How do you know that 4G is fitted to the XC90 now? Can't see it mentioned on the website anywhere...

 

It's in the new pricelist (at least in Germany) for models from week 46.
It was even in the March price list for MY17, but (as usual) Volvo was late.

 

Some reported some third-hand information in a past thread that Volvo was looking to find a way to upgrade the modem in 3G equipped cars.
I can't imagine this is a priority, however, so I'd expect there to be no way.

Given the pricing on AT&T's data plan along with the mediocre quality of apps, I think the 3G vs 4G issue is rather meaningless.
Your smartphone and it's interface via CarPlay or Android Auto should be the focus.

 

Is there any way to find out what modem is in my car? It was made in the first week of October 2016...

 

speedtest.net when connected to car wifi.

 

From the wifi hotspot of my 2017 rdesign
Bought on October
The speed has increased since I got the total update and android auto today

 

from the wifi hotspot of my 2017 rdesign

When was your car produced?
I still haven't purchased the data simcard so I can't measure the speed yet. I'm actually hesitating to buy it precisely for the reason of the possibly slow 3Gmodem

 

This could be LTE already

 

Then it should still be 3G (but good one).
LTE gives me speeds above 30.

 

Not really dude sprint is only 1mbps and 1mbps
Verizon with 25-30
I used have at&t with about 16 Mbps which is the same as the car's speed

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

update: upload speed with 17.76 mbps : P
I'm pretty sure it's LTE

 

A quick question: this 3G/4G modem obviously needs a paid-plan after a short complimentary plan. I have an unlimited LTE iPhone. Is there any way to use my iPhone's LTE with this in-car WiFi hotspot?

 

You can share your iPhone's LTE by Bluetooth, but the internet speed won't be fast as iPhone. I'm not sure about CarPlay. You can just add a line in your current plan.

 

This is LTE!!! IPhone 6S, tested a minute ago in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Everything below 10Mbps is 3G, everything below 20Mbps is either a bad LTE connection or a really good 3G connection (and the Volvo should have a really good connection as the antenna is bigger than in an IPhone).

 

Well, since you are not in U.S, I think you are not familiar with LTE of here.the speed of AT&T is almost the same as the one of car hotspot. In US, at&t is also the provider of Volvo connection.
My current carrier is sprint which is with bad LTE speed in my area. Verizon is the fastest one which the speed is like yours.
Here is the fastest one I got with sprint in my area.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Okay , in this case LTE will not Change anything for you. But here in Russia a LTE modem would be really nice, as the speed is much higher and the coverage is also better.

 

Also here in the UK, LTE is almost as fast as the Broadband connection in my house!

My XC90 wil be built mid-January so definitely 4G LTE - can't wait!

 

If you want a definitive answer open the Volvo On Call app on your phone. Then, press the "Menu" button in the upper left corner, press "Settings" in the bottom left, press "Diagnostics", "Start Diagnostics" and under "Connection" it will say if its a 3G or LTE modem.

 

I'm not sure how accurate that info is. For me it appears to report the connection my phone is using. It reports my home wifi name to which I've never connected the XC90 and if I turn off my phone's wifi it reports 3G. I am on an LTE connection when I'm not on wifi.

 

I don't see why it matters when it comes to using the modem for the built in apps. A 3g connection is more than enough to stream music, or use any of the other apps in the car, especially considering how uncongested the 3g networks are these days.

 

I think it's part "this is a $50,000+ vehicle with all the bells and whistles but it uses years old tech to connect to the internet" and part "this interface is so slow; why didn't they use a faster connection?" This is regardless of the fact that a faster connection will likely have little benefit. Now if they'd just slapped a real iPad in there I think we'd all be much happier than whatever sluggish system is powering our screens.

When you think about, if someone created an interface between an iPad and the bus that the XC90 uses, I am reasonably certain that the entirety of the Sensus interface could be created as an app that is way smoother and reliable. Kickstarter anyone?

 

Hi Folks, for the US/Canada markets all 2017 S90 and XC90 (SPA) vehicles have an LTE modem in them. The other models are still 3G.

There are different categories of LTE so because the car isn't as fast as your phone doesn't mean much. If you're seeing downlink speeds over 15 Mbps it's a guarantee it's LTE, and especially if your seeing uploads over 4-5 Mbps.

 

Hi Folks, for the US/Canada markets all 2017 S90 and XC90 (SPA) vehicles have an LTE modem in them. The other models are still 3G.

There are different categories of LTE so because the car isn't as fast as your phone doesn't mean much. If you're seeing downlink speeds over 15 Mbps it's a guarantee it's LTE, and especially if your seeing uploads over 4-5 Mbps.

To potentially corroborate your statement, I just looked at the speedtest.net app on my phone which has years of past results stored. Between late 2011 and late 2012 when I had my iPhone 4S which used HSDPA, my peak speeds were between 4-6mbps down. In late September, 2012 - after I got the iPhone 5 which added support for LTE - my speeds varied between 10 and 20mbps down not including times where I tested for obviously crap connections. Since I'm getting an average of 15mbps down when connected to my XC90 hot spot, it is likely that it is LTE after all. It's just not as fast as my phone's connection. At the same time, when I asked Volvo about the modem, they indicated it was 3G. Probably just bad info.

