Connectivity: What do delivered Production cars have for Wifi and 3G connectivity?

[Hank42]

This is the modem used in the RAV4ev - it's presumably to be the same in the S.


UMTS

-more-

Telit UC864-G UMTS/HSDPA Module GSM Quad-Band, UMTS Tri-Band (850/1900/2100)

 

[Nate]

I'm new here and I'm seriously contemplating replacing my gas guzzling 2012 Toyota Tundra (15.4mpg) with a Model S. I'm just weighing my options to make sure I won't break the bank with this purchase.

On the topic of 3G connectivity, if they do charge for it in the future, it had better be much more reasonable than the ridiculous rates AT&T charges. If Netflix, for example, can offer everything that it does for $7.99/mo, I should be able to get 3G service for my car for no more than that.

 

[dsm363]

I'm new here and I'm seriously contemplating replacing my gas guzzling 2012 Toyota Tundra (15.4mpg) with a Model S. I'm just weighing my options to make sure I won't break the bank with this purchase.

On the topic of 3G connectivity, if they do charge for it in the future, it had better be much more reasonable than the ridiculous rates AT&T charges. If Netflix, for example, can offer everything that it does for $7.99/mo, I should be able to get 3G service for my car for no more than that.

Welcome. Netflix delivers their service over the Internet connection you've already paid for though (cable modem for example). People are guessing at this point but hoping for $30/month.

 

[Nate]

Welcome. Netflix delivers their service over the Internet connection you've already paid for though (cable modem for example). People are guessing at this point but hoping for $30/month.

Right, but I don't mean it that way. Netflix has to pay for servers, storage space, bandwidth, licensing for the movies/tv shows they show, and even production of their own original series. $30/mo is absolutely ridiculous. You can get internet for your home for less than that. Why would you pay so much for something that you can only use when you're in your car? I wouldn't even want the tethering since I have a grandfathered unlimited data plan for my iPhone through AT&T that I would have to forfeit in order to add any sort of tethering or additional non-phone device.

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Think of it this way. How far can you drive your Model S for $30?

 

[dsm363]

Right, but I don't mean it that way. Netflix has to pay for servers, storage space, bandwidth, licensing for the movies/tv shows they show, and even production of their own original series. $30/mo is absolutely ridiculous. You can get internet for your home for less than that. Why would you pay so much for something that you can only use when you're in your car? I wouldn't even want the tethering since I have a grandfathered unlimited data plan for my iPhone through AT&T that I would have to forfeit in order to add any sort of tethering or additional non-phone device.

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Think of it this way. How far can you drive your Model S for $30?

The blame will largely be with AT&T as they and the other carriers charge a lot for data. Tesla will have little control over that other than how much profit they want to take each month which I hope isn't much. I agree, $30/month is a lot but that is just a number someone guessed at before. We won't know until it is announced.

 

[ElSupreme]

Right, but I don't mean it that way. Netflix has to pay for servers, storage space, bandwidth, licensing for the movies/tv shows they show, and even production of their own original series.

AT&T has to pay for their tens of thousands of towers, the real estate they are located on, the backup power at each site, the millions of miles of fiber they installed and maintain. They have to pay for all the routers and internet infrastructure they provide.

I hate to defend internet pricing in the USA. But there is a TON of infrastructure involved, and the US companies are finally coming around and installing the good stuff.

 

[rlang59]

Welcome. Netflix delivers their service over the Internet connection you've already paid for though (cable modem for example). People are guessing at this point but hoping for $30/month.

I'm pretty sure people are hoping is is less than $30/month.

 

[markb1]

I'm pretty sure people are hoping is is less than $30/month.

Yes, less than $30 a month. It should be be priced like the data plan for a tablet, which means I should be able to tack it onto my existing AT&T or Verizon plan.

 

[brianman]

$30/mo is absolutely ridiculous. You can get internet for your home for less than that.

This is an invalid comparison. I can get water and electricity at my home for a reasonable monthly fee but running a water or electrical cable to my car while it's on the freeway is unlikely to be affordable.

 

[ElSupreme]

I'm pretty sure people are hoping is is less than $30/month.

Yes, less than $30 a month. It should be be priced like the data plan for a tablet.

I agree that people are hoping for less than $30 a month. But that won't happen.

Pricing will be higher than a base tablet plan. It will be what a hotspot costs.

Tablet plans allow for ~250MB for $15 or 3GB for $30 per month.

Think of a heavy (but not exceptional) Model S owner usage. Commutes to work 20 days a month. Commute length is 30 minutes each leg. Listens to internet music 75% of the time. Slacker probably is sending out 128 kbps songs.

So 15 hours at 128kbps you get about 850 MB of data. Add in a OTA update, and some maps, voice search, or internet browsing. You are over 1GB every month. I doubt AT&T is going to price that to match a 250MB tablet plan.

 

[brianman]

• "Hello, this is SpaceX. Elon speaking. How can I help you?"
• "Hey, it's Elon again from Tesla. Can you run the numbers on putting up our own satellite for internet for our cars?"
• "Sure. I'll put it on my todo list."

 

[rlang59]

I agree that people are hoping for less than $30 a month. But that won't happen.

Pricing will be higher than a base tablet plan. It will be what a hotspot costs.

Tablet plans allow for ~250MB for $15 or 3GB for $30 per month.

Think of a heavy (but not exceptional) Model S owner usage. Commutes to work 20 days a month. Commute length is 30 minutes each leg. Listens to internet music 75% of the time. Slacker probably is sending out 128 kbps songs.

So 15 hours at 128kbps you get about 850 MB of data. Add in a OTA update, and some maps, voice search, or internet browsing. You are over 1GB every month. I doubt AT&T is going to price that to match a 250MB tablet plan.

It should be compared to what Audi is charging for their connectivity plan. It's $30/month if you don't want to prepay, but $430 for 30 months if you do (~15/month). That benchmark that should be used no what the plan should/will cost. That is a better comparison than what ATT charges for an iPad/tethering data plan.

 

[brianman]

It should be compared to what Audi is charging for their connectivity plan.

T-Mobile Audi connect - T-Mobile Account Management for Audi connect
Audi connect Data Plans Update

Service Term	Retail Price	Monthly Equivalent	Savings
1 month	$30	$30	-
12 months	$324	$27	10%
24 months	$600	$25	17%
30 months	$450	$15	50%

Audi connect® Help & Support | Audi USA

• realistic Google Earth and Google Maps with Street View
• wi-fi hotspots, voice search

One of the pages mentioned 8 devices, but I lost track of it (hence no link).


Yes, Audi is setting a price bar that Tesla should definitely consider here.

 

[Banahogg]

It should be compared to what Audi is charging for their connectivity plan. It's $30/month if you don't want to prepay, but $430 for 30 months if you do (~15/month). That benchmark that should be used no what the plan should/will cost. That is a better comparison than what ATT charges for an iPad/tethering data plan.

I believe the Audi plan allows the car to act as a WiFi hotspot as well, which the Model S doesn't have right now (the 5.0 WiFi sounds like it goes the other direction). I'm not sure how useful that is, but it'd need to be accounted for in the costs.

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One of the pages mentioned 8 devices, but I lost track of it (hence no link).

The original press release has it: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/05/audi-connect-t-mobile-data-plans/