TMC is an independent, primarily volunteer organization that relies on ad revenue to cover its operating costs. Please consider whitelisting TMC on your ad blocker and becoming a Supporting Member. For more info: Support TMC
  1. TMC is currently READ ONLY.
    Click here for more info.

£1400 MCU2/HW3 upgrade - no 4G.....?

Discussion in 'Model S' started by solidpro, Feb 7, 2021.

  1. solidpro

    solidpro Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2020
    Messages:
    15
    Location:
    Milton Keynes
    Hi

    Last week I paid £1400 for the 'infotainment upgrade MCU2 - I somewhat expected to have 4G as part of this so that I had data connectivity matching that of the media upgrades (such as youtube, netflix etc). However whereas I used to pretty solidly have constant 3G before, I now have an almost solid LTE or occasional 3G. As a result, searching tunein or spotify frequently leads to an empty screen or spinning circle.

    My Tesla originally was bought with the premium connectivity upgrade and AP1.

    As part of the parts received on the invoice, I see:
    MCU Intel HW3 Upgrade EU-AP
    Rear View Camera HSD jumper
    Antenna Bluetooth
    SimCard 2G, 3G, M2M.

    I also received a new touchscreen.

    Seems odd that they do all that - MCU, Touchscreen, SIMcard but I don't get 4G.... What's worse is that I've gone from frequent 3G in my neighbourhood to LTE.

    Additionally, I knew I would lose FM and AM but I don't seem to have any DAB either now. There is no 'radio' icon in the 'media' icons - although I can't actually remember if there was a 'radio' icon besides tunein before or not. Certainly if I search stations I get no DAB options at all.

    Can anyone suggest if I could or do anything to try and get a better outcome? At the moment I am thinking of ringing the service centre and complaining that I have virtually no 3G and no DAB.... but not certain as to what I should have expected...

    Thanks!
     
  2. zanary

    zanary Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2017
    Messages:
    1,347
    Location:
    SF Bay Area (East Bay), CA
    I think it’s the same as the US but 3G is slower then 4G came out and finally LTE replaced both. After LTE will be 5G but that’s coming to new Tesla vehicles soon one day.

    So you were upgraded from 3G (very slow) to LTE (Fast) which is exactly what happens in the IS with the Infotainment Ugrade Package.
     
  3. solidpro

    solidpro Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2020
    Messages:
    15
    Location:
    Milton Keynes
    #3 solidpro, Feb 7, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2021
    Ah thanks. I thought LTE was something like 2G, rather than 'better than 4G' which it sounds like you're saying.

    I think tesla have made a minor boo-boo in that the page explaining the upgrade is a bit US-centric - meaning it only mentions FM, AM and Sirius. We don't have Sirius here, we have DAB (digital radio). They don't mention that, so you could say we didn't expect to lose it. ( Infotainment Upgrade )

    DAB is very much a contemporary technology that I would expect any new car to have, and is definitely not a 'legacy' technology that many would consider AM and FM to be. So not mentioning it at all would lead many to assume it's unaffected.

    However I think we could live without DAB if internet radio via tunein works properly. It seems searches for all music doesn't ever show a 'stations' results anymore (in our case internet radio stations via tunein) and so we can't find anything on tunein for radio.

    My guess is that something in the software says 'you don't have the radio upgrade, so I'm not showing 'stations' results. Even though it clearly says on the page above that we will definitely have internet radio..
     
  4. P100D_Me

    P100D_Me Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2018
    Messages:
    960
    Location:
    Australia
    I am stunned that Tesla don't have DAB (I can't think of one new car that doesn't have it standard).
    It can replace the need for AM or FM and would have been the ideal solution for those going from MCU1 > MCU2 and having to rely on streaming only afterwards.
    However just to clarify, did the UK cars get DAB in MCU1's ?
     
    • Like x 1
  5. Adri

    Adri Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2016
    Messages:
    54
    Location:
    Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    European MCU1 gets DAB radio.
    The MCU2 upgrade doesn't include a radio tuner, so you will have no radio at all.
    NO AM, FM or DAB, since DAB uses part of the FM frequencies.
     
  6. solidpro

    solidpro Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2020
    Messages:
    15
    Location:
    Milton Keynes
    My MCU1 had DAB but now I don't. It doesn't say anywhere I'd lose DAB.

    But I also can't seem to search tunein for any stations we like either.

    So I think it needs to go back in....
     
  7. Huskyf

    Huskyf Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2018
    Messages:
    434
    Location:
    Geneva - CH
    Tunein display radio stations correct name on the display is "local stations"
     
  8. P100D_Me

    P100D_Me Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2018
    Messages:
    960
    Location:
    Australia
    Well that is rather annoying to learn Europe got DAB and Aus missed out. DAB has been here since 2009, before the Model-S was released! I can't for the life of me think why they would enable it in Europe and not in another country where it was already a standard, surely the same hardware is all there? And this decision was made back when Tesla actually gave a s**t about customers.

    Removal of AM, FM and DAB is a step backwards, I don't care what any phone obsessed millennial engineer at Tesla says.
     
  9. HenryT

    HenryT Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2020
    Messages:
    394
    Location:
    Manchester
    #9 HenryT, Feb 9, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2021
    I'm afraid it does say you will lose DAB/FM/AM - from the FAQ's and main text;

    Is anything removed with the Infotainment Upgrade?
    Yes. You will no longer have access to AM, FM or DAB radio.

    Infotainment Upgrade

    I suspect somehow you have been looking at the US version of the page above.
     
    • Informative x 1
    • Like x 1
  10. stopcrazypp

    stopcrazypp Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2007
    Messages:
    9,830
    LTE (telecommunication) - Wikipedia
    LTE is 4G (technically LTE Advanced is what would meet ITU definitions). Much more advanced than 3G or 2G. In the past some phone companies advertised HSPA+ as 4G, which is why they need LTE to differentiate from that.

    From setting up my home receiver (which supports DAB in other countries), DAB uses the FM spectrum, so if you lose FM it follows you would lose DAB also. It's not supported in the US, so most people here in US would not know about it. Unfortunately you are right that the pages they have are likely US-centric.
    Digital Audio Broadcasting - Wikipedia
     
  11. Spacey73

    Spacey73 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I did the MCU2 upgrade (2014 Model S) also UK and still have the same 3G, was expecting LTE/4G
     
  12. HenryT

    HenryT Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2020
    Messages:
    394
    Location:
    Manchester
    I was told the LTE upgrade came with the MCU2 upgrade when they were trying to flog me the idea instead of a daughterboard swap?

    Must have decided they want to recoup some of the ‘discount’ on the MCU swap now then. What a surprise.
     
  13. Spacey73

    Spacey73 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Well it's not going to work out cost effective for them as they're going to have to pull it all apart again to sort out the sim.
     
  14. HenryT

    HenryT Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2020
    Messages:
    394
    Location:
    Manchester
    They offered to upgrade my sim for £470 as a stand alone job.
     
  15. Spacey73

    Spacey73 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    It clearly states on their website that LTE is part of the upgrade. Part of the reason I went for it and not wait for the recall fix of the MCU1. Youtube and Netflix is pretty pointless on 3G.
     

Share This Page

  • About Us

    Formed in 2006, Tesla Motors Club (TMC) was the first independent online Tesla community. Today it remains the largest and most dynamic community of Tesla enthusiasts. Learn more.
  • Do you value your experience at TMC? Consider becoming a Supporting Member of Tesla Motors Club. As a thank you for your contribution, you'll get nearly no ads in the Community and Groups sections. Additional perks are available depending on the level of contribution. Please visit the Account Upgrades page for more details.


    SUPPORT TMC