2022.4 required to maintain AT&T compatibility

[stopcrazypp]

Just got this message today:

This vehicle requires a software update to at least 2022.44 in order to maintain compatibility with AT&T cellular network changes taking place on February 22, 2022. If not updated, this vehicle may no longer be compatible with receiving over-the-air software updates, maps and navigation features, accessing the Tesla Mobile App & associated features, utilizing voice commands, receiving streaming media content, or other connectivity dependent features over cellular data. Features will remain accessible over Wi Fi. Please install the available software release. If you are persistently experiencing software update installation failures, please schedule a service appointment via Tesla Mobile App.

From a quick search, this was mentioned in the FSD thread (the Beta ones apparently get a similar message but says 2021.44.30.21 instead), but I felt this deserved its own thread. I guess people can discuss what is happening with their cars, with or without the update.

Wiki - [Promised Resolution] FSD’s earliest adopters find themselves again deprioritized and forgotten

Personally, I just installed 2022.44.5 given it apparently comes with some improvements I suggested would make sense in other threads (some status icons return to the main screen instead of hidden in controls, the dashcam icon can now be used to save recording, etc). I'm guessing however some people may be holding out in a pre-v11 version.
2022.4.5 Official Tesla Release Notes - Software Updates

For people not aware of the background, note this is not some conspiracy by Tesla. AT&T is shutting down their 3G network:
Act NOW - 3G is Going Away in 2022
Exact date is February 22, 2022.
3G Network Shutdown | AT&T Business

I'm guessing this is to update the modem to no longer try to connect to 3G frequencies.

A lot of other carmakers are SOL from the shutdown, with all internet connected features ending with the shutdown. Honda's case is weird in that their unit can only be updated OTA via the AT&T network, so if it is not updated before the shutdown, owners have to pay $900 for an updated unit. Glad that Tesla designed the cars for Wifi updates and that they put in LTE.
3G Wireless Network Shutdown Means Your Car May Lose Automatic Crash Notification

 

[Transformer]

This pushed me, too, to install V11.

AT&T announced this "sunset" in 2019...

 

[BrianK04]

Tesla has 4g tho right? Won't it still receive that and be fine?

 

[BrownOuttaSpec]

Tesla has 4g tho right? Won't it still receive that and be fine?

Probably not, but not sure. This post has a little bit more info and a link to the actual ATT communication and talk about how the modem will get a firmware update to use the right 'data centric' communication: AP1 ONLY Please -- life after 2018.50.6

I was planning on staying on V10 2021.44.6 until V11 got refined a bit more but I think this is going to convince me to push the update button to 2022.4.5 I am a little bit frustrated since this has been known about for 6+ months and Tesla only recently updated their firmware to support it with the v11 software. Bye-bye single click seat heaters

 

[brico84]

Probably not, but not sure. This post has a little bit more info and a link to the actual ATT communication and talk about how the modem will get a firmware update to use the right 'data centric' communication: AP1 ONLY Please -- life after 2018.50.6

I was planning on staying on V10 2021.44.6 until V11 got refined a bit more but I think this is going to convince me to push the update button to 2022.4.5 I am a little bit frustrated since this has been known about for 6+ months and Tesla only recently updated their firmware to support it with the v11 software. Bye-bye single click seat heaters

View attachment 771684

Same scenario as you. I actually see they downloaded the update over cellular without my intervention. Now they want me to install it. Not gonna happen.

I'll wait and see what the consequences are. V11 is a *sugar* show and I love my v10. Not gonna give it up so easily.

 

[smogne41]

Same scenario as you. I actually see they downloaded the update over cellular without my intervention. Now they want me to install it. Not gonna happen.

I'll wait and see what the consequences are. V11 is a *sugar* show and I love my v10. Not gonna give it up so easily.

Yeah, I am planing to wait and see as well.

 

[sorka]

I'm still not clear why my LTE connection should stop working if I don't install this update. I haven't seen a 3g connection in over a year anywhere. Why would my MCU2 stop connecting to AT&T LTE once they discontinue the 3g band?

