Online connectivity options- without Sim
 

Hello all- hoping you can help.

I have had my ex-demo V90CC for a few weeks now and absolutely loving it. However, the car does not have On Call, and therefore no SIM option. As such, I am having to use the Sensus Connectivity capability by tethering through my I-phone using Personal Hotspot.

I now leave hotspot permanently switched on with the phone. However, I still need to tether it manually each time I restart the car by going into the hotspot menu of my phone until it flashes up as connected. Whilst a bit of a first world problem, it is a pain. Normally I forget to do it, and it is only when I need it (i.e. traffic updates on long journey); that it is too late / dangerous to do whilst moving.

So- a couple of things:-
Is there a simple way to set up so that the car will auto-tether with my hotspot?
Is there a way to get it tethering via USB, as 9 times out of 10, I plug in my phone for Apple Car Play?
Is it possible to have a SIM retro-fitted?
Any other options to consider?

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks

Spud

It should be possible to tether using Bluetooth internet without having to tether manually. I'm not familiar with the menu options on cars without On Call, but the option should be under the Communication -> Bluetooth Devices. There should be a checkbox for "Bluetooth Internet Connection"

Smartphone integration: I think that when connected via apple carplay you also have internet to the car (via the USB to the phone).

Otherwise it's wifi-hotspot in the phone (as you tested) and the bluetooth variant as well. I think that these get disabled if you connect via apple carplay.

Note: I have not tried any of these 3 methods since I have VOC and a separate sim-card as well so before going ahead and buying stuff please have it confirmed...

Did some research before buying my car but it only led to a higher level of confusion.

If you have an iPhone then it is not possible to automatically connect the hotspot. As you have found it has to be done manually each time you start the car. Which is a pain.

Android phone users can automatically tether their hotspot but that does require some technical know-how apparently. And of course you need to like Android.

CarPlay may be the easiest option as you have it, but again in my opinion that comes with too many other limitations (no other devices can share the internet connection, Sensus apps are flakey at best and won’t connect at all this way many times, and the flow of Sensus is lost).

I asked about having the sim retrofitted when looking at cars and was told that it is a factory fitted option and is more than just a modem - some other communications modules as well presumably for VOC.

You might be stuck with having to connect manually each time...

Actually, tethering via Bluetooth on Android requires no more knowledge than any other connection method. Once set it is remembered forever, the same as standard Bluetooth for phone operations. I get in the car and the data(internet) and phone connections are made automatically without me doing anything.

I tether as opposed to using a dedicated SIM in the boot for 2 reasons: a) I have a 16GB per month allowance with my phone contract and b) I get a 4G connection via the phone as opposed to the 3G connection via the inbuilt modem.

I have an iPhone and am able to connect to hotspot automatically via Bluetooth,
I originally had the same issue as you and had to connect manually each time but found the following to work.

Initially set up Sensus Conectivity using WiFi, input password and connect manually.

Leave Hotspot on all the time in iPhone settings.

In Sensus Conectivity menus turn off WiFi and turn on Bluetooth connection.

When you restart Sensus it should now connect automatically to the Hotspot via Bluetooth connection.

This has worked in my XC90 hope it helps.

Zeus- you are a legend. Thanks for that!

At first it wouldn't work, as Car Play automatically cut it off once plugged in via USB. However, I have subsequently connected phone via the other USB point (the one without the white box around it). Car Play doesn't kick in, but now have my music via Sensus Ipod Interface, and Sensus phone activation- so quite happy.

Now just need Volvo to work on a fix that allows Bluetooth tethering whilst USB car-play...

Thanks again!

When you’re connected in this way, can others in the car share the internet connection ? I sort of expect they would but I’m not sure?
Thanks.

As long as you leave portable hotspot left on in the iPhone settings and use Bluetooth internet connection (not Wifi) in the car settings it will connect automatically every time.

Discovered this by accident.

You sir are a genius 👍🏼