards?

 

[felipefaccini]

Im curious about t-mobile as well. I will try my sim card this weekend an see if it works

 

[boxbrownie]

Probably not so relevant as I am in the UK but in my A6 which had the same high MMI system as your Q3's I bought a "3" mobile SIM card, it's just a normal PAYG card but came with 10GB of data free and it had an unlimited time frame, I had that card in my Hybrid for 5 months and used Google maps all the time, made only 3 calls (stationary,I am dead against calls in car) and at the end of the 5 months I still had about 9GB of data left, in fact the card is now in a spare phone we have and still working with credit left......

 

[AMILL]

New "audi connect" sim card thru truphone

Okay, I just got my Truphone sim card $29.99 with $15.00 account credit. After I set up an account and ordered the sim card I followed the instructions I found on one of the Audi forums, activated the sim card on their website, changed the data connection login info, and BOOM!!! It works!!! Now I don't know how much data it'll use up when I use Google Maps or Google search but I'm just thrilled to have something that I don't have to fork over $450 for 30 months of Audi Connect service I might or might not use...

I heard from a few people it's expensive for the data and I've heard from some people it takes practically no data off your plan. So we'll see...

If anyone wants anymore info from me if they're thinking about moving ahead with an alternative plan besides the $450 PM me...

 

[rnlabas]

Please keep us informed - this sounds like you've found a good alternative. I'll be very interested in how the Truphone data plan is being consumed by your car. I hardly use mine at all, so could just as easily be happy with what you've done.

 

[felipefaccini]

Just check my usage. I. 4 months I had use less than a half gigabyte.



Good news if, if truphone works, most likely T-Mobile will work (I haven't been able to try it because I none of my phones have full size sin cards). Tmobile is $10 (or $5 with a promotion) for adding a line with 1g of data per month

 

[Ohio Joe]

Thanks, This is really good stuff!!! Please keep us in the loop!!!

 

[AMILL]

T Mobile is a great alternative unfortunately those of us that don't have a T Mobile account (verizon wireless here) I had to look for other alternatives.. You guys with T Mobile are lucky....

 

[BobInPa]

You guys with T Mobile are lucky....

Being a T-Mobile customer, I can honestly say that I have never heard that before.

 

[dipaola]

I am with T-Mobile too and would like to look into getting a sim for just data. I will post another comment once I talk with them.

 

[AMILL]

question for you...is there a better way to use Google maps and the other features without using a lot of data? I read something that if you keep the map zoomed in farther away it uses less data? I tried using the Google map for 15 minutes and it cost me $0.25. That sounds a bit expensive if I was using it for a long trip. I'd be interested in hearing how you use yours

 

[AMILL]

****UPDATE**** Well here it is a month later and I've still barely used any of my data plan. I use it so infrequently I suspect under my normal usage it'll last a while EXCEPT I'm doing a LONG trip in a couple weeks that I'll need to use it so that'll be the real test. Otherwise I'm pretty happy with the plan thru Truphone... More at the end of the month after my trip...

 

[rnlabas]

Thanks, I'm looking forward to your next installment on this ...

 

[lignumaqua]

Just thought I'd post my experience. My Q3 AT&T free trial subscription was about to expire so I picked up a T-Mobile SIM today from the local T-Mobile store (make sure you get the full size regular SIM). Gave the sales rep the IMEI from the car and he registered the SIM. Popped it in the car, told it to automatically register through the MMI, and it worked immediately. No need to change the APN, in fact no changes in MMI at all. Gets 3G coverage like it did before.

It's $10 / month as an add-on to my existing T-Mobile plan.

 

[rnlabas]

I just bought a full sized prepaid SIM from TruPhone for $30 which includes $15 credit, and another $30 credit, so for $60, I figure I have my use covered for about a year ... Based on AMILL's comments and use, that sounds about right for me - works out to $5/mo - I like that just fine, and can always load it up more as I use/need it.