Premium Connectivity cost $9.99/month for many Model 3 versions

[jimminy]

Via chat, they say "probably sometime this year", but I'm skeptical of these kinds of responses from companies like this. They never seem to pan out.

 

[darth_vad3r]

I'm not sure why it's unclear but there's nothing additional required other than:

1. Letting me download the browser app (which is not installed in my SR+ because I didn't know I needed to buy premium connectivity to get it).
2. Allow the M3 to use my data if they don't want me using theirs. If my cell phone can take (and supply) data from wifi, BT, cell, etc., I doubt it's a really heavy programming lift and I would be shocked to find the Tesla system is somehow not coded to be able to choose various data sources to feed the native Tesla apps. This is not new tech. Like I said, we know it's wifi capable, bluetooth capable, etc.

Ya, e.g. it would be nice if instead of (a) not having the browser at all in the SR+, we could (b) have it but it only works on wifi. Just hide the icon when wifi is off. Easy. The premium “connectivity” should just be for the data really. If I just want to use the browser in my driveway on wifi, or with a hotspot, I’m not costing them any extra data.

 

[jimminy]

Ya, e.g. it would be nice if instead of not having the browser at all in the SR+, we could have it but it only works on wifi. Hide the icon when wifi is off. Easy. The premium “connectivity” should just be for the data really. If I just want to use the browser in my driveway on wifi, or with a hotspot, I’m not costing them any extra data.

He gets it.

 

[Knightshade]

Ya, e.g. it would be nice if instead of (a) not having the browser at all in the SR+, we could (b) have it but it only works on wifi. Just hide the icon when wifi is off. Easy. The premium “connectivity” should just be for the data really. If I just want to use the browser in my driveway on wifi, or with a hotspot, I’m not costing them any extra data.

Creating Yet Another Product Variant for a company that already can't consistently answer the same support question the same way twice, and also can't figure out how to bill existing customers for the already-existing variants seems.... poorly thought out.


Maybe once Tesla solves those basic issues it can consider more complexity.

 

[AdamMacDon]

Has anyone ripped apart the car to see this? I thought the speakers and ambient lights weren’t actually there and the rear seats did not have the heating elements installed in the SR+ and SR? Or are you saying they should install new ambient lights and new rear seats?

My SR+ rolled off the lot with a "premium" interior, minus the floor mats and trunk sub (and maybe the two rear speakers missing too). Everything else is just software locked, including the tweeters, ambient lights, heated rear seats, etc. These all worked in my car for the first 50kms.

 

[jimminy]

Where are the Russian hackers when you need them??

 

[darth_vad3r]

Creating Yet Another Product Variant for a company that already can't consistently answer the same support question the same way twice, and also can't figure out how to bill existing customers for the already-existing variants seems.... poorly thought out.


Maybe once Tesla solves those basic issues it can consider more complexity.

It’s not another product variant. Having one car with a browser and one car without a browser is a product variant already.
What’s being suggested is have all the same apps on all the cars. When you are on LTE, if you have premium connectivity those apps work using Tesla’s data. If not, they don’t work.

This could be done by hiding the app icon, or just redirect the app icon to a pop-up asking if you want to subscribe to premium connectivity to be able to use the app on Tesla’s LTE data. If you are on wifi it will work. Perhaps offer a trial. More revenue generating opportunity. More happy app users on wifi.

No variants. Same apps.

 

[Knightshade]

It’s not another product variant. Having one car with a browser and one car without a browser is a product variant already.

No, it's absolutely another variant.

You were asking specifically for "Having a browser, but only when on wifi- hide it otherwise"

That doesn't exist today on any Tesla. It'd be a new variant

I
What’s being suggested is have all the same apps on all the cars. When you are on LTE, if you have premium connectivity those apps work using Tesla’s data. If not, they don’t work.

This could be done by hiding the app icon, or just redirect the app icon to a pop-up asking if you want to subscribe to premium connectivity to be able to use the app on Tesla’s LTE data. If you are on wifi it will work. Perhaps offer a trial. More revenue generating opportunity. More happy app users on wifi.

No variants. .

Except what you just described isn't how it works on any Tesla today. Meaning you're literally asking for a new variant to what is available today.


And of course today there is no paid connectivity option available at all- so offering you a prompt for something that doesn't yet exist wouldn't really work well.

 

[darth_vad3r]

No, it's absolutely another variant.

You were asking specifically for "Having a browser, but only when on wifi- hide it otherwise"

That doesn't exist today on any Tesla. It'd be a new variant







Except what you just described isn't how it works on any Tesla today. Meaning you're literally asking for a new variant to what is available today.


And of course today there is no paid connectivity option available at all- so offering you a prompt for something that doesn't yet exist wouldn't really work well.

Well duh. They have to offer premium connectivity for sale before they actually, you know, offer you premium connectivity for sale in the car.

We’re not increasing car variants here, if anything we are replacing old ones and unifying variants.

 

[Knightshade]

Well duh. They have to offer premium connectivity for sale before they actually, you know, offer you premium connectivity for sale in the car.

We’re not increasing car variants here, if anything we are replacing old ones and unifying variants.