 

[stopcrazypp]

I'm still not clear why my LTE connection should stop working if I don't install this update. I haven't seen a 3g connection in over a year anywhere. Why would my MCU2 stop connecting to AT&T LTE once they discontinue the 3g band?

The only thing I read is that this problem, related to forcing modem into "data centric" mode. But reading the link this has more to do with devices configured for voice mode instead of data-only. In voice mode, the device may refuse to connect to AT&T LTE connection due to voice defaulting to 3G and 3G being shut down.
AP1 ONLY Please -- life after 2018.50.6

The only related thing that seems like might be a problem is that the wake-up command for Teslas is done via SMS, which presumably is still 3G. That may need the modem update to force SMS to work with LTE-only (presumably VoLTE).

https://www.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/ethhmj/_/ffggg55

I guess some will have to be guinea pigs and find out what functions fail. At least with a Tesla, updates can be done over wifi, so it's not like other manufacturers where February 22, 2022 is the final deadline to do the OTA update.

 

[brico84]

So when is this shut off scheduled for?

As of this morning I can still use all functions on 2021.44.6 including voice commands.

 

[stopcrazypp]

So when is this shut off scheduled for?

As of this morning I can still use all functions on 2021.44.6 including voice commands.

It was supposed to be today (not sure what time), but there are still lobbying groups trying to get FCC to delay it until the end of the year.

From the same article, Comrex sent out a tweet that the shutdown won't be completed until next Monday. I'm guessing AT&T is extending it a few days for the stragglers, given some equipment can only be updated OTA via AT&T and becomes a brick if not updated before the deadline.
AT&T’s 5G push sees network close impacting security systems - live

It may also be a phased shutdown with some regions being shut first and some later. I remember that was what happened with 2G.

Again the thing I expect most likely to break is anything using SMS. The only feature I can find confirmed to use SMS is waking up the car after it is asleep.

 

[sorka]

It was supposed to be today (not sure what time), but there are still lobbying groups trying to get FCC to delay it until the end of the year.

From the same article, Comrex sent out a tweet that the shutdown won't be completed until next Monday. I'm guessing AT&T is extending it a few days for the stragglers, given some equipment can only be updated OTA via AT&T and becomes a brick if not updated before the deadline.
AT&T’s 5G push sees network close impacting security systems - live

It may also be a phased shutdown (with some regions being shut first) and some later. I remember that was what happened with 2G.

There are 10s of thousands of blink chargers that still haven't been updated and whole vehicle tracking fleet systems that run on 3g only. Ironically, many of them were upgraded only a few years ago from 2g to 3g because 2g was discontinued. I don't imagine these companies with millions of devices in the fleet that they only just upgraded will have to be done again.

 

[OxBrew]

Again the thing I expect most likely to break is anything using SMS. The only feature I can find confirmed to use SMS is waking up the car after it is asleep.

That's already broken for me, as of about a week ago. App cannot wake up the car if fully asleep, no matter what. Left it spinning for a half an hour, nothing.

Also, getting 2 notifications for every event (charge start/stop, etc). One with first name we gave the car in October, one with current name, changed about a month ago. Hilarious, I just chuckle.

Not updating the app or car since December, so I expect things to get pretty whacky.

Going to nurse v10 as long as possible, hope v11 gets some features added back before we jump in the pool.

 

[stopcrazypp]

That's already broken for me, as of about a week ago. App cannot wake up the car if fully asleep, no matter what. Left it spinning for a half an hour, nothing.

Also, getting 2 notifications for every event (charge start/stop, etc). One with first name we gave the car in October, one with current name, changed about a month ago. Hilarious, I just chuckle.

Not updating the app or car since December, so I expect things to get pretty whacky.

Going to nurse v10 as long as possible, hope v11 gets some features added back before we jump in the pool.

Have you tried turning off wifi on your phone and use your mobile data connection and try again? Sometimes that fixes issues with the app being unresponsive. Tesla's app goes through some sort of VPN and sometimes it just gets stuck when on wifi and switching to mobile data somehow fixes that.

This is presuming you have tried the standard things like closing the app (completely by swiping it closed in app switcher) and rebooting car after any updates.

The other possible cause is your car may not be getting reception where it is parked.

