toxic_porsche

Ok, a little bit over a month of ownership and here is an update on Connect Plus that I believe many of you have. This post is primarily dedicated to this particular feature and what comes with it. I tried figuring out some problems that come with it and it took me some time and efforts. Thought that this might be useful to new owners.

So, essentially it's an enhancement package for Porsche's NAV system and it gives you what it says, a connectivity with modern world, i.e. wifi/LTE connectivity, google earth, street view, and most importantly live traffic from google (dynamic routing needs this).

The way it works is it uses the data from the AT&T (trial sim card is provided, and more on this below) to get you all the goodies listed above. It also allows you to give away the data to the passengers via its hotspot. And here is the problem, no one at the dealerships and even worse Porsche NA, knows 100% accurately how this whole package works. Let me explain what I figured, the 3Gb of data (or 3 months access, whichever expires first) that come with a sim-card are used BOTH by the google features AND the hotspot. I thought that it was primarily for hotspot use and used it up in a few days, well, rather my friends on a long trip, and once that happened, I lost:

- Google Search
- Google Traffic Data
- PCM Connectivity / Apps accessibility
- Hot Spot connectivity (obviously)
- May be something else but these are the features that immediately sprung to my mind at the moment.

Tried speaking to PNA, but they didn't know the answer and bounced me back to my dealer, who never returned my call so I actually ended up going to a nearest dealer and speaking to a Genius. He explained, that I MUST have an active data plan to use all the above functions, if not, forget about it. You CAN'T HAVE ONE OR THE OTHER! I am coming from BMW and they give you traffic data and google search regardless of your data subscription.

So effectively, if you are not planning to pay AT&T every month their rip-off data plan prices, get ready to forget about these features. All the interactive features are relying on that data access and those trial period 3 Gb are NOT purely for data sharing via hotspot, what I mistakenly thought they were.

Basically you are paying $1300 for an Apple Car Play that comes with the Connect Plus. Without data access and dynamic routing, Navigation module is rendered useless at $1730, effectively making it a glorified navigation system from a big-box retailer from early 2000s.

I started digging the internet in a search for a solution and someone suggested to use some cheap data plans from other carriers. I ended up getting a data line from T-mobile, which worked just fine (almost). Funny thing, the Genius said that the car is locked to AT&T only, while the sales rep from the same dealership said that it is not. Go figure...

Another solution to my problem which I figured accidentally, is to use your own mobile hotspot on your phone. I tried it before but could't connect the car to it as the menus were greyed out. Here is the trick, when I tried to swap the sim cards from AT&T to T-Mobile, the hotspot menus became active and I managed to connect the car to my phone's hotspot. The key here is that when the car has a sim card inserted it will not allow you to choose the hotspot. The only quirk that I had with T-mobile data sim card accessibility is that PCM Connect App was not connecting (or I haven't tried hard enough). I think that if you play around it will start working. One tip, when you first insert the T-mobile card, a menu will pop up, I unfortunately forgot to take a screenshot of it but it said (as far as I could remember)

Multiple APN available
T-Mobile US [******, I don't remember]
T-Mobile US M2M
T-Mobile US 4G LTE
Simple

I chose 4G LTE and then spoke to T-mobile tech support and they confirmed that it was the right APN. They still didn't know what other options were.

So long story short, when you use up your trial 3Gb of data, you can:
A) either get a cheap data line (sim card) from any carrier that supports LTE or GSM [the car is NOT carrier locked];
B) use your phone's hotspot to get all the features that use internet data, provided you have a reasonable existing hotspot feature on your phone.

I hope that my lengthy review will help fellow owners. Thanks for reading this, cheers!

BradB

Thanks for the great write up. I'm still a little confused about the navigation part. My 2014 Carrera S has navigation and it works ok. (Not a good as nav in a Kia but we all understand that! ) Are you saying that if I order the $1730 nav in the Macan that it won't at all work without purchasing another option like Connect?

Honestly, I can live without a hot spot or live traffic but I do want just plain ole nav.

And your not alone...my dealer is clueless as well.

irv09

Thank you for the excellent post. I have a 2013 Cayenne Turbo and was considering a 17 Macan because of the Connect Plus but I was concerned with the use of a carrier for data.

toxic_porsche

You will still get the NAV functionality, but it will not have live traffic data or RTTI (real time traffic info) and google features once you run out of data or don't have data accessibility at all. NAV will work pretty much like the old gadgets did, where you had to input the full address and not have a Google search where you can search by the name of the POI.

