[jgoodm]

Hi All,

Can anyone explain why I would want to subscribe to the BMW/ATT hotspot data plan for the car when I already have an iPhone with unlimited internet from Verizon (which can also be made a hot spot)? Am I missing something that makes the monthly hotspot subscription worth the extra cost? Would the aerial antenna make that much of a difference?

Thanks,

J.

[lumpydog]

Subscribed

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by jgoodm

Hi All,

Can anyone explain why I would want to subscribe to the BMW/ATT hotspot data plan for the car when I already have an iPhone with unlimited internet from Verizon (which can also be made a hot spot)? Am I missing something that makes the monthly hotspot subscription worth the extra cost? Would the aerial antenna make that much of a difference?

Thanks,

J.

Great question. Looking forward to learning the benefits of a dedicated car hotspot.

[daddymalu]

Perhaps for dashcam's or some WiFi radar detectors.... I am having the same dilemma....

[aspiring335]

Originally Posted by jgoodm

Hi All,

Can anyone explain why I would want to subscribe to the BMW/ATT hotspot data plan for the car when I already have an iPhone with unlimited internet from Verizon (which can also be made a hot spot)? Am I missing something that makes the monthly hotspot subscription worth the extra cost? Would the aerial antenna make that much of a difference?

Thanks,

J.

I think the only benefit is you would have a persistent wifi network in the car. With the hotspot on your iPhone, other devices won't be able to connect to it automatically. One scenario where this applies is kids with iPads who would otherwise have to select your personal hotspot each time they want to connect. I also find that my personal hotspot is a bit flaky. Sometimes it won't show up on the other device unless I unlock my iPhone.

Personally I don't want my kids glued to their iPads in the back seat, so I don't see any merit in the car's hotspot.

[JayPichardo]

I never turned it on for my car.

[lumpydog]

One thing to be aware of for all - if you do not setup the Hotspot, then selecting the check box for Internet Connection means your phone will be expecting an internet connection that doesn't exist. Which will handicap the phones ability to stream music, get content, etc.

Make sure that is not checked.

[Charles549]

Originally Posted by lumpydog

One thing to be aware of for all - if you do not setup the Hotspot, then selecting the check box for Wifi/Internet means your phone will expecting an internet connection that doesn't exist. Which will handicap the phones ability to stream music, get content, etc.

Make sure that us not checked.

I gotta go check that right now.

[Xeno]

Originally Posted by lumpydog

One thing to be aware of for all - if you do not setup the Hotspot, then selecting the check box for Wifi/Internet means your phone will expecting an internet connection that doesn't exist. Which will handicap the phones ability to stream music, get content, etc.

Make sure that us not checked.

Look at the image below. I understand this to say that unless I select Wifi - but not necessarily Internet - I will not be able to use CarPlay.

I remember having to go through this menu to get CP to work in the first place so what happens if one disables both Wifi and Internet?

[PhatBoyG]

Xeno don't disable WiFi. The settings you have in the pic are correct. Leave them alone.

[skalberti]

If I try to turn anything associated with WiFi off, I lose my CarPlay.

[lumpydog]

Originally Posted by PhatBoyG

Xeno don't disable WiFi. The settings you have in the pic are correct. Leave them alone.

Bingo - this is how mine is set as well.

[mhfrye]

Originally Posted by lumpydog

One thing to be aware of for all - if you do not setup the Hotspot, then selecting the check box for Internet Connection means your phone will be expecting an internet connection that doesn't exist. Which will handicap the phones ability to stream music, get content, etc.

Make sure that is not checked.

This happened to me! Checked the box when I initially received my car, and assumed I wouldn't be able to stream anything until the WiFi issue was resolved with ATT. Saw this post, unchecked Internet Connection, and now I can stream fine through my phone. Thanks for this very helpful tip!!

[******]

Great tip on unchecking the internet connection box. I am now getting apple car play working the way it should.

Thanks!!!

[ven7782]

I have played around with this and here is what I found.

wifi is needed for Apple car play and screen mirroring so don't turn that off.
If you need to use the hotspot from the car, you need to enable the internet connection. You also need to change the default password to connect to the vehicle hotspot.

Hotspot is bundled with BMW Connected+ I believe and is free for a year. After that you need to pay subscription to AT&T.

[mhfrye]

Originally Posted by ven7782

I have played around with this and here is what I found.

wifi is needed for Apple car play and screen mirroring so don't turn that off.
If you need to use the hotspot from the car, you need to enable the internet connection. You also need to change the default password to connect to the vehicle hotspot.

Hotspot is bundled with BMW Connected+ I believe and is free for a year. After that you need to pay subscription to AT&T.

All true, but....
If you enable Internet Connection, without the ATT subscription, your phone internet connection will not be used and there is no internet connection if no ATT subscription. Result is...no ability to stream or any internet enabled capability. If you enable Wifi, but don't enable Internet Connection, the car will leverage your iPhone Internet connection for streaming, etc. This is key right now given there is a problem with ATT in enabling the car Wifi connection directly. I was unable to stream or use many of the other internet features of the car until I disabled Internet Connection in the car.

[ven7782]

Originally Posted by mhfrye

All true, but....
If you enable Internet Connection, without the ATT subscription, your phone internet connection will not be used and there is no internet connection if no ATT subscription. Result is...no ability to stream or any internet enabled capability. If you enable Wifi, but don't enable Internet Connection, the car will leverage your iPhone Internet connection for streaming, etc. This is key right now given there is a problem with ATT in enabling the car Wifi connection directly. I was unable to stream or use many of the other internet features of the car until I disabled Internet Connection in the car.

The vehicle comes with hotspot enabled and the dealer should make sure that it works. It works for me. If the hotspot is not setup then you are right. But if it is setup, why not use the free internet hotspot for a year?

[mhfrye]

Originally Posted by ven7782

The vehicle comes with hotspot enabled and the dealer should make sure that it works. It works for me. If the hotspot is not setup then you are right. But if it is setup, why not use the free internet hotspot for a year?

Mine was enabled. But not with an ATT data plan for Internet. That has to be set up with ATT, even though its free for a year. I understand that connection was not working as of Dec...maybe its fixed now. Either way, I would prefer to use my phone connection...why have 2 accounts when I can have one. I already get unlimited data, so no advantage to me even if its free.

[Xeno]

Originally Posted by ven7782

I have played around with this and here is what I found.

wifi is needed for Apple car play and screen mirroring so don't turn that off.
If you need to use the hotspot from the car, you need to enable the internet connection. You also need to change the default password to connect to the vehicle hotspot.

Hotspot is bundled with BMW Connected+ I believe and is free for a year. After that you need to pay subscription to AT&T.

I thought the Wifi hotspot was free for only one month, not one year. Do you have a source?

[ven7782]

Originally Posted by Xeno

I thought the Wifi hotspot was free for only one month, not one year. Do you have a source?

My dealer.

[JDBrown]

If it helps... maybe it is wrong. But this is from the document on hotspot on the bmw usa site.

Do I need a mobile data plan subscription in order to use the Internet hotspot?
Each vehicle receives a trial subscription of 3GB or 3 Months, whichever comes first.
Additional data plans are available for purchase.1
You will be prompted on your device
to register for your trial data plan. When you reach your trial limit, you will receive a page
on your connected device with instructions on how to sign up for additional data plans

Link: https://www.bmwusa.com/content/dam/b...Fi_Hotspot.pdf

[gsanto]

I have an Android and I don't see the Internet Connection option...only WiFi. If I check it I can not stream nor do I get the ability to set up an ATT trial.