Internet connection

[JC888]

I've been using Bluetooth on my phone for internet on the car but lately found the connection a bit flaky, sometimes it disconnects and even when connected I can't seem to get the apps working.
I'm thinking of using the car modem and have a few questions please:

1) How is the reception? I'm guessing the antennae is outside the car?
2) How fast does it connect? i.e. online in a few seconds after starting car or takes a few minutes to load
3) I'm guessing the data will work for Traffic as well as apps such as Weather etc?
4) On the S90 I believe the holder is in the boot underneath false floor. I can't find any instructions on how to load the SIM card though. Is this rather easy?
5) Can anyone recommend a good PAYG data only SIM card? Prefebly one that comes in the right size, data doesn't expire and can view data balance in online portal

[Jcbrown]

My experiences - others may/will differ

1) How is the reception? I'm guessing the antennae is outside the car?
- I find it ok, and better than the phone. Phone used to be Vodafone, now EE, and usually kept in central cup holder. Modem SIM is 3

2) How fast does it connect? i.e. online in a few seconds after starting car or takes a few minutes to load
Not really tested. but does not appear any slower to connect than the phone

3) I'm guessing the data will work for Traffic as well as apps such as Weather etc?
-To the best of my knowledge, yes

4) On the S90 I believe the holder is in the boot underneath false floor. I can't find any instructions on how to load the SIM card though. Is this rather easy?
- Yes, very easy. Personally I drop the rear seats and get at it that way. Find it much easier than climbing 1/2 way in from the boot opening
The video here, under the "Connecting with car modem*" section gives some help. though it is for an XC, rather than S.
from what I can remember, holder is on the passenger side of the modem, pull it out, fit SIM card, put it back in. There is a white mark on the holder and the modem to help you remember which way round it goes.

5) Can anyone recommend a good PAYG data only SIM card? Prefebly one that comes in the right size, data doesn't expire and can view data balance in online portal
- Many use the Three cards. Argos do a 3Gb/3-Month for £12.99 and a 12GB/12-Month for £34.99. Mymemory do the 12Gb/12-Month one for £27.99. Someone in this thread recently found a 24Gb/24Month one here for £45.

You might see some cheaper, such as this 12Gb one for £19.99. But be careful, as it only lasts 30 days, not 12 months.

You can view usage on the Three portal. I find it a bit of a pain to register & change password in the car, but not too bad. I have an unlocked phone which I can use, and do find that easier

Sensus also shows usage, and thy are pretty much in line with each other in my experience.

[JC888]

Thanks! That's really helpful JcBrown

I'll probably go for the Three 12 month option.
Probably silly question but how do you check the balance of data?
I don't think I'll use Spotify just yet so 12GB will probably last me a year but it's good to know that I'm about to run out and top up.

[Jcbrown]

Originally Posted by JC888

Probably silly question but how do you check the balance of data?

I presume you mean in Sensus. Not in the car at the moment, but manual here says "Settings...Communication...Car modem"

Originally Posted by JC888

I don't think I'll use Spotify just yet so 12GB will probably last me a year but it's good to know that I'm about to run out and top up.

I use Spotify most of the time I am in the car. 12Gb/12-Month 3-data SIM inserted on 14th Oct, so about 5 1/2 months ago, and according to Three portal 6066Mb left. roughly 1Gb a month. Previous couple of three-month/3Gb ones lasted about 2-2 1/2 months each

[JC888]

Originally Posted by Jcbrown

I presume you mean in Sensus. Not in the car at the moment, but manual here says "Settings...Communication...Car modem"


I use Spotify most of the time I am in the car. 12Gb/12-Month 3-data SIM inserted on 14th Oct, so about 5 1/2 months ago, and according to Three portal 6066Mb left. roughly 1Gb a month. Previous couple of three-month/3Gb ones lasted about 2-2 1/2 months each

Nice one thanks I actually meant the Three Portal where I can check the how much data I have left but it's really good that Sensus tracks usage too!
That's impressive considering Spotify uses quite a lot of data if listening on the higher quality.
I don't have Spotify Premium yet and just want a reliable internet connection for traffic and apps, perhaps even for my TomTom if things go right.
I have a sizeable music collection on USB but might try out Spotify Premium one day

[Jcbrown]

Originally Posted by JC888

Nice one thanks I actually meant the Three Portal where I can check the how much data I have left but it's really good that Sensus tracks usage too!

My apologies. Details are on the wallet the SIM comes with. Been almost 6 months since I registered this card, so cannot remember exactly. Once register you simply go to ttps://www.three.co.uk/My3Account/Login enter your number (printer on the wallet) and password. Once logged on you can check data allowances and an number of other things. You can top-up the card, but it is cheaper to just get a new one.

Originally Posted by JC888

That's impressive considering Spotify uses quite a lot of data if listening on the higher quality.
I don't have Spotify Premium yet and just want a reliable internet connection for traffic and apps, perhaps even for my TomTom if things go right.

You do need a premium/family Spotify account to be able to use the App built into Sensus.

