LTE Throttling since 11/3/17

[Tdreamer]

Also in the Boston area - just checked fast.com on my one-bar LTE connection and am still getting 200-250Kbps. If I use my Verizon iPhone7 as a hotspot, and connect the car WiFi to it, I get over 1.5Mbps throughput on fast.com.

In a Slacker Radio Stuttering post I just left, I shared some info received via Slacker Support this evening that a configuration change was made today around 4pm PST that might improve the behavior. The change was a follow-up message earlier today from Slacker Support about an East Coast LTE related issue Tesla was troubleshooting (possible routing issue?).

Full disclosure - I had also updated to 2017.50.3 yesterday and streaming seemed better since then - that's not been all that unusual after applying updates for the past few months.

 

[minderbinder]

I was still getting 200 Kbps coming home tonight at 6:30 (Boston burbs).

 

[ahkahn]

I was still getting 200 Kbps coming home tonight at 6:30 (Boston burbs).

From what others said, they think they fixed it around 4pm PST. That would be 7pm your time, so I'm wondering if your car is better now?

Mine was working better earlier this afternoon... say around 2:00pm CST.

 

[Wrkent100]

From what others said, they think they fixed it around 4pm PST. That would be 7pm your time, so I'm wondering if your car is better now?

Mine was working better earlier this afternoon... say around 2:00pm CST.

In Charlotte nc, not fixed as of 8:30 pm... still getting 250 kbps.

 

[Jack Tripper]

If ATT is the problem, can Tesla switch to Verizon?

Any non-US owners experience throttling as well?

 

[doubleohwhat]

If ATT is the problem, can Tesla switch to Verizon?

I have no clue if AT&T is the issue or not. However, I've often wondered about the feasibility of switching providers. Does anyone know if the cars have something like an eSIM or if they literally have an AT&T SIM card inserted into the parrot board? I'm just wondering if Tesla is more or less stuck with AT&T for the existing fleet or if they've thought ahead and made switching providers doable.

 

[ahkahn]

I have no clue if AT&T is the issue or not. However, I've often wondered about the feasibility of switching providers. Does anyone know if the cars have something like an eSIM or if they literally have an AT&T SIM card inserted into the parrot board? I'm just wondering if Tesla is more or less stuck with AT&T for the existing fleet or if they've thought ahead and made switching providers doable.

Probably an eSIM. Verizon most likely not (TDMA) but they could probably port over to Tmobile since they also operate a GSM network.

 

[JaredBanyard]

I'm still getting the 240kbps cap as of this morning in North Jersey.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Probably an eSIM. Verizon most likely not (TDMA) but they could probably port over to Tmobile since they also operate a GSM network.

That used to be true for 3G technology (TDMA/GSM), but not anymore for 4G/LTE, which is the same core technology for both companies.

The problem with switching providers is the frequency band each one uses in the 700MHz block (Verizon upper bands, AT&T the lower bands).

If the onboard radios support all the LTE frequency bands for both companies, Tesla could switch providers (for LTE customers, that is, folks with 3G are stuck with AT&T or tMobile).

So that's two criteria needed: an eSIM and a multi-band radio.

 

[Tdreamer]

I'm still getting 240Kbps this morning as well, just as I was last night. Slacker streaming still seems better for me with consistent buffering - unless I attempt a speed test concurrently, at which point the buffering seems to slow as one might expect.

 

[Tdreamer]

That used to be true for 3G technology (TDMA/GSM), but not anymore for 4G/LTE, which is the same core technology for both companies.

The problem with switching providers is the frequency band each one uses in the 700MHz block (Verizon upper bands, AT&T and other providers, the lower bands).

If the onboard radios support all the LTE frequency bands for both companies, Tesla could switch providers (for LTE customers, that is, folks with 3G are stuck with AT&T or tMobile).

So that's two criteria needed: an eSIM and a multi-band radio.

Wouldn't LTE equipped cars still have an issue with a provider switch when LTE signals are weak and the car falls back to 3G service? What provider would it use i that case, as Verizon CDMA would presumably not be available (unless the car supported CDMA as well as GSM technologies).

 

[ahkahn]

That used to be true for 3G technology (TDMA/GSM), but not anymore for 4G/LTE, which is the same core technology for both companies.

The problem with switching providers is the frequency band each one uses in the 700MHz block (Verizon upper bands, AT&T and other providers, the lower bands).

If the onboard radios support all the LTE frequency bands for both companies, Tesla could switch providers (for LTE customers, that is, folks with 3G are stuck with AT&T or tMobile).

So that's two criteria needed: an eSIM and a multi-band radio.

That's right... I forgot it's a frequency issue rather than the technology issue. Most phones still cannot switch between Verizon and AT&T to this day though, and I doubt the Tesla could either.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Wouldn't LTE equipped cars still have an issue with a provider switch when LTE signals are weak and the car falls back to 3G service? What provider would it use i that case, as Verizon CDMA would presumably not be available (unless the car supported CDMA as well as GSM technologies).

Right, but providers are transitioning away from 3G pretty quickly. So an LTE-only device in the near future will be just as capable as an LTE+3G device now.

 

[Skipdd]

Got the 50.3 release Notice, but it reported update failure. However, car shows 50.3 on the screen as does the mobile app. Tesla Service left me a message saying their sytems show I'm running a release from a month ago..

All of which is prelude to my noticing better performance on Slacker today, but only 110kbs on fast.com. Wasn't out much today. Will see how it goes tomorrow and talk to Tesla Service about how to get to the latest version.

 

[Wrkent100]

I will say, Slacker appears to be working somewhat better. I am in Charlotte, NC and not getting as many "load errors". There are still delays and fast.com speed is still maxed at 250 kbps.

 

[Unpilot]

I have only experienced a few slacker load errors since I got my car.
I live in Illinois and I checked Fast.com yesterday and had 1.5 Mbps on LTE.

In garage on WIFI I see 2.7 Mbps

Edit to say I am on 50.3

 

[LiverpoolFC]

I will say, Slacker appears to be working somewhat better. I am in Charlotte, NC and not getting as many "load errors". There are still delays and fast.com speed is still maxed at 250 kbps.

I am in Raleigh and also getting 250kbps. Not getting loading errors, but still loading slow.

 

[ABC2D]

I have not tested the speed today because I think it's irrelevant for the buffering issue (in the last few weeks I've had speed tests that were pretty high and the buffering still persisted), but it seems streaming is back to normal, at least here in Miami - not a single error/buffering error since getting 50.3.

 

[TheJayAlvarez]

I have not tested the speed today because I think it's irrelevant for the buffering issue (in the last few weeks I've had speed tests that were pretty high and the buffering still persisted), but it seems streaming is back to normal, at least here in Miami - not a single error/buffering error since getting 50.3.

Same here in Miami - songs buffer almost instantaneous as well as switching between stations. No loading errors.

Amen!

 

[Wrkent100]

I have no loading errors but I wouldn't call my experience "immediate", still take 8-12 seconds in between songs. That said, I'm running 24 bit slacker music.