No Switch from T-Mobile to Orange !!

eskdale · 08-28-2012, 11:50 AM

Taken from the T-Mobile web site

Quote:

MAY 2012

Smart signal sharing is complete

T-Mobile and Orange have completed the final stage of the 'big switch-on' for smart signal sharing. This means that when a customer's device starts to lose T-Mobile signal, it will automatically check whether the Orange network has better coverage and seamlessly switch to that network.

If no 3G coverage is available, the device will seamlessly switch to 2G signal and will go back on to 3G when either network comes back into range - even if the customer is on a call or in the middle of downloading a web page.

Now even the latest UK BMW's only use 2G T-Mobile but mine never switches to Orange. If there is no T-Mobile 2G coverage then the connected drive system simply does not work at all. As T-Mobile and Orange are decomissioning cells that duplicate the coverage, the areas of coverage for the BMW system are declining.

I don't understand why the system does not use the orange signal but it most definately doesn't and customer services confirmed that it will only use the T-Mobile - Anyone have any experiences or comments?

Jon

AP · 08-28-2012, 02:02 PM

where is it telling you its using tmobile - where abouts in the idrive?
picture?
(I was aware that BMW used Tmobile in teh UK but its very difficult to find any information about the setup.)

eskdale · 08-28-2012, 06:44 PM

I don't think it does show you anywhere. But if you are in a location where the connected drive has no signal. You can often find that there is a good orange signal (use you mobile to check available signals) but the car does not use it. Customer services confirmed that it will only use T-Mobile signals
Which means the coverage is getting worse ! And will get worse in the future.
Jon

sunnyUK · 08-29-2012, 01:47 AM

The SIM card files will probably need to be updated so that the phone understands it can roam on to Orange, normally there is no roaming within a country( all competitors) unless there has been some agreement. It should be possible to do this over the air and not require a new SIM, so may get done slowly when the merge is complete, lot of SMS to send out!.

eskdale · 08-29-2012, 03:02 AM

Hi Sunny,

That is what I was hoping but as you can see from the T-Mobile post this was completed in May and its September this week. Which is why I started the thread. I'm not sure (Does anyone know for definite?) if the COMBOX has a physical removable sim or is the sim functionality built-in.

As it stands the performance is deteriorating instead of improving!

Jon

08-28-2012, 02:02 PM	#2
AP Major General 2762 Rep 5,083 Posts Drives: G30 M550 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	where is it telling you its using tmobile - where abouts in the idrive? picture? (I was aware that BMW used Tmobile in teh UK but its very difficult to find any information about the setup.)
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08-28-2012, 06:44 PM	#3
eskdale Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 205 Posts Drives: 520d M Sport Touring F11 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Gloucestershire UK iTrader: (0)	I don't think it does show you anywhere. But if you are in a location where the connected drive has no signal. You can often find that there is a good orange signal (use you mobile to check available signals) but the car does not use it. Customer services confirmed that it will only use T-Mobile signals Which means the coverage is getting worse ! And will get worse in the future. Jon
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08-29-2012, 01:47 AM	#4
sunnyUK Private 2 Rep 59 Posts Drives: F10 520d Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	The SIM card files will probably need to be updated so that the phone understands it can roam on to Orange, normally there is no roaming within a country( all competitors) unless there has been some agreement. It should be possible to do this over the air and not require a new SIM, so may get done slowly when the merge is complete, lot of SMS to send out!.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-29-2012, 03:02 AM	#5
eskdale Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 205 Posts Drives: 520d M Sport Touring F11 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Gloucestershire UK iTrader: (0)	Hi Sunny, That is what I was hoping but as you can see from the T-Mobile post this was completed in May and its September this week. Which is why I started the thread. I'm not sure (Does anyone know for definite?) if the COMBOX has a physical removable sim or is the sim functionality built-in. As it stands the performance is deteriorating instead of improving! Jon
	Appreciate 0 Quote