You're not though. You're asking for one that doesn't exist at all to be added.


Today:


Variant 1- (currently all LR cars): Have browser and music streaming apps that work all the time with either an LTE or wifi signal

Variant 2- (currently all SR cars): Have no browser or music streaming apps at all.


Once a premium connectivity subscription is available it's likely that LR owners who don't pay will become Variant 2 owners... and that Variant 2 owners who DO pay will become Variant 1 owners.

Either way- still only 2 variants.



You now want a 3rd- which appears to be "variant 2 owners who... pay...something but less than premium I guess? and then still get the apps, but get special versions that currently don't exist but only work/are visible when on a wifi connection".

 

[darth_vad3r]

You're not though. You're asking for one that doesn't exist at all to be added.


Today:


Variant 1- (currently all LR cars): Have browser and music streaming apps that work all the time with either an LTE or wifi signal

Variant 2- (currently all SR cars): Have no browser or music streaming apps at all.


Once a premium connectivity subscription is available it's likely that LR owners who don't pay will become Variant 2 owners... and that Variant 2 owners who DO pay will become Variant 1 owners.

Either way- still only 2 variants.



You now want a 3rd- which appears to be "variant 2 owners who... pay...something but less than premium I guess? and then still get the apps, but get special versions that currently don't exist but only work/are visible when on a wifi connection".

The new variant replaces variant 2. Variant 2 goes away. The new variant is a sub-option of variant 1 where you either have app access to LTE data or you do not. Simple.

Yes it doesn’t exist yet, that’s why we are asking for it.

I think you”ve been misreading. All cars should have all the apps. The apps are free. The data (or subscription) is what costs Tesla incremental money, not having the app installed.

Reduce variants by having all cars have all apps.

 

[Knightshade]

The new variant replaces variant 2. Variant 2 goes away. The new variant is a sub-option of variant 1 where you either have app access to LTE data or you do not. Simple.

Yes it doesn’t exist yet, that’s why we are asking for it.

I think you”ve been misreading. All cars should have all the apps. The apps are free. The data (or subscription) is what costs Tesla incremental money, not having the app installed.

Reduce variants by having all cars have all apps.

Tesla obviously feels having the app on the car at all has some value.

Hence why only the more expensive versions of the car include them.

Not to mention all the $ they save not having to handle the ton of support cases from non-technical folks who don't understand why their apps keep appearing and disappearing depending where the car is, if their phone is with them, etc...

 

[darth_vad3r]

Tesla obviously feels having the app on the car at all has some value.

Hence why only the more expensive versions of the car include them.

Not to mention all the $ they save not having to handle the ton of support cases from non-technical folks who don't understand why their apps keep appearing and disappearing depending where the car is, if their phone is with them, etc...

Which is why I suggested something better than disappearing icons. A popup that explains they haven’t paid for premium connectivity so the app doesn’t work unless they are on wifi. Easy. No support calls. Revenue generation.

 

[Tjex]

Where are the Russian hackers when you need them??

Here you are: FreedomEV

 

[jimminy]

Hello

 

[jimminy]

Here you are: FreedomEV

That is to say, hello!

 

[PhantmMenace]

My SR+ rolled off the lot with a "premium" interior, minus the floor mats and trunk sub (and maybe the two rear speakers missing too). Everything else is just software locked, including the tweeters, ambient lights, heated rear seats, etc. These all worked in my car for the first 50kms.

Same here, my car delivered came with 2019.5.15 and premium software features which were wiped during the next update about 3 days later.

 

[PhantmMenace]

Today, E for Electric on YT is now reporting that Premium Connectivity will finally be offered for all of us@$100-$120 usd/yr concurrently with software version 10 in August/September which falls in line with what the Tesla CS folks told me a few months backl

 

[Knightshade]

Today, E for Electric on YT is now reporting that Premium Connectivity will finally be offered for all of us@$100-$120 usd/yr concurrently with software version 10 in August/September which falls in line with what the Tesla CS folks told me a few months backl

If by "reporting" you mean literally tells you he's "assuming" it'll be out around the same time... he also seems to think it includes some special high bandwidth usage the "free" LTE data does not- which is a complete fabrication as far as anything Tesla has ever said...that's a minute or two after he tells us advanced summon came out a few months ago (a mistake he repeated about minute 6...and seems to be based on his having "seen a video" of it) where he also seems to think V10 will bring in Level 3 or 4 driving too without any basis for the claim)... so I'm not terribly inspired to think this guy has any idea WTF he's talking about...

 

[PhantmMenace]

If by "reporting" you mean literally tells you he's "assuming" it'll be out around the same time... he also seems to think it includes some special high bandwidth usage the "free" LTE data does not- which is a complete fabrication as far as anything Tesla has ever said...that's a minute or two after he tells us advanced summon came out a few months ago (a mistake he repeated about minute 6...where he also seems to think V10 will bring in Level 3 or 4 driving too without any basis for the claim)... so I'm not terribly inspired to think this guy has any idea WTF he's talking about...

Yep well I'm not endorsing anyone since the host sort of comes off as a hater but I was just being hopeful his information came from somewhere other than Tesla Customer Service.