Porsche Phone Box
05-22-2018 | 10:57 AM
#16
Race Car
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,410
Likes: 714
From: Northern Virginia
So apparently the stiff card that I described in my initial post in this thread was the FCC-required notification. At least, it included the language and even the exact capitalized punctuation specified in the FCC waiver letter provided by Hurricane.
Since Hurricane's new car came over on the same boat as mine -- the subject of a long thread a few months ago -- I wonder if he (or others) have received the same notification as I did and, if so, how was it provided?
Since Hurricane's new car came over on the same boat as mine -- the subject of a long thread a few months ago -- I wonder if he (or others) have received the same notification as I did and, if so, how was it provided?
I haven't received any package or notification yet. Curious about it, though!
So if I activate it, does it mean that the car will act like a signal booster for my Verizon phone? Or is it for the cellular signal for Connect Plus? In which case, since my car has the embedded SIM, which carrier is that? I don't have any relationship with AT&T, etc., and didn't need any sort of data plan to activate Connect Plus (sans hot spot, which seems to no longer be offered). So confusing.
05-22-2018 | 11:01 AM
#17
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 884
Likes: 395
From: Houston, TX
I think it is just a legal procedure to register it. The device will work as described one way or another. Think of it as registering your drone with the FCC. It will fly regardless of registration, but it won't be legal 
05-22-2018 | 11:10 AM
#18
Race Car
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,410
Likes: 714
From: Northern Virginia
05-22-2018 | 11:17 AM
#19
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 383
Likes: 2
From: New York
Although Porsche initially pointed me to ATT, it turned out that the registration had to be done by Verizon which is my cellular provider. I'm not sure if they were just jumping through FCC hoops or if something was actually activated.
05-22-2018 | 11:40 AM
#21
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 884
Likes: 395
From: Houston, TX
Originally Posted by Philip Goughary
Would you post a picture of the actual Phone Box / Compartment in the car for us? I'm very curious about this. Thank you!
Attachment 1281857
05-22-2018 | 11:43 AM
#22
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 383
Likes: 2
From: New York
Would you post a picture of the actual Phone Box / Compartment in the car for us?
05-22-2018 | 11:45 AM
#23
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 383
Likes: 2
From: New York
05-22-2018 | 04:29 PM
#26
Rennlist Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 129
Likes: 1
From: Chatsworth,CA
I just got a nice gray box from Porsche that had a cover letter, a pen, a small book, a brochure and a gray plastic card with my name, the exact model of my new car and my VIN on it. There was also a stiff card titled "Porsche Phone Box-Equipped Vehicles (equipped with Connect or Connect Plus options)."
That card started by warning me that the Porsche Phone Box is subject to "the following requirements" of the FCC. But none were listed.
Next, it alerted me that "This is a CONSUMER device." which sent me back to the discarded packaging to look for the 'this' to which they were referring. But I found nothing more.
The next paragraph warned me that "BEFORE USE, you MUST REGISTER THIS DEVICE with your wireless provider and have your provider's consent." There was more but it didn't amount to much except that it made reference to signal boosters.
I called my sales person to ask about this but he had never heard of it. So I called 1-800-PORSCHE which tried to connect me to ATT (ugh!) but failed. So I called Verizon which is my actual cellular service provider. And they knew what was it was and what to do.
Basically, the Porsche Phone Box is a cell signal booster built into the car that has to be authorized and activated. The card that I received had the information required (in addition to my cell phone number): the manufacturer, the FCC ID, the model, and the serial number (which is the VIN.) With this information, he called the FCC and enabled the device.
I am posting this because I assume that if I was confused, others will also be. I still don't really know if my life will be improved by the Porsche Phone Box but at least I'll know what it is and that it is working.
If anyone knows more about this, please share.
That card started by warning me that the Porsche Phone Box is subject to "the following requirements" of the FCC. But none were listed.
Next, it alerted me that "This is a CONSUMER device." which sent me back to the discarded packaging to look for the 'this' to which they were referring. But I found nothing more.
