In this case, Denver seems to be ahead because they scheduled this for me without hesitation. They also mentioned that they were instructed by corporate to tell me not to expect any grand performance improvements and I agreed.
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LTE upgrade is on the way
- Thread starter artsci
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In this case, Denver seems to be ahead because they scheduled this for me without hesitation. They also mentioned that they were instructed by corporate to tell me not to expect any grand performance improvements and I agreed.
Sorry if I missed this earlier in the thread... but, if there is not any significant performance improvement... why pay for the upgrade?
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
There definitely appear to be improvements overall (there are several posts earlier with raw numbers) with the exception of the browser that's still a dog (not the fault of the connection). Tesla's probably just doing a CYA.
Right, I'm not expecting much out of the browser but I am hoping for better coverage overall and possibly better maps performance as a bonus.
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
That, and while I noticed no appreciable improvement in basic navigation, it is noticeably quicker for trip planning. I haven't tried yet from one of the previously-known dead spots, but overall I'm a) glad the option was available in the first place, and b) glad that it didn't cost multiple body parts.
Once again, the naysayers were, well, flat out wrong. We've got back up lines, we've got LTE, and TACC isn't awful. Pretty good, all things considered. Gives me a modicum of hope that the anticipated sensor upgrades and, presumably, A-pillar or side mirror warning lights will be at least in part retrofittable as well.
Once again, the naysayers were, well, flat out wrong. We've got back up lines, we've got LTE, and TACC isn't awful. Pretty good, all things considered. Gives me a modicum of hope that the anticipated sensor upgrades and, presumably, A-pillar or side mirror warning lights will be at least in part retrofittable as well.
Polly Wog
Member
I live on Maui and have scheduled the LTE upgrade as part of my annual service (next Tuesday). No service center on Maui, so being done by our dedicated ranger. I was quoted $500 plus labor. I'm getting it regardless. I'll see what the total ends up being.
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TaoJones
Beyond Driven
They listed $700+ on my invoice but credited back all but the $500 out the door for "the package". Hopefully it's the same for you although I realize that often liberties are taken for Alaska and Hawaii, given the givens.
MarcG
Active Member
Just got my car back from the LTE upgrade this afternoon. Flat $500.00 price.
Performance-wise, I actually noticed the most improvement with the browser. This may very well be thanks to lower latency with LTE vs. 3G.
Songs on Slacker do load faster initially, so there's less of a wait getting them to load. Maps doesn't seem significantly improved but is definitely a little faster.
More testing needs to be done for anything conclusive, but so far seems well worth it.
Performance-wise, I actually noticed the most improvement with the browser. This may very well be thanks to lower latency with LTE vs. 3G.
Songs on Slacker do load faster initially, so there's less of a wait getting them to load. Maps doesn't seem significantly improved but is definitely a little faster.
More testing needs to be done for anything conclusive, but so far seems well worth it.
smorgasbord
Active Member
1. Jasper is an AT&T partner that supplies world-wide programmable SIMs. This way Tesla can provision the SIM for whatever country/region the car is being sold into at any time. Otherwise, they'd be building specific SIMs into specific cars. This has been going on for years. Tesla probably wants to use an e-SIM (embedded SIM) instead, but that would probably limit their carrier options world-wide since there isn't a single standard right now. Apple is pushing their Apple-SIM, in the IPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3, which is yet another potential standard.
2. A few things are going on here. First is that Ublox has a GPS chip that uses embedded gyroscopes to enable "Dead Reckoning." When you go through a tunnel, or even in a city with tall buildings, you lose the GPS signal. With additional inputs from the car on speed and steering angle, the gyro enables the chip to figure out where you are even when the GPS signal drops out. The Neo-M8L is a high-spec module from Ublox, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that on the new board. It's pretty typical to have a board that has both the Cellular and GPS modules on it, so as part of the upgrade to LTE you're also getting a better GPS chip. Yet another reason to do the upgrade I would think.
