3G is going away...
- Thread starter javis20
- Start date
Sat NAV should not be affected - it's a totally different system.
Phone connectivity - this is dependant on the phone that you have. I am assuming that this is already 4G and/or 5G capable.
It only matters if you have an in-built phone in your car and it only uses 3G. I don't think that's the case on the E89.
Your normal phone (Android or iphone) has 4G or 5G connectivity to the cellular network and in turn your car systems connect to it via Bluetooth.
Nothing to worry about.
Phone connectivity - this is dependant on the phone that you have. I am assuming that this is already 4G and/or 5G capable.
It only matters if you have an in-built phone in your car and it only uses 3G. I don't think that's the case on the E89.
Your normal phone (Android or iphone) has 4G or 5G connectivity to the cellular network and in turn your car systems connect to it via Bluetooth.
Nothing to worry about.
There are still plenty of people out there with 3G phones. Yet another forced no option upgrade for them. Companies talk about infrastructure upgrade, what they all to often mean is profit. We had to ask our daughter to use her phone a few days back, in order to carry out an ID check. Neither of our phones would run the App required. The phones hardware could often run the current OS, but the companies block the downloads, so you have to upgrade wasting money and resourses. The whole system stinks of profit over all else. :thumbsdown: Rant over?
Does BMW assit built in use sim card and phone electronics?
Reminds of one of my few visits to the dealer.
At service desk operative was asked to take a call, no way i could not over hear conversation.
Some chap broke down on local ring road. The operative told him to call BMW assist.
The customer said "you only serviced car yesterday"......i think was more the reason for the call.
Reminds of one of my few visits to the dealer.
At service desk operative was asked to take a call, no way i could not over hear conversation.
Some chap broke down on local ring road. The operative told him to call BMW assist.
The customer said "you only serviced car yesterday"......i think was more the reason for the call.
Scottish Borders
3G disappearing is a pain, a lot of devices such as intercom systems all use this and become obsolete. The same with standard dialers, alarm systems and so on.
Upgrading them is expensive, we are going through having to update our 3G integrations in NL as in parts they have already switched it off there.
Upgrading them is expensive, we are going through having to update our 3G integrations in NL as in parts they have already switched it off there.
mcbutler said:
I for one will happily pay a little for those people to remain on 3G for several more years. The current rate at which telecoms hardware is expanding is really not needed by the vast majority of people, it's driven by profit not need. Many good things come out of it but overall, I personally hope it slows down and we can get back to something us mortals can keep pace with, without relying on those making money from it to help us, keep track. That just means they can charge even more. Any one remember the IDE standard. Brilliant and for sure it had to be replaced at some point. But since it fell from grace there have been so many fighting for the spot pushing the envelope of data rates. All fleeting glimpses replaced in a heart beat by the next one, often deliberately rendering kit that is just a few years old obsolete.
buzyg said:I for one will happily pay a little for those people to remain on 3G for several more years. The current rate at which telecoms hardware is expanding is really not needed by the vast majority of people, it's driven by profit not need. Many good things come out of it but overall, I personally hope it slows down and we can get back to something us mortals can keep pace with, without relying on those making money from it to help us, keep track. That just means they can charge even more. Any one remember the IDE standard. Brilliant and for sure it had to be replaced at some point. But since it fell from grace there have been so many fighting for the spot pushing the envelope of data rates. All fleeting glimpses replaced in a heart beat by the next one, often deliberately rendering kit that is just a few years old obsolete.
I wouldn't really say your argument holds any water, a 4g phone can be bought for around £30 new (example) and a 4g contract can be had for as little as £4 a month (example) so to put this at the feet of pure greed and profiteering is simply inaccurate.
Also if they were to continue to facilitate 3g that would require on going 3g infrastructure upkeep and installation and replacement of parts, that means higher costs which would undoubtedly be passed onto the customer. Add that to the fact that upwards of 77% of users in 2019 (SAUCE) were on 4g means that this only affects (at the absolute most) 23% of phones.
Ironically 4G already has more population coverage than 3G does (99%> vs 98%). In terms of 4G in the sticks, fair comment but I have been plenty places where there isnt any 3G either.
Progress is progress but then there are still people who own black and white TVs :roll:
I have a 4G capable phone but cannot pick it up where I live, only 3G. If they turn 3G off I will have no mobile at all. There are many people in same boat.
Flyingfifer said:buzyg said:I for one will happily pay a little for those people to remain on 3G for several more years. The current rate at which telecoms hardware is expanding is really not needed by the vast majority of people, it's driven by profit not need. Many good things come out of it but overall, I personally hope it slows down and we can get back to something us mortals can keep pace with, without relying on those making money from it to help us, keep track. That just means they can charge even more. Any one remember the IDE standard. Brilliant and for sure it had to be replaced at some point. But since it fell from grace there have been so many fighting for the spot pushing the envelope of data rates. All fleeting glimpses replaced in a heart beat by the next one, often deliberately rendering kit that is just a few years old obsolete.
I wouldn't really say your argument holds any water, a 4g phone can be bought for around £30 new (example) and a 4g contract can be had for as little as £4 a month (example) so to put this at the feet of pure greed and profiteering is simply inaccurate.
Also if they were to continue to facilitate 3g that would require on going 3g infrastructure upkeep and installation and replacement of parts, that means higher costs which would undoubtedly be passed onto the customer. Add that to the fact that upwards of 77% of users in 2019 (SAUCE) were on 4g means that this only affects (at the absolute most) 23% of phones.
