S90 and Volvo On Call

[Jcbrown]

Ok, pick up a new S90 next week which has Volvo On Call. Apologies for posting this in the XC90 forum, but there does not appear to be an S90/V90 area yet

Really looking forward to receiving the car, even though my Volvo owning experience has got off to a very bad start. It is a very long (and I am sure boring) story I will post when I get a chance.

But for now: I have looked through the various manuals and searched this forum, and I am still lost on the need for and requirements of a dedicated SIM for the Volvo On Call system.

Q1 - What don't I get if I do not put a SIM in the dedicated SIM holder in the boot? e.g. does the On Call App still offer all its functions?

Q2 - Is a data only SIM needed, or does it / can it use voice and/or SMS functions?

Q3 - 3G or 4G - not that there is any real price difference nowadays

Q4 - At idea on likely data usage? I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" type question, and it will depend on how much I drive, how much I make use of the features it offers, etc. but any monthly indication based on peoples experience

My current mobile provider (Vodafone) say I can get a free PAYG SIM from them and share my exiting Contract data allowance (an ample 15Gb per month) under their RED+ plan. Sounds a bit too good to be true to me, but that is what they say. Otherwise Virgin mobile offer 2Gb £4 per month for a Data only SIM deal 12 months contract.

Thanks in advance for any input/advise

[familymangreg]

OK, you may know better than I on this point, but I *think* that on the S90/V90 you don't get a free Volvo On Call subscription for the first 3 years like you do with the XC90, you might want to double check this, or hopefully someone who knows better will put me straight. On the other points:

Originally Posted by Jcbrown

Ok, pick up a new S90 next week which has Volvo On Call. Apologies for posting this in the XC90 forum, but there does not appear to be an S90/V90 area yet

Really looking forward to receiving the car, even though my Volvo owning experience has got off to a very bad start. It is a very long (and I am sure boring) story I will post when I get a chance.

But for now: I have looked through the various manuals and searched this forum, and I am still lost on the need for and requirements of a dedicated SIM for the Volvo On Call system.

Q1 - What don't I get if I do not put a SIM in the dedicated SIM holder in the boot? e.g. does the On Call App still offer all its functions?

Yes, the on call app will still offer all its functions without the user SIM installed in the boot. What you won't get if you don't install a user SIM is data for apps such as weather, Spotify, TuneIn, Yelp, parking etc..

Q2 - Is a data only SIM needed, or does it / can it use voice and/or SMS functions?

Data only is all that is required. I would guess it will work with a voice SIM too, but you won't get any additional functionality. I.e. you can't use it to send texts or make calls.

Q3 - 3G or 4G - not that there is any real price difference nowadays

In my MY17 XC90 its a 3G modem, although a 4G SIM will work at 3G data rates. I'd like to think they've upgraded to modem to 4G by now, but I don't know.

Q4 - At idea on likely data usage? I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" type question, and it will depend on how much I drive, how much I make use of the features it offers, etc. but any monthly indication based on peoples experience

I had a SIM installed (in fact I still do have, but its got no credit now). On a mixture of shortish journeys and used onto the Volvo On Call, traffic data etc (no streaming or other apps), it was using approx 5-7Mb per day.

Note that if you do install your own SIM, the car will start using it for VoC rather than its own modem.

My current mobile provider (Vodafone) say I can get a free PAYG SIM from them and share my exiting Contract data allowance (an ample 15Gb per month) under their RED+ plan. Sounds a bit too good to be true to me, but that is what they say. Otherwise Virgin mobile offer 2Gb £4 per month for a Data only SIM deal 12 months contract.

Thanks in advance for any input/advise

:wq

[Jcbrown]

Thank you familymangreg for the response

OK, you may know better than I on this point, but I *think* that on the S90/V90 you don't get a free Volvo On Call subscription for the first 3 years like you do with the XC90, you might want to double check this, or hopefully someone who knows better will put me straight. On the other points:

Not sure on that score to be honest. the On Call brochure says it is included and does not state anything about S90/V90.

Volvo On Call was not on my spec list, but the car the dealer found with everything else I wanted has it, so it is on the price list. For £550 I would expect it to include some subscription. Brochure is clear I need to supply my own SIM, an di have just noticed it states 3G/4G

The first 3 years of the Volvo On Call services are included whether it’s fitted as standard or purchased as an option on a new car, after which they can be extended with a renewable subscription. To use the 3G / 4G mobile broadband connection a personal SIM card is required. (Please note that this is not included in the Volvo On Call subscription).

Thanks again for the answers, and it is going to be a long week

[Lexman8]

As fmg says above, plus:

The built-in apps on Sensus such as Spotify or TuneIn can/will use quite a lot of data but VoC, RTTI, etc, will use a trivial amount. Many people, myself included, simply tether the car to our phone's wifi hotspot. Once set up, the car will connect to your phone automatically as long as hotspot is enabled and the phone is within range.

I don't know about the latest cars but my 4-month old XC90 has only a 3G modem whereas my phone is 4G. My experience is that 4G coverage (on Vodafone) is much better and more reliable than 3G almost everywhere I go so tethering the phone makes even more sense, especially if you do use Spotify or TuneIn.

It was said at one point that the S90 and V90 would have 4G modems fitted but I don't know if that's actually the case.

[Jcbrown]

Lexman8, thanks.

Did tether my phone for the couple of weeks (part of the long, boring story ) I had the demonstrator, but never bothered setting up Spotify, TuneIn, etc. as it was not my car. it worked well for what I used it for (RRTI mainly).

Brochure definitely says 3G/4G, but I am fully aware of "marketing" speak, and I guess that might only be for the new builds to arrive from China.

I think I will just hold off doing anything until I have actually got my mitts on the car next week, had a good play and see what is there and what is not. I was just trying to find out what options I had and possible extra costs. Think I have a good idea thanks to yours and fmg's input.

I just need Monday to come round quicker than it is doing Pick S90 up, then straight on a 100+ mile drive for a family event. Plenty of time to get familiar with it (though I've already put over 1,000 miles on the demonstrator)

[Lozza]

By adding your own SIM you also have the ability to turn your car into a wifi hotspot - allowing any passengers to 'log on' to your car and use the data from that inserted SIM.

Of course, the possibility is the same if you were to allow them to 'log on' to your own phone's hotspot. The choice is yours.

[gaby]

Originally Posted by familymangreg

I'd like to think they've upgraded to modem to 4G by now, but I don't know.

Unfortunately, the 2018 pricelist on the Belgian Volvo website still mentions a 3G roofantenna...

[Considered1]

EE added a data sim to my plan, something like 5GB for £7pm and I can also share the data with one of my contract mobiles, not that I've ever run out.

I'm pretty sure everything works just tethering your phone as the car will use this to access the internet for all the apps, so maybe try this first before taking on any additional expense.

On call safety features and tracking and the app work without a SIM card installed.

Not sure if the apps have got any better on the new models but they are a bit clunky on my car so I don't use them very often, or maybe it's due to the 3G rather than 4g issue so don't get too excited
Enjoy your new motor!