4G upgrade in Aus?

[Jjdsyd]

Has anyone done this here? Is it possible? A lot of people have done it in the US, apparently to great effect, and it has been available since 2016. I have two 2017 cars and they’re both 3G only. Makes me wonder if Tesla just don’t offer it here...

I’d pay the $500 to upgrade if I could (maybe they’d throw it in if I’m dropping $2500 on an MCU2 . My hope would be it might make TuneIn usable, Spotify more reliable.

 

[Chuq]

My hope would be it might make TuneIn usable, Spotify more reliable.

This caught my eye... I use TuneIn for other purposes (Sonos system at home) and for a few mornings this week it failed to connect. It was fine again this morning. If this is what has prompted the question then it is a TuneIn issue, not a 3G vs 4G thing. My Sonos unit is connected via wired ethernet on a 50Mbit fibre connection, so it's not a connection issue

Nissan only just (~1 year ago) replaced the 2G units in the Leaf with a 3G unit, so 3G is going to be around for some time yet.

The other thing to consider is that Tesla may change to using Starlink for all their vehicles.. once the network is up and going, that is Super fast Internet via SpaceX Satellites / Starlink

 

[.jg.]

My hope would be it might make TuneIn usable, Spotify more reliable.

Have you tried connecting your Tesla through WiFI, with a 4G phone as a hotspot? That might show whether or not a 4G upgrade would be worthwhile.

 

[reecho]

The 4G hardware is fitted. The SIM provided by Telstra for Tesla is restricting it to 3G.

 

[.jg.]

Sure - but you have to pay for Tesla to allow you to use that hardware with 4G. If you already have a 4G phone that can provide a hotspot, you can find out if the change to 4G is likely to improve TuneIn, before splashing out for the upgrade.

 

[lennier]

The 4G hardware is fitted. The SIM provided by Telstra for Tesla is restricting it to 3G.

Older cars (don't recall the cutoff point) only have the 3G hardware.

 

[baillies]

This caught my eye... I use TuneIn for other purposes (Sonos system at home) and for a few mornings this week it failed to connect. It was fine again this morning. If this is what has prompted the question then it is a TuneIn issue, not a 3G vs 4G thing. My Sonos unit is connected via wired ethernet on a 50Mbit fibre connection, so it's not a connection issue

Nissan only just (~1 year ago) replaced the 2G units in the Leaf with a 3G unit, so 3G is going to be around for some time yet.

The other thing to consider is that Tesla may change to using Starlink for all their vehicles.. once the network is up and going, that is Super fast Internet via SpaceX Satellites / Starlink

Hi Chuq,

Although people have discussed this I don’t believe there is a plan to put Starlink into cars. My understanding is the frequency does not pass through basically anything but air, so it would not work in any garage or high rise CBD. It is more for houses (roof antenna) or back haul for mobile/wifi towers or ships/boats/planes. The antenna is also supposed to be about the size of a pizza box so not to practice for cars.

 

[Jjdsyd]

The 4G hardware is fitted. The SIM provided by Telstra for Tesla is restricting it to 3G.

Is that’s true then $500 to swap out the SIM card is unconscionable.

 

[cynix]

Is that’s true then $500 to swap out the SIM card is unconscionable.

The $500 upgrade was for people who had older 3G-only hardware in their car. People with newer hardware automatically got 4G in the US, but unfortunately for us, Telstra is limiting us to 3G even though we already have the new hardware.

 

[Shock-On-T]

The $500 upgrade was for people who had older 3G-only hardware in their car. People with newer hardware automatically got 4G in the US, but unfortunately for us, Telstra is limiting us to 3G even though we already have the new hardware.

But Telstra is normally such a forward-thinking, ethical, cutting edge company! Oh wait...

 

[cynix]

But Telstra is normally such a forward-thinking, ethical, cutting edge company! Oh wait...

I guess they’ll have no choice but to move us to 4G when they decommission the 3G network around 2020, so only 2 more years to go!

 

[Jjdsyd]

It’s hard to believe Tesla is saving any money by keeping us on the 3G network. Feels to me more like they just haven’t got around to updating their deal with TLS. Any savings would have to be a drop in the ocean in scheme of Telstra’s cash burn.

 

[Shock-On-T]

I guess they’ll have no choice but to move us to 4G when they decommission the 3G network around 2020, so only 2 more years to go!

I was just involved in decommissioning a bunch of 2G devices, so I think I’d rather have a slow Tesla than do that again any time soon