BTW, there are some combination GPS/Cellular modules available, but I don't know of a specific unit from UBlox that has the GPS, Dead Reckoning, and LTE support. I've heard of GPS modules that have LTE support, and that's good protection from thieves. There are GPS jammers available, and smart thieves use them so that a stolen car can't report its position. However, with a combined GPS/Cellular chip, the car can now get a decent location even if the GPS signals are blocked.
If someone can get a picture of the MCU board, we could look up brand/part numbers and figure out generally what's going on. The old Cellular modules were from Sierra Wireless, btw.
PS: I find it interesting that they need a new coaxial cable to the antenna, but don't have to replace the antenna itself. Maybe Tesla put an LTE tuned antenna in Model S from the get-go, but I doubt it. I wonder if newer cars have a different antenna that's better suited for LTE, and for the retrofit they're just "living with" the previous 3G-tuned (I assume) antenna. That seems plausible to me - it'd be interesting to get an upgraded car and a came-with-LTE car in the same marginal reception spot to see if the new one does better.
EDIT: BTW, "MCU" is just Micro-Controller Unit. So, an MCU board is just a board with one or more micro-controllers.
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araxara
X-LR M3AWD, MYLR
I was scheduled for the LTE upgrade at Scottsdale a few days ago. But the week before I got a call informing me that, although they did get all the parts in, they could not do the install until they received the installation tools. I'm on a waiting list where I will get a call once the tools arrive.
Can a Jasper SIM be purchased by a consumer? I'd love to be able to flash carrier profiles instead of having to order a new SIM in the mail every time I travel. A lot more versatile.
SW2Fiddler
We Are Cognitive Dissidents
Yes of course, that's how we knew it was available
LOL, I should have realized that...sorry. :biggrin:
Thanks for the info, they told me that I'm on the waiting list as well. They quoted a price of between $500 and $700, said they weren't really sure. I guess we'll find out!
smorgasbord
Active Member
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
Thanks for the info, they told me that I'm on the waiting list as well. They quoted a price of between $500 and $700, said they weren't really sure. I guess we'll find out!
That's just annoying and once again produces an image of disorganization and a failure (lost opportunity, for anyone who prefers happyspeak) by management to disseminate a simple, clear directive.
The first retrofits were done for $436. Then corporate said, "No, no, it's to be $500", the ambiguity of which meant either $500 or $500 taxable (so as much as USD$550), and now it's shown up as either of those *or* $700+, then credited back down to $500 out the door. These are of course accounting games, er, important financial details that have been left up to interpretation by line management trying to reflect their "numbers" in their best possible interest. Perhaps there is a lack of respect from the rank and file toward management - some weird dichotomy between Sales and Service? That's even worse.
In a company without such problems, whatever the problem is, when management says the price for a service shall be $500 out the door, then it's $500 out the door. Period. There's no "subject to interpretation", and everyone gets the same message at the same time.
What seems to have happened here is management said go forth (without a lot of detail, because that's what they have managers for *tongue in cheek alert*), and then left the communication to the stores up to the regional managers. Well, if you're a busy regional manager, you get the word on a Friday about something new, and your weekly conference call with the shops in your region isn't until the following Thursday, well, that's when your stores are going to hear about it. Business as usual, right? Sure, if it's 1986. And what if you as a regional manager received a less than complete message from corporate, and you've got questions that you'd like answered before alerting your stores? Meanwhile, you've got 6 days of customers calling and shops being out of the loop.
A typical case study and money in the bank if you're a process improvement guy. A bit frustrating if you're a customer or investor or both.
Another challenge for the regionals is rooted in reality: how exactly do you run a break-even operation when prices are set by corporate and your regional costs are higher or lower than average? If in a lower region do you give more "freebies" and in a higher region more nickel and diming (lame spurious charges) instead? Which policy statement or lack thereof do you buy into so as to not run in the red or, heaven forbid, show a profit?
But I digress. The LTE upgrade is a great $500 (heh) retrofit if for no other reason than futureproofing, and thanks to Tesla for doing it. I look forward to the ventilated seat upgrade next
. Well, to the hope of upgraded sensors and mirror/A-pillar warning lights next, but the point remains - for all the bumbling, the company is still *far* ahead of the pack. Car of the Year *3* years in a row next maybe?Similar threads