The next paragraph warned me that "BEFORE USE, you MUST REGISTER THIS DEVICE with your wireless provider and have your provider's consent." There was more but it didn't amount to much except that it made reference to signal boosters.
I called my sales person to ask about this but he had never heard of it. So I called 1-800-PORSCHE which tried to connect me to ATT (ugh!) but failed. So I called Verizon which is my actual cellular service provider. And they knew what was it was and what to do.
Basically, the Porsche Phone Box is a cell signal booster built into the car that has to be authorized and activated. The card that I received had the information required (in addition to my cell phone number): the manufacturer, the FCC ID, the model, and the serial number (which is the VIN.) With this information, he called the FCC and enabled the device.
I am posting this because I assume that if I was confused, others will also be. I still don't really know if my life will be improved by the Porsche Phone Box but at least I'll know what it is and that it is working.
If anyone knows more about this, please share.
Honestly, once the free trials run their course, I am not likely to renew much of these services as they are pretty redundant to my IPhone services, and I don't want to additionally for these features, I have decided to keep the XM service, as I like the programing much more than local radio.
05-22-2018 | 06:44 PM
#28
Pro
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 519
Likes: 36
From: Ocala, FL
I got the same box (twice) with all of the info described. I reached out to Porsche Connect and was greeted by a friendly and very knowledgeable consultant, Samie J. She explained to me the benefits and the features of the booster, She explained I needed to reach out to my cell carrier. Since I had her on the line, I asked Samie about the Porsche Connect WI-Fi services and said I needed a AT&T sim card to activate the service (she said even the 2018's needed the sim card). She kindly ordered the SIM card and it showed up the very next day. In the meantime, I reached out to Verizon to activate the booster. The Verizon consultant fully understood the process of activating the booster so that was pretty painless. Once I got the A T&T sim card I once again reached out to Porsche Connect to active the Wifi service. The consultant, knowledgeable and friendly. and i was guided to activate my sim card online at AT&T' s att.com/porsche site and within a few minutes my Wifi was activated and working. The wifi service is free for 90 days and provides just 3GB, but I now have a fully functional PCM unit providing all of the services designed into the unit.
Honestly, once the free trials run their course, I am not likely to renew much of these services as they are pretty redundant to my IPhone services, and I don't want to additionally for these features, I have decided to keep the XM service, as I like the programing much more than local radio.
Honestly, once the free trials run their course, I am not likely to renew much of these services as they are pretty redundant to my IPhone services, and I don't want to additionally for these features, I have decided to keep the XM service, as I like the programing much more than local radio.
Not all 2018's need the AT&T sim card to make the Porsche Connect+ services work. My 2018 GTS works just fine on the embedded sim used for the Connect+ services (free for the 1st year). How do I know it works w/o the plug-in sim? I pulled the AT&T simcard they installed at delivery out of the tray, and it has been sitting in the center console for a few months, and all the services work just fine. Now pulling that sim card out disables the car's wi-fi hotspot, but that is unrelated to the Connect+ services, and I would never use it anyway.
05-22-2018 | 06:57 PM
#29
Pro
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 519
Likes: 36
From: Ocala, FL
The gray box is the same one that comes after delivery of every sports car at least. I got one a few years back for the Cayman S I bought (different pen & different book included), and also for my new GTS. I still have the 911 band that was around the box so I can tell you the box is 15" long and 1" thick for certain, and the width was about 9". I yanked the book, pen, and car ID card out, and threw the rest away. I remember seeing something about a phone, but figured it was just some overpriced Porsche phone, so I tossed it.
05-22-2018 | 07:05 PM
#30
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 383
Likes: 2
From: New York
I am a bit confused. My cellular provider (Verizon) has activated the booster (Porsche Phone Box) but I have not yet contacted ATT.
[1] What services has Verizon's activation of the Porsche Phone Box booster gained for me?
[2] If I get the ATT SIM card, what services will that get me?
[1] What services has Verizon's activation of the Porsche Phone Box booster gained for me?
[2] If I get the ATT SIM card, what services will that get me?