If you are ok without Apple Car Play and dynamic routing and traffic information, and Google Maps search, put that money towards options that you need more than this one, may be from performance department

The lack of proper knowledge and reliable information in Porsche network (i.e. PNA customer service and irresponsiveness of PFS for example) is appalling to say the least.

irv09

I thought with Apple Car Play, you are getting the information from the Maps application on your iPhone so the data is coming to the phone, synching to the Nav display. I was under the impression that if you use the Porsche map, then you are getting traffic information from Google Maps

BradB

Exactly, I need to learn in detail what I might be missing if I pass this up. Because I certainly can spend that money in other areas!

A couple questions...You mentioned "dynamic routing". What exactly is that?

And if you don't mind revealing, what is the approximate cost of the data plan you have for your Macan? Is it the same as essentially adding another phone to your (already stupid expensive) phone bill?

I guess it's nice to have these goodies but sometimes I get so miffed about getting nickel and dimed by Porsche. (Many, many dimes, btw)

toxic_porsche

Apple Car Play comes with Connect Plus, as well as all the Google goodies, so if you pass on it (Connect Plus), you will only get only the basic Porsche NAV (which is Sirius XM NAV as far as I know, not 100% sure though). If you build your car, definitely consider PSE and Chrono Package (if going for Macan S).

Dynamic routing is when the NAV re-routes you in response to new traffic data incoming via RTTI. If it sees a traffic on the way, it diverts you around it if there is an alternative/faster route available.

The cost of data plan (additional data line/sim card) I picked from T-mobile is $10 per month with 2Gb of data + 3G speeds after that. Exactly that, another phone line added to your existing phone bill. no way to clone it and piggy back it off your existing unlimited data plan on your phone.

Same here, it's amazing how profitable the Porsche division is, I went through their recent statements and it has fantastic results! No wonder... being now on the other side of this equation is not funny though. Same story with Apple. Well, make a great product (referring to mechanical part of Porsches though) and milk the customer... just because you can!!!

BradB

Yep, PSE and Sport Chrono will be must-haves. Thanks for all your helpful clarification. My dealership should pay you to educate the sales staff!

toxic_porsche

Yes, you are correct, with Apple Car Play you are simply mirroring your phone and no extra data access point is required. With Porsche NAV on the other hand, you will need the data access to use google powered features like search and RTTI.

Glad to be of help and enjoy configuring your new toy! IMO, PSE and SC should be a standard feature on this car Many times the staff at the dealership don't drive/own them and couldn't care less, unfortunately. They are busy selling them and simply don't bother explaining/learning them in details, "It's Porsche, what else do you need to know" kind of mentality.

Need4S

Very useful and informative post. Thanks!

worf928

What Need4S wrote!

bb430

Today I went to AT&T store wanted to get a SIM card for my 17 GTS. I was told that I need the phone number that came with the trial period SIM card that the dealer put in because that is what is assigned to that car, or find out some sort of number associated with the PCM unit which I don't have neither.
Do you guys have any idea what he is talking about? I guess I can contact my SA to find out about that phone number but I didn't know this is going to be such a hassle to have done. I thought it was going to be a breeze and come out with a working SIM card and I'm good, guess not and I'm very surprised that the AT&T guy didn't have any other way to get around and help me getting this done.
Hopefully you guys can help, TIA.

ctdwp

Did the dealer give your account info for the AT&T wireless account. They set mine up while I was there to pick it up. If you login to the account you can get your mobile number. The site is...

https://myvehicle.att.com/#/login

bb430

I guess my SA may have given us those informations but my wife claims that we never had them. I had done the log in part and established an account base on the SIM card numbers from the car but I still can't get it sign on.
I'll ask my SA to give me the AT&T information again and see if those help.
I'm just not understand on how AT&T can't just program another SIM card and plug in to work? The device(PCM) is just a device right? Would it be just like I bring them a cell phone to activate and they would program a new SIM card and assigned a phone number to it? In this case the car is the device and needs a new SIM card to activate it?

ctdwp

What if you click on "forgot password"? Assuming they used your correct email address, I would think you could reset your password and get back in.