3G Connectivity & Satellite Radio

[Todd Burch]

I've never had a luxury car before. With regards to the 3G connectivity and satellite radio, I assume as the purchaser of the Model S I'll be responsible for paying for the service, right? Any ideas on what that would cost, on a monthly basis?

Or is it a special service that "comes with the car"? (Doubt it).

 

[dsm363]

I've never had a luxury car before. With regards to the 3G connectivity and satellite radio, I assume as the purchaser of the Model S I'll be responsible for paying for the service, right? Any ideas on what that would cost, on a monthly basis?

Or is it a special service that "comes with the car"? (Doubt it).

It's anyone's guess but I assume if it's the satellite radio I have in my car, it comes with a defined time period for the subscription built into the price of the car then you have the option to renew. My guess is the 3G data will be included with the car since that seems to be a main selling point of the car.

 

[Mark Petersen]

well 3G will probaly be a service you get from you local MobilePhone Provider
you just put in the SIM card from the provider, just like you do with the iPad,
but I hope the they make it as a USB connection where you connect a 3G-USB device, as that way it will be easyer to replace it with a 4G-USB device

satelite radio, hmm that is only avalible in the US, I hope the add support for DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) witch is free in EU

 

[dpeilow]

I agree that DAB (and other digital broadcast standards used in Europe such as DAB+ and T-DMB) should be supported as standard. Given that there is talk of shutting off FM radio by 2014 here, it seems sensible to included it anyway. Combined single chipset receivers for all the above standards are available.

However, there are big plans for satellite radio in Europe too. Over the next few years (e.g. the Model S timeframe), expect to see services like XM Sirius in Europe from Solaris, 1worldspace and ONDAS - the former using the DVB-SH standard and the latter two using ETSI SDR. They are already in the process of doing deals with car manufacturers to integrate their receivers in new models.

 

[vfx]

well 3G will probaly be a service you get from you local MobilePhone Provider
you just put in the SIM card from the provider, just like you do with the iPad,
but I hope the they make it as a USB connection where you connect a 3G-USB device, as that way it will be easyer to replace it with a 4G-USB device
...

I can see this car as part of rental fleets. I would want to plug my Iphone or MP3 into my rental car for my own music and phonecalls.

 

[steve841]

One would hope that they allow for tethering of a cell phone to the system via bluetooth ..... rather than having to subscribe for the same service.

 

[tdelta1000]

This is a topic that covered a while back but it good to see that some else is think along the same lines.
Here it is:
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php?t=3036

 

[Rauder]

3G Technology - Useless

By the time the first S car roles off the assembly line, the 3G electronics installed in the car will be dated, and support from carriers like Verizon and AT&T will be diminishing. You can expect the 4G networks to replace the 3G networks beginning this year! 4G offers way more bandwidth. You cannot upgrade networks via a software download; equipment and hardware will need to be replaced. Hopefully Tesla will forgo 3G and install 4G instead. :smile:

 

[doug]

Hopefully Tesla will forgo 3G and install 4G instead. :smile:

Seeing how a production version of the Model S is a couple years away, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Almost certainly will be 4G by then.

 

[steve841]

And Satellite radio ... will be dead by then....

Or free ... with commercials.

 

[ChrisC]

You can expect the 4G networks to replace the 3G networks beginning this year!

Nonsense. 3G will continue to be supported for a very long time. 2.5G still works, years after 3G launched, and heck even plain old GSM data still works. They only shut down AMPS two years ago.

Hopefully Tesla will forgo 3G and install 4G instead. :smile:

I will not be disappointed one iota if it's 3G.

 

[Cobos]

I'm just hoping they make the cellular chip modular. So if teh Model S does come with 3G a few years down the road during a routine yearly check you can optin for a few hundred dollars to upgrade to 4g.

Cobos

 

[dpeilow]

By the time the first S car roles off the assembly line, the 3G electronics installed in the car will be dated, and support from carriers like Verizon and AT&T will be diminishing. You can expect the 4G networks to replace the 3G networks beginning this year!

The recession has pushed investment in 4G out to the right. Even just this past week, AT&T has announced they will upgrade their network to HSPA+ (aka 3.5G) by the end of the year, rather than LTE. This is an easy software upgrade for most 3G base stations. By the time networks are able to contemplate a 4G upgrade, the technology may have moved on again (e.g. LTE Advanced).

And Satellite radio ... will be dead by then....

Or free ... with commercials.

XM Sirius has had a good year with increased car sales, subscriber numbers above expectations, renegotiation of royalties and Q1 revenues up 11%. I wouldn't write them off yet.

I'm just hoping they make the cellular chip modular. So if teh Model S does come with 3G a few years down the road during a routine yearly check you can optin for a few hundred dollars to upgrade to 4g.

It will almost certainly be a mini PCI express module, such as those used in laptops. These are pretty cheap and easy to upgrade.

If they have any sense, they will go for one like the Option Gobi 2000, which can work on EVDO and UMTS/HSPA and any frequency band used for these worldwide.

 

[tomanik]

Tesla roadshow IPO slides make mention of planned 4G connectivity for the Model S which is good to see since the car seems to be a couple of years away.

 

[tdelta1000]

Elon stated that the Model "S" will be 4G connected instead of 3G.

 

[dpeilow]

It's semantics really. If the majority of the coverage is still HSPA+, then they'd be daft not to have it. 3G and 4G are marketing labels.

 

[dpeilow]

635,392 U.S. Road Miles Lack 3G or 4G - Technology Review

 

[meloccom]

So has anyone heard if XM radio will be replaced by DAB or DAB+ digital radio on non USA Model S?