Ultimately, it's not the speed of the connection I'm worried about - it's the speed of the interface and apps. Basic stuff loads just fine but when you start browsing the radio station library or try to adjust the seat and steering wheel heating the interface is just sluggish compared to modern touch screen interfaces such as iPads. The screen supports multitouch but if I touch the seat and wheel heat icons with two fingers only one responds. If I try to quickly tap each button in succession, the second tap isn't registered. Sometimes the little orange heating level indicator doesn't update immediately upon being touched so I end up tapping again and turning the heat back on when I was trying to turn it off.

I love that these features are touch screen to reduce the cluster f*** of buttons most vehicles have but the responsiveness needs to be improved.

 

They’ll have to find a way to upgrade to 4G modems now! $$$$


Important information about your vehicle's Connected Services


David, we are letting you know that AT&T will be shutting down their 3G network in January 2022. As a result, any Volvo vehicle with a 3G modem will lose Connected Services. According to our records, you currently own one or more vehicles that will be affected by this change.

Your affected Vehicle Identification Number(s):

YV449MRUxxxxxxxx



Will anything be affected in 2021?

Your Connected Services will continue to function as normal, but starting January 1, 2021 you will no longer be able to renew your Volvo On Call annual subscription.

What will be impacted when the 3G network shuts down in January 2022?

• Emergency services will be disabled including SOS features, Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision notification, and more

• Volvo On Call app functions and features will be turned off, including remote start, remote lock/unlock, digital service booking, send to car

• No access to Wi-Fi hotspot

• No access to connected apps in the car

How will I be able to keep my Connected Services beyond 2021?

We will reach out to you in early 2021 via email with more information about how to upgrade your in-car modem(s) to 4G at your local Volvo retailer.

Our Customer Care Team is available to address any additional questions you may have at this time.

CONTACT US

 

They'll have to find a way to upgrade to 4G modems now! $$$$

Important information about your vehicle's Connected Services

David, we are letting you know that AT&T will be shutting down their 3G network in January 2022. As a result, any Volvo vehicle with a 3G modem will lose Connected Services. According to our records, you currently own one or more vehicles that will be affected by this change.

Your affected Vehicle Identification Number(s):

YV449MRUxxxxxxxx

Will anything be affected in 2021?

Your Connected Services will continue to function as normal, but starting January 1, 2021 you will no longer be able to renew your Volvo On Call annual subscription.

What will be impacted when the 3G network shuts down in January 2022?

• Emergency services will be disabled including SOS features, Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision notification, and more

• Volvo On Call app functions and features will be turned off, including remote start, remote lock/unlock, digital service booking, send to car

• No access to Wi-Fi hotspot

• No access to connected apps in the car

How will I be able to keep my Connected Services beyond 2021?

We will reach out to you in early 2021 via email with more information about how to upgrade your in-car modem(s) to 4G at your local Volvo retailer.

Our Customer Care Team is available to address any additional questions you may have at this time.

CONTACT US

I own a 2016 with 3G. I am most interested in upgrading to 4G, or possibly 5G to retain Volvo On Call features. I hope Volvo feels an obligation to provide this at no charge, or a very low charge.

 

I responded to your post in News and Rumors subforum. This topic is getting to be a whack-a-mole exercise.

 

The following is from VOC renew page when enter MY16 VIN #:

"
3G "Sunset" FAQ & Action Points
Updated: November 2020
Summary

In early 2022 cellular providers throughout the US will start to decommission their 3G networks. This includes Volvo's partner provider AT&T and follows a standard upgrade path making way for 5G and beyond. The impact to Volvo is that any MY' 2015.5-2017 (Non-SPA) as well as 2016 SPA XC90 will no longer be able to access connected services. This includes Sensus Cloud Apps, Volvo On Call & Realtime Traffic.

Q: Will my Volvo On Call App still function?
A: No, if your vehicle is affected you will lose app functionality.
Q: Why can't I renew my VOC subscription?
A: Due to the shutdown of 3G prior to the 1 year extension expiring, we are not offering shorter subscription lengths at this time.
Q: Will Volvo offer an upgrade for affected cars?
A: At this time, Volvo does plan to offer an upgrade path for customers.
Q: Will this be covered under warranty or CPO?
A: Unless there is a physical hardware fault causing inoperability of vehicle functions, this is not considered a defect of the vehicle itself.
Q: Will Emergency & SOS functions still operate?
A: These functions will no longer operate without an upgrade due to relying on 3G service.
Q: When can I get the upgrade?
A: The hardware and expected pricing / packages is expected in early '21.
Q: Will SiriusXM be impacted?
A: No, any SiriusXM based service will not be affected.

"

 

The following is from VOC renew page when enter