[ErnestHouse]

Originally Posted by starlights

I am puzzled as to why BMW cannot configure utilizing the owner's cell phone data via bluetooth...

I am sure they could but I am convinced they don't want to.

[stealth98]

Originally Posted by starlights

I am puzzled as to why BMW cannot configure utilizing the owner's cell phone data via bluetooth... Surely there could be a method utilizing a bluetooth either from the car's bluetooth or an external usb drive.. everyone will go home happy.

Originally Posted by ErnestHouse

I am sure they could but I am convinced they don't want to.

Coorperation of BMW isn't needed for this solution. See:

[ErnestHouse]

Originally Posted by stealth98

Cooperation of BMW isn't needed for Navtuning solution. [/url]

Awesome. Do you have it? I saw that website in researching this problem but was confused by the sentence under compatibility saying you have to have a connected NBT BMW. After 3G sunsets, it ain't connected. I tried to contact them via their website using 3 different browsers but none will actually submit the contact form.

So how does it work? I see Bluetooth tethering isn't supported. Do they need the 3G connection to access you car and from that point onward it uses your USB or Cradle attached phone?

Here is a direct URL to the site: https://navituning.azurewebsites.net/home

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by ErnestHouse

Awesome. Do you have it? I saw that website in researching this problem but was confused by the sentence under compatibility saying you have to have a connected NBT BMW. After 3G sunsets, it ain't connected. I tried to contact them via their website using 3 different browsers but none will actually submit the contact form.

So how does it work? I see Bluetooth tethering isn't supported. Do they need the 3G connection to access you car and from that point onward it uses your USB or Cradle attached phone?

Here is a direct URL to the site: https://navituning.azurewebsites.net/home

That site gives me pause. Not only will the contact email not send, I can't copy any of the dialogue. There is something about being able to use any cellular network with the car's sim card. If I understand correctly, we have a 3G sim card that isn't capable of receiving 4G+. That tells me this will be inop come next January.

[spielnicht]

I'm not following the Navituning posts above or their ARTTI solution in detail, but just vouching for their service. I did purchase their lifetime RTTI service earlier this year when I still had my NBT HU and they're 100% legit (at least my personal experience). Website is iffy but they deliver.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by spielnicht

I'm not following the Navituning posts above or their ARTTI solution in detail, but just vouching for their service. I did purchase their lifetime RTTI service earlier this year when I still had my NBT HU and they're 100% legit (at least my personal experience). Website is iffy but they deliver.

Will you have service after 1/31/22 when 3G is deactivated?

[EvntHrzn]

I just pulled the trigger on the Navituning service over the weekend. They contacted me this morning and I had it installed in 30min (including two 10min waiting periods between steps for the car to go to sleep). I had a question about something in the instructions and they responded within the hour.

So as far legitimacy, they do what they say, and customer service is great.

Whether this will survive 3G sunsetting, we'll see come January.

Their solution basically unlocks data tethering via Bluetooth.

They also sell an unlock for the car's built-in internet browser, which works but is rather limited and slow (they are upfront about this on their site).

I'm posting their instruction PDF for anyone to look at who may be on the fence. I will not post the actual update file as it seems to be VIN specific.

INSTRUCTIONS.PDF

[ErnestHouse]

Interesting, thanks for posting. So you lost RTTI like the rest of us and BMW would not let you renew? But this service was able to renew it.

Do you have to have your phone running and connected via BT to the car to get RTTI?

[EvntHrzn]

Originally Posted by ErnestHouse

Interesting, thanks for posting. So you lost RTTI like the rest of us and BMW would not let you renew? But this service was able to renew it.

Do you have to have your phone running and connected via BT to the car to get RTTI?

Something I completely failed at was checking whether I had RTTI right before the install. I don't use it very often, so I hadn't checked it for a few months when it was working.

After running this procedure I get the TI icon when I set a destination (which the vendor assures me is the North American version of ARTTI, and the maps do seem to show traffic (but I don't know if I'm still getting that straight from BMW as other online features still work in my car).

I did call BMW at the beginning of the year and got them to give me all the connected services for free until the time of sunset, but as I said, I fumbled on checking for RTTI right before starting this procedure.


The worst-case scenario is that the Bluetooth tethering only gave me access to the shitty built-in web browser, and the RTTI (TI) is still coming through via 3G for now, I don't know. Need to test further.

I have emailed them for clarification, waiting to hear back from them. [POSTED REPLY IN THE NEXT POST]

[EvntHrzn]

Just got an email back from them clarifying some things. Posting this here since my last post was already kind of long:

From the Navituning people:

1. The activation you bought (sunset resistent) isn't depending on an active car sim anymore, but still can use it. Bluetooth tethering will be used for TI as soon as the 3G cellular network isn't available. This activation was released last week and has a 3 year subscription model.

2. For our lifetime activations (not sunset resistant) an active car sim is still required but doesn't make much sense anymore because in the US 2G is already gone, and the sunset of 3G is set to February 2022. So we don't offer this activation anymore in the US.

[ErnestHouse]

So it begs the question "Why isn't BMW doing a Bluetooth tethering RTTI solution, SOS and Send to car for affected customers?"

