Questions...Connected drive stuff

[CondorX5]

So I am now completely confused........ ::)    My "new" (to me) e70 has several connected drive options included BMW Online, Internet, Assist and Extended BMW Online so I thought I would subscribe to the services available and duly signed up on the BMW Connected website and paid for a subscription service to Connected drive Plus - it was showing up as available and valid for my car, duly paid the £180 yearly fee  :'( and waited for it to update overnight.  I was really keen on getting the RTTI traffic, but thought I would try the lot as a one off.

Today, I went to the menu option to update the list of services which was duly successful and the menu now shows I have BMW Online and Internet available, but I haven't been successful in connecting to either yet and duly called BMW Customer Services as per the number given on the Connected Drive website.

The person I spoke to said there is a problem with connected Drive at the moment and it should be restored within the next 24 hours, however, when checking my details he said that the internet option has now been removed from all BMWs - this despite the fact they are still actively marketing it on their website and nothing comes up on a quick google search about this.......

He said he would be sorting out a refund for this part of the Connected Drive Plus service and will phone me later today to confirm it has been done, but its all rather confusing..........

Has the service actually been terminated?    Any articles or press releases or updates hidden somewhere? 

Gotta love BMW 

[X5Sport]

Not seen any warnings about it. 

To be honest it was so slow as it ran on 2G phone tech in the car I rarely bothered.

I think a number of manufacturers are dropping it because the built in system security against cyber attacks is very poor.  The motor industry simply did not think about securing cars at all and now it is probably too hard to retrospectively sort it the easiest thing is to simply turn it off completely so there is no route in to the cars any longer.

Article after article has appeared over recent months - Jeep had to recall thousands of vehicles and others too now have issues.

[CondorX5]

So on further discussion with BMW customer srvices, it seems that the internet option was discontinued in July 2016.  However, its not publicised anywhere, and they are continuing to sell the service even though they clearly don't provide it.  They blame their "marketing team" for this apparent failure to remove the option from sale.

I have been promised a refund as the internet option was the only difference between Connected Drive Services and Connected Drive Services Plus - added to the whole chaos, apparently the Connected Drive servers are out of order, expected to be back up and running tomorrow, so have been unable to get any of it working so far.

So bye bye Internet as part of Comnnected Drive, but by all accounts the 2g connection wasn't particularly useful any longer, so no great loss.

[Tin]

Ahh.. interesting, didn't realise this has been stopped.. The streetview & google bits still work in my car though?

[MarkG_M3CP]

I read this in the model year 2017 release notes. Internet has been replaced with wifi hotspot function.

It says that Internet is discontinued and exiting customers would be unable to renew.

It does seem like a shocking abandonment of existing users.


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[X5Sport]

They call it 'progress' and maintaining the old infrastructure in their data centres is very expensive so I'm not surprised.  With increasing numbers of second & third owners not renewing the services eventually the law of diminishing returns catches up with those who do want it.

i suspect also that with the choice by BMW to stick with 2G for far too long thus keeping really low data throughout and the massive increase in fast data via 3G & 4G demanded by customers it was inevitable.  BMW have a poor record of adopting technology late.  They did it with Bluetooth, mobile support, locked themselves into Apple and everyone else took a wider view.  I've had 4G hi-speed data plus built in WiFi in the car for more than a year now - and that's on a car costing half as much as a new F15 - and it came as standard too.

Apple have a 3-year service life so BMW are not exactly alone in their thinking.  They call it 'built in obsolescence'  >:( >:(

[litany]

Is possible to manage internet via personal hotspot with any bmw with Combox, although not always works as should. No contract with bmw, just via coding.

[CondorX5]

Strangely enough, despite BMW GB saying internet is no longer available, it seems to work fine on my car now - not that its particularly useful as its slow and clunky having to enter things via the idrive wheel. 

I had Bimmertech code in BMW Apps for me - luckily my E70 had the combox and extended BT so didn't need the hardware upgrade which looks a right faff - some cradle thingy and wiring.
It was all done via coding - had to pay for the BMW FSC code of course, Bimmertech send you a coding cable and you schedule a session with their tech, sit in the car with yr laptop atached via coding cable to the car and their tech connects via wifi, in my case a mifi device, and its all done very slickly and quickly.  First coding cable I was sent was faulty, but replaced immediately and tech was quick to respond to request for "appointment".

Apps works ok except that I cannot get AmazonMusic to play audio - frustratingly, it loads album art and looks as if it is playing perfectly but no audio.  Wish I could solve it!  Other than that, nice to get web radio and stuff.

BMW online seems to load easily these days, lets hope it stays that way.  I know its probably old technology by now (my E70 is a 2012 model) and Skoda et al is providing better tech in car, but loads of others don't - friends with Boxters and other premium marques are quite envious of even this aging tech.