Tesla provided Cellular Data Plan - Free forever?

[NOLA_Mike]

With the recent announcement of "Unlimited Supercharging for free" ending and details of the upcoming program expected to be announced before year's end I have to wonder if/when Tesla will take the opportunity to announce an end to unlimited free cellular data.

From memory, when Tesla was questioned a few years ago about the terms of the unlimited cellular data they provided to Model S owners their response was it would be free for the first four years of ownership. I haven't heard anything about this for a long time. Some Model Ss have been in service for over 4 years now.

I imagine some basic connectivity will be maintained by Tesla regardless of whether an owner elects to purchase a data plan to allow Tesla to retrieve logs and diagnostics and send firmware updates. But I could also imagine where, without a plan or WiFi connectivity a user would no longer get web browser access, map updates, streaming radio, etc.

Anybody heard anything regarding this lately?

Mike

 

[Todd Burch]

My current thinking, with Tesla working toward Level 5 autonomy and network connectivity being very important in that goal, that they might continue to cover connectivity costs. I'd think they would say something about it coming soon prior to the Model 3 release however.

 

[number12]

They will just make browser worse and worse so no one uses data except on wifi at home for ota updates..

 

[jrreno]

When I have lost the cell connection , I have also lost the map display. I think the map depends on data updates from the cell connection.

 

[JClu]

I can hardly browse anything on the web browser right now anyway, it doesn't really matter if I have unlimited cellular data. The browser is so slow they ought to do an update on that.

Although, because it's so slow, I suppose the lack of speed causes less distraction when I'm driving.

 

[NOLA_Mike]

I can hardly browse anything on the web browser right now anyway, it doesn't really matter if I have unlimited cellular data. The browser is so slow they ought to do an update on that.

Although, because it's so slow, I suppose the lack of speed causes less distraction when I'm driving.

I believe Elon has recently tweeted that the "core" OS on the user interface would be updated in December and with that update would come a more responsive browser?

EDIT: Found the tweet I was thinking of:

 

[hollywood]

I believe it's seven years of coverage per the Tesla sales rep

 

[ChadS]

My wife's Model S is over 4 years old, and we are still getting free data.

I seem to recall the initial deal for Signature cars was a free year. Then after a year had passed, I think they said four years free for everyone.

 

[Max*]

EDIT: Found the tweet I was thinking of:

He didn't say which December

 

[hingisfan]

As long I have free music and maps I am happy!

 

[green1]

Tesla said a couple of years ago (2014?) that the cellular plan for Model S/X were included for 4 years. They also said that for older vehicles the 4 years would start from the date of the announcement, not from the purchase date. As such, no vehicle has yet hit the 4 year mark, so Tesla hasn't announced the pricing yet.

We do not know what the pricing will be after the 4 years. But we do know that it won't continue to be free. I suspect people won't like it though, because they've started to put things in the OS to limit the ability to tether the car to wifi while driving, which tells me they're worried people will find their data plan too expensive and cheap out by getting a wifi hotspot from their cell provider for less money.

 

[Clomer]

I seem to recall that it was announced that all cars would get 4 years free. For cars delivered before January 1, 2014, that was the date the 4 years started. For cars delivered after then, the 4 years start on the date of delivery. If this still holds, then no car has yet hit the end of that term. What the pricing will be is anyone's guess, but I'd be surprised if it's more than $10/month, given that's how much it costs to add a tablet to an existing mobile account.

 

[green1]

What the pricing will be is anyone's guess, but I'd be surprised if it's more than $10/month, given that's how much it costs to add a tablet to an existing mobile account.

Considering the competition charges about 3 times that, and that Tesla have been modifying the software to try to prevent you from doing the "Add a tablet to your account" method... I'd say it will be more than $10/mo

 

[bmah]

The flip side is that Tesla might want to continue getting data from all the cars for AP fleet learning, so it might benefit them to maintain connectivity "for free".

(It's also possible they could do that, but charge owners to enable access for maps, music, etc.)

Bruce.

 

[green1]

The flip side is that Tesla might want to continue getting data from all the cars for AP fleet learning, so it might benefit them to maintain connectivity "for free".

Well they've flat out said that's not happening, so we can go to the next idea...

(It's also possible they could do that, but charge owners to enable access for maps, music, etc.)

That's exactly what I expect. They'll still get the telemetry, but you won't get browser, maps, music, or app access unless you pay.

 

[bmah]

That's exactly what I expect. They'll still get the telemetry, but you won't get browser, maps, music, or app access unless you pay.

Guess we'll have to see. Personally the main thing I'd miss is "maps on the big screen", but I can live without everything else that requires cellular data connectivity. I'd be happy with tethering to my phone (I read your opinion on that upthread, no need to repeat). Not going to waste my time getting worked up over this until Tesla states/does something definite.

It looks to me, by the way, that BMW uses a similar business model to what we have been discussing for their connected cars. On my wife's 330e, it appears that various services (remote access, telemetry, etc.) are "subscribed" for a period of about four years from purchase. I didn't see any information about pricing beyond that.

Bruce.

 

[Max*]

Let's assume they charge you $30/month = $360/year.... or you can pay someone $250 to open the center console, swap in a SIM card of your preference, and pay $10/month. I'd go the latter option.

 

[green1]

Let's assume they charge you $30/month = $360/year.... or you can pay someone $250 to open the center console, swap in a SIM card of your preference, and pay $10/month. I'd go the latter option.

I would bet that swapping the SIM does you no good. They're not likely to disable the SIM, they'll instead disable having the car route any of your requests through it (that's how they'd get telemetry to still work without customer facing services working)
You'd have to tether to get those services (so the car sees it as wifi) except that Tesla has already worked to block some of that while the car is in drive, and you'd also have to be willing to accept the risk that it does something like download a couple of gigs of data for a map update over your tether.

 

[Max*]

download a couple of gigs of data for a map

Who are we kidding? When's the last time Tesla pushed a maps update? lol

But yes, in all seriousness, I do see your point.

 

[MP3Mike]

except that Tesla has already worked to block some of that while the car is in drive

That was a bug in 8.0 and I thought that they have already fixed it in later builds.

They also support people using their own SIM. (At least in areas where they don't provide a cellular data plan.)