[Unspec]

Originally Posted by ErnestHouse

So it begs the question "Why isn't BMW doing a Bluetooth tethering RTTI solution, SOS and Send to car for affected customers?"

Spitballing here:

I don't know how much data RTTI uses, but while on my road trip which totaled around 800 miles in 5 days, Google Maps used close to a gig. Assuming that Google Maps is a worst case scenario, my guess is BMW not wanting to deal with customers complaining that RTTI ate up a chunk of their mobile data, when in the past this data usage was "free".

[ErnestHouse]

Then again, the BMW Connected Drive annual subscription wasn't free.

[Unspec]

Originally Posted by ErnestHouse

Then again, the BMW Connected Drive annual subscription wasn't free.

Yup, but there was no data limit or overage charges.

[ezaircon4jc]

So their system is Bluetooth tethered to your phone? For RTTI & internet (BMW Online)?

[EvntHrzn]

Originally Posted by Unspec

Yup, but there was no data limit or overage charges.

Most wireless carriers these days (in the US) offer competitive plans with unlimited data without overage charges. So I think this would be a non-issue for the majority of people using their phones to tether.

[ErnestHouse]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

So their system is Bluetooth tethered to your phone? For RTTI & internet (BMW Online)?

Just RTTI I think. But you'd think it's not much of a challenge to do some other things like Send To Car and a front end to the existing BMW Online Search backend. Especially if you work at BMW. NavTuning did it from the outside.

EvntHrzn Exactly. Plus you have the $100/year Subscription to work with that makes it $0 out of pocket.

I read Tesla is rumored to be providing a fix for it's Model S customers from No-Cost to $2000 depending on how the car was equipped.

[UPDATE] I may have misunderstood your post @ezaircon4jc. I just bought this solution. FWIW, turning on internet browsing via Bluetooth Tethering is a separately order-able item.

[Unspec]

Originally Posted by EvntHrzn

Most wireless carriers these days (in the US) offer competitive plans with unlimited data without overage charges. So I think this would be a non-issue for the majority of people using their phones to tether.

That's true - for the device. Tethering and hotspot are often times capped and will get throttled to oblivion once you pass that cap, and some unlimited plans even charge you to enable the feature to begin with. I believe Verizon is 15GB a month, then your speed is throttled to 600Kps. If you're someone who uses hotspot a lot for work or for road trips so the kids can watch something on their iPads (examples), that 15GB limit goes fast

Something my friends and I have been exploring is developing an Android app that mirrors Google maps, so that you can then slap it into the hud screen area and use the reflection for a psuedo Google Maps hud integration. There is an app already called HUDWAY Go, but it's missing a lot of Google Map features and actually uses OSM as its backend. At the end of the day, Google Maps makes RTTI look primitive at best, so we'll see how this project turns out lol

[ErnestHouse]

The maps in the HUD sound cool. It's like what the HUD already does only not as good due to Google clutter. But it makes for a safer driver than one fiddling with a phone.

Short of the sourcing $3K in parts you need BMW to cooperate on plus a couple days of labor, from a non-dealer shop, we have no choice other than turn to our phones and data plans to "un-cripple" the Connected Drive features of our cars. BMW is not helping its customers in any way. We are left to using services like NavTuning and Bluetooth tethering.

BMW Customer Service made it clear in no uncertain terms to me yesterday that they are not going to make a fix available for fee or free to the "600,000" vehicles affected. THat's what he said. OTOH, Tesla is rumored to be preparing $200 - $2000 fix packages. But not BMW.

NavTuning works a treat by the way. RTTI is back using the built-in 3G until sunset. I'll post here if I can prove it also restored route re-routing in the OEM Navi that I love with it's split screen, HUD signage/turn graphics, cluster display and ergonomic console control wheel.

What's needed is for someone clever like the NavTuning folks to also come up with a sunset proof Send To Car and SOS. The NavTuning app shows us it *could* be done by BMW in it's myBMW app. But they aren't.

[ErnestHouse]

NAVTUNING UPDATE: Instead of giving $100 to BMW for Connected Drive, I gave it to the folks at Navtuning. I now have a 3G sunset proof RTTI *AS WELL AS* rerouting due to traffic. WOOT

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by ErnestHouse

...
Short of the sourcing $3K in parts you need BMW to cooperate on plus a couple days of labour...

I'd gladly pay $3K for the upgrade. It's MUCH more economical than a new car!

[stealth98]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

I'd gladly pay $3K for the upgrade. It's MUCH more economical than a new car!

If you want to spend some money, you could try to ask BMW service to exchange the TCB 01 (2G/3G) with a TCB 4G. BMW service can order the TCB 4G for your VIN, so the IMEI number of the TCB 4G will be registered to your BMW correctly.

BMW part number : 84106836777

If you want to replace the TCB yourself, you could try to order the TCB for your VIN here. Use the instructions that you expect a configured TCB 4G. This is important, so you don't end up with a TCB 4G which isn't active. When they accept the order for your VIN (provided during checkout), the TCB 4G will delivered configured for your BMW. So you only have to remove the old TCB and mount the TCB 4G.

Update: Anyone interested in the TCB 3G to 4G swap see this post