Where is the SIM card located?

Pollux · Jul 30, 2013

Hi,

Where is the SIM card to be found?

I've found enough rationale in the forums to believe that it's highly likely that the car is using a GSM-based 3G standard, which would make sense for a car being delivered into European as well as American markets. I've searched the docs accessible to me as an owner-to-be (delivery date Aug 11). And the forums (including volkerize.com). Threads that have previously asked or included this question invariably digress. No one appears to have definitively answered the question. I hope one of the previous owners who enjoys delving into the car's innards might have an answer.

So: user-accessible or not; where exactly is the Model S' SIM card?

Thanks!

Alan

NielsChr · Jul 30, 2013

afaik not user accessible.

The sim card is not a physical card, its build into a chip - see this post
Dev Console | Forums | Tesla Motors

qwk · Jul 30, 2013

The Rav4 EV has an ATT SIM card inside the gateway ECU. I don't think the Model S uses that same ECU(which communicates with Toyota systems), but there is a good chance that the model s uses the same AT&T setup.

markb1 · Jul 30, 2013

NielsChr said:
afaik not user accessible.

The sim card is not a physical card, its build into a chip - see this post
Dev Console | Forums | Tesla Motors

Looks like speculation, to me.

Pollux · Jul 30, 2013

Thank you all for your thoughts. No closer to a physical location... but the lead to the console discussion & photos was particularly interesting - thanks, @NielsChr.

wdimagineer · Jul 31, 2013

The GSM specification mandates a SIM card. It's not "on a chip" somewhere in the car. I suspect it's either in the 3G data module or in another location that is accessible in the event it needed to be replaced.

markwj · Jul 31, 2013

wdimagineer said:
The GSM specification mandates a SIM card. It's not "on a chip" somewhere in the car. I suspect it's either in the 3G data module or in another location that is accessible in the event it needed to be replaced.

See "SIM on chip":
Component M2M SIM, SIM-Chip | ChipHelp, Semiconductor Industry
GSM/GPRS

Used in M2M applications, the chip part of the SIM is put into a surface-mount package. Makes it much more robust and harder to get to.

It would also more constrained for Tesla with a global rollout. Much easier to use a standard SIM package.

wdimagineer · Aug 1, 2013

markwj said:
See "SIM on chip":
Component M2M SIM, SIM-Chip | ChipHelp, Semiconductor Industry
GSM/GPRS

Used in M2M applications, the chip part of the SIM is put into a surface-mount package. Makes it much more robust and harder to get to.

It would also more constrained for Tesla with a global rollout. Much easier to use a standard SIM package.

Correct. But it's still accessible to a degree in that it's not soldered to a board and can be changed.

I wonder if the gsm hardware varies by country?

markwj · Aug 1, 2013

wdimagineer said:
Correct. But it's still accessible to a degree in that it's not soldered to a board and can be changed.

I wonder if the gsm hardware varies by country?

SIM-on-chips are surface mount packages - machine soldered to the module. Can also be dual-SIM design, with empty socket for different carrier.

Hard to find 3G/4G M2M modules that do all frequency bands. Normally two different - one for US and another for Europe. But, it really depends on the chosen carrier.

Pollux · Aug 1, 2013

@wdimagineer, @markwj - useful points. I lean towards a service-replaceable module, even if the SIM turns out to be a surface-mount package along with other things on that module. But I speculate.

Does Tesla not make available wiring diagrams, block diagrams, whatever, of their car's components? Do other manufacturers make such stuff available? If not, how do third party service stations exist at all?

NigelM · Aug 1, 2013

Pollux said:
Does Tesla not make available wiring diagrams, block diagrams, whatever, of their car's components?

Nope. To the distress of some who'd like to do their own servicing or mods.

Pollux said:
....how do third party service stations exist at all?

For Tesla, they don't exist.

wdimagineer · Aug 1, 2013

I should think at some point they would need to after the factory warranty expires. I'm not an expert in consumer laws in the USA but I suspect something like this would be covered.

Even if Tesla doesn't provide it I imagine another company like Bentley might.

Mark Petersen · Aug 2, 2013

Well if any of you are willing to do an experiment.
I have a gsm base station we can connect the car to, and that way see witch provider and the IMEI it has
I will be at BurningMan, where there is no signal, except for our camp's network
we might even be able to snif the traffic between the car and tesla
Alternative we can try in SF, but that require that there is an option to select provider, as it will be hard to get it to switch network

EarlyAdopter · Aug 2, 2013

The SIM card is on the Tegra 3 motherboard behind the 17" center console screen. Standard size SIM card in a standard slotted holder.

I took my lower dash trim off a while back to look around and could clearly see it behind the screen. Unfortunately it appears you'd have to take the screen off to get at it as the motherboard is surrounded by a steel RF cage. LOTS of blinkenlights on there, btw. Lit up like a Christmas tree.

Blurry cam photos:

SIM card is in a standard holder on the bottom right side of the motherboard. Hard to see in this photo, but it was clear to the naked eye.

Pollux · Aug 2, 2013

@Mark Petersen - wonderful idea. I hope you can find a willing partner at Burning Man and then share the results. Sadly, I will not be at Burning Man so unable to volunteer my vehicle. But if you and your GSM base station were to pass through Boston, I'd be happy to put you up at my house and we could give it all a try.

@EarlyAdopter - THANK YOU for nailing it!!

LuckyLuke · Mar 18, 2014

This was posted today on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/varakelyan

widodh · Mar 18, 2014

So there is a SIM-card in there! And the whole 3G module seems to be a separate unit which can be replaced. I'm just wondering why it says AT&T on the Qualcomm chip?

ATC@LWSK · Mar 18, 2014

widodh said:
So there is a SIM-card in there! And the whole 3G module seems to be a separate unit which can be replaced. I'm just wondering why it says AT&T on the Qualcomm chip?

Because it' a US-spec car, imported to Armenia.

dsm363 · Mar 18, 2014

widodh said:
So there is a SIM-card in there! And the whole 3G module seems to be a separate unit which can be replaced. I'm just wondering why it says AT&T on the Qualcomm chip?

That's the carrier in the US they use and looks like just a label on the chip. The fact it is separate is good news. Wonder how easy it is for them to get to it.

JerryNycom · Mar 18, 2014

LTE Module here we come.....I hope.....Soon.....

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