Ironically 4G already has more population coverage than 3G does (99%> vs 98%). In terms of 4G in the sticks, fair comment but I have been plenty places where there isnt any 3G either.
Progress is progress but then there are still people who own black and white TVs :roll:
I'm all for progress. I'm also a big believer in the free market for much of what we buy and the jobs and prosperity it brings. But such important infrastructure needs to be controlled and governed and the tech companies are way ahead of the governing bodies. I believe they need to be reigned in in this instance. (won't happen due to how far ahead of the legislators they are) There are still plenty of places around here where there is no mobile signal at all. Get mobile signals to every one. Walk before you run. The free market won't do that because there is less or negative profit the further into the sticks you go.
Just for clarity, nationally this change is 11 years away its not happening this year, most people will likely be on 6G or 7G by then.
Also geographic cover isnt as relevant as population cover, with the best will in the world I am not going to chastise the government or companies for not providing to old Hamish the hermit in the deepest parts of the highlands. 4G population cover is already at above 99% and again for clarity the 3G cover is LESS than that at 98%.
Lets not also forget that some people dont want phones or any G never mind 4G they want to live in a hut with a log fire and no running water or electricity, christ we dont even have a water, sewerage and gas supply to everyone in the country never mind 4G but we arent holding back on green energy until all those folk are connected up.
Also geographic cover isnt as relevant as population cover, with the best will in the world I am not going to chastise the government or companies for not providing to old Hamish the hermit in the deepest parts of the highlands. 4G population cover is already at above 99% and again for clarity the 3G cover is LESS than that at 98%.
Lets not also forget that some people dont want phones or any G never mind 4G they want to live in a hut with a log fire and no running water or electricity, christ we dont even have a water, sewerage and gas supply to everyone in the country never mind 4G but we arent holding back on green energy until all those folk are connected up.
But is it driven by profit?buzyg said:mcbutler said:
I for one will happily pay a little for those people to remain on 3G for several more years. The current rate at which telecoms hardware is expanding is really not needed by the vast majority of people, it's driven by profit not need. Many good things come out of it but overall, I personally hope it slows down and we can get back to something us mortals can keep pace with, without relying on those making money from it to help us, keep track. That just means they can charge even more. Any one remember the IDE standard. Brilliant and for sure it had to be replaced at some point. But since it fell from grace there have been so many fighting for the spot pushing the envelope of data rates. All fleeting glimpses replaced in a heart beat by the next one, often deliberately rendering kit that is just a few years old obsolete.
They will make great profits by simply staying with 3G and not advancing. The research, development, installation costs of 4G/5G are simply massive.
The advancements are driven by dependent technologies not providers greed at all. 5G for example is integral to the future of self driving vehicles. If that is or is not a good idea or not is a whole other argument...
Progress is essential and hanging back generally means you get left behind.
I am 4G and will remain so for a few years yet, but 5/6/7/8/9/10G are all inevitable.
Saying all that, as I approach 60 years of age i realise that if I plant a tree today I am unlikely to ever enjoy sitting in its shade on a summers day...........
I have bad coverage where i live because of location and the building i am in.
I bought an Alcatel unit from Vodafone that provided a signal in the home and then tunnelled that over my broadband connection to Vodafone and to it's destination.
When that unit died after a few years of perfect coverage, i found that they discontinued it and were binning the service. The answer was that they were now supporting WiFi calling which works on similar principles. If you have a WiFi connection and your phone supports WiFi calling then the call is tunneled through your WiFi connection to Vodafone etc. etc.
It took a shedload of time before they fully supported this. My jury is still out as to the efficacy of this. But it works.
In Ireland i can pretty much go anywhere and get decent 4G & data coverage. To the point that i have an Alexa auto device in the Z4 to stream whatever i want via voice to the car audio system.
I can also do zoom calls, presentations etc via my 4G connection on the phone or via MiFi modem.
However, when i visit the company office in the City of London, wo behold me! Sometimes i get no signal at all.
A global top 5 city and the reception is soooo crap.
I find this the case as i move around other areas in the UK as well. Usually i have to download Google Maps just to be on the safe side.
So it's not limited to just rural areas, it's endemic.
I bought an Alcatel unit from Vodafone that provided a signal in the home and then tunnelled that over my broadband connection to Vodafone and to it's destination.
When that unit died after a few years of perfect coverage, i found that they discontinued it and were binning the service. The answer was that they were now supporting WiFi calling which works on similar principles. If you have a WiFi connection and your phone supports WiFi calling then the call is tunneled through your WiFi connection to Vodafone etc. etc.
It took a shedload of time before they fully supported this. My jury is still out as to the efficacy of this. But it works.
In Ireland i can pretty much go anywhere and get decent 4G & data coverage. To the point that i have an Alexa auto device in the Z4 to stream whatever i want via voice to the car audio system.
I can also do zoom calls, presentations etc via my 4G connection on the phone or via MiFi modem.
However, when i visit the company office in the City of London, wo behold me! Sometimes i get no signal at all.
A global top 5 city and the reception is soooo crap.
I find this the case as i move around other areas in the UK as well. Usually i have to download Google Maps just to be on the safe side.
So it's not limited to just rural areas, it's endemic.