 

[brico84]

That's already broken for me, as of about a week ago. App cannot wake up the car if fully asleep, no matter what. Left it spinning for a half an hour, nothing.

Also, getting 2 notifications for every event (charge start/stop, etc). One with first name we gave the car in October, one with current name, changed about a month ago. Hilarious, I just chuckle.

Not updating the app or car since December, so I expect things to get pretty whacky.

Going to nurse v10 as long as possible, hope v11 gets some features added back before we jump in the pool.

I've been getting double notifications the last few days or week or so. Now I get why....

App seems to wake up my car no problem though.

 

[OxBrew]

The other possible cause is your car may not be getting reception where it is parked.

This may be part of it. We have pretty poor LTE at the house, 1-2 bars.

I have a cell-fi hotspot at home, so my phone LTE (T-Mobile) is actually coming over an ethernet connection. Can't be bothered to go toggle it off and check, easier to just walk out side and open the car to wake it up.

 

[sleepydoc]

I'm still not clear why my LTE connection should stop working if I don't install this update. I haven't seen a 3g connection in over a year anywhere. Why would my MCU2 stop connecting to AT&T LTE once they discontinue the 3g band?

For cell phones the issue is voice over LTE (VoLTE) - some older models are capable of LTE but not VoLTE so they will lose voice call capability. For Teslas that shouldn’t be the issue. Since they can fix it with a software update the cars must have an LTE modem as well. My guess is they were set to use the slower 3G network when possible as part of the contract with AT&T and now that AT&T is deactivating 3G everything has to be moved over to LTE. (That may have been the difference between basic and premium connectivity, too.)

 

[sorka]

For cell phones the issue is voice over LTE (VoLTE) - some older models are capable of LTE but not VoLTE so they will lose voice call capability. For Teslas that shouldn’t be the issue. Since they can fix it with a software update the cars must have an LTE modem as well. My guess is they were set to use the slower 3G network when possible as part of the contract with AT&T and now that AT&T is deactivating 3G everything has to be moved over to LTE. (That may have been the difference between basic and premium connectivity, too.)

But if 3g isn't available, it just uses LTE as it is currently.

 

[sleepydoc]

But if 3g isn't available, it just uses LTE as it is currently.

Are you sure?

 

[stopcrazypp]

Are you sure?

My Model 3 uses/used LTE all the time (it shows the LTE symbol when it does). I don't think I have ever seen it fall back to 3G. But I'm in the Bay Area in California, which probably has the best coverage in the country. YMMV depending on where you live.

As I pointed out upthread, the issue likely is more with any functions that use SMS behind the scenes. Waking up the car is done via SMS. I don't know of what other function might also, other can chime in if they know. In that case, after the shutdown, the car must be configured to use VoLTE (which is the component that carries voice and SMS), as you pointed out earlier. Before the shutdown, it didn't matter, the SMS can just go over 3G (and likely did).

As for why (non-phone device) companies may have dragged their feet on switching to VoLTE (even if they already have the hardware and it was just a software update away), it is because the carriers didn't start testing cross-carrier VoLTE until near the end of 2015.
AT&T starts testing cross-carrier VoLTE calls
By end of 2016 it was still incomplete.
AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are teaming up for better quality phone calls
I'm not sure when it was completed, I can find 2017 threads saying it was still not done then.
Cross Carrier VoLTE
Threads from 2020 seem to say the carriers never announced when they completed the interoperability (if ever).
Cross-Carrier VoLTE working?

So it makes sense that companies may wait for the last minute to configure their device to be VoLTE exclusive, given having the 3G ensures the device always works even if LTE was not working (due to whatever reason: reception, the other carrier etc).

 

[OxBrew]

So last week I was in Seattle staying downtown. I had really crappy coverage on the Tesla, could not wake up the app hardly at all, navigate warned it had no traffic data, and from Wed to Friday it showed 0-1 bar of 3G. Back in Spokane, part way through Saturday, the LTE came back. hmmmmmmmm.

On Friday morning I got the warning to update or lose connection. I don't think we'll ever lose connection, they're just using it as an excuse to get the last 8 of us to update to latest SW, and just doinking around with network settings to scare us.

Just a thought, not really too serious about this.