Personally I find the middle quality on Spotify fine for me - have briefly tried high quality, but to my tone-deaf and reduced hearing ears (thanks to some ear issues as a teenager) I could not tell the difference

Originally Posted by JC888

I have a sizeable music collection on USB but might try out Spotify Premium one day

Have about 1,000 albums on a 128Gb memory stick myself - though that is the combination of mine, my wife's and daughter's music collection. At least that is what I tell anyone who raises a quizzical eyebrow when they see likes of the "Mamma-Mia Soundtrack" or "One Direction" Albums

But I still tend to use Spotify most of the time now, especially if in the car by myself. Really depends on my mood. sometimes I go through stuff on USB, sometimes just have the radio on.

[JC888]

Originally Posted by Jcbrown

My apologies. Details are on the wallet the SIM comes with. Been almost 6 months since I registered this card, so cannot remember exactly. Once register you simply go to ttps://www.three.co.uk/My3Account/Login enter your number (printer on the wallet) and password. Once logged on you can check data allowances and an number of other things. You can top-up the card, but it is cheaper to just get a new one.


You do need a premium/family Spotify account to be able to use the App built into Sensus.

Personally I find the middle quality on Spotify fine for me - have briefly tried high quality, but to my tone-deaf and reduced hearing ears (thanks to some ear issues as a teenager) I could not tell the difference


Have about 1,000 albums on a 128Gb memory stick myself - though that is the combination of mine, my wife's and daughter's music collection. At least that is what I tell anyone who raises a quizzical eyebrow when they see likes of the "Mamma-Mia Soundtrack" or "One Direction" Albums

But I still tend to use Spotify most of the time now, especially if in the car by myself. Really depends on my mood. sometimes I go through stuff on USB, sometimes just have the radio on.

Don't need to apologise, you've been a tremendous help!
Same here with my USB, a bit of everything for everyone
I've used the free version of Spotify and it is looking very good.
How do you rate the app in the Volvo? Can you use voice control to search for tracks?
My mood for music fluctuates rapidly so during my commute I can start with hip hop, move on to classical and maybe end with rock hence why I have the USB on shuffle all tracks.

p/s: how do you split the quotes as you did? I can't find a way to do it easily.

[Jcbrown]

Originally Posted by JC888

I've used the free version of Spotify and it is looking very good.

Had Spotify premium for "free" for almost 4 years as part of my Vodafone contract until about 6 months ago. When that finished (actually I got released from contract early) I started paying for a family account. now wife, daughter and I all use it.

Originally Posted by JC888

How do you rate the app in the Volvo? Can you use voice control to search for tracks?

Personally I find it OK, but not perfect. It works fine and does not buffer too often (I am on the older 3G modem). I do find the screen interaction with Spotify to be poor. it must be the app, as all other apps, and normal Sensus works fine. But with Spotify I just find it to be picky. Can take 4/5/more "clicks" to register at times. But don't recall anyone else posting about any similar issue, so maybe it is just my fat-fingers

Sometimes it does go a but loopy, but usually uninstalling/reinstalling, or emptying the cache sorts it. Issues I have experienced (and others have reported similar issues) are:

• Occasional "freezing" when starting. It refuses to play a track, and I have to change to another source, then back to Spotify. Annoying, but easy to do using RH steering wheel buttons. Usually just goes away itself.
• the cache becoming muddled. Says playing "Track A", but really plays "Track B". "Track B" is also "Track B", no matter what i did, "Track A" would always actually play "Track B". Deleting local Cache sorted it

If there is a way to use voice search on the inbuilt Spotify app then I have yet to figure it out. With the odd screen behaviour, I really wish you could use voice search. Voice search on Spotify on Android Auto is one of the things I do like about AA.

There are other threads on here about the inbuilt Spotify app. As with most things, some love, some loath.

Originally Posted by JC888

My mood for music fluctuates rapidly so during my commute I can start with hip hop, move on to classical and maybe end with rock hence why I have the USB on shuffle all tracks.

I'm old fashioned (some. including my daughter, just say I am old ), and I tend to just listen to an album as the artist/producer put it together and from track 1 until the end. However, I have a couple of playlists with 50+tracks each on Spotify I cycle between.

Most of the time I use Spotify to listen to Genre/Radio playlists. Though I also listen to new bands/albums I have come across.

Originally Posted by JC888

p/s: how do you split the quotes as you did? I can't find a way to do it easily.

Nothing special - just manually copy the [ QUOTE = ...] at the start of each individual part I want to quote, and the [ / QUOTE ] at the end of each individual part. Of course, without the spaces

[JC888]

SIM card arrived today and installed it.
Process is really easy and for the S90 definitely easier to access with rear seats folded down. Need keep an eye out for the arrows when reinserting sim card as I did it wrong way around first time.
Takes about 20 seconds for the car to recognise the sim and then it’s instantly connected to the internet.
Only played with it briefly but being on same network as my phone both the signal and speed is better on the modem.
Well pleased as even managed to setup a hotspot for my TomTom.

[Desseardo]

I’ve had my new XC90 nearly two weeks now and when I got it, I put a 12gb data sim in the boot so I could use Spotify and other download things. Unfortunately the wife gave the password to my kids and they have managed to use all of the data in less than a week. Time to change the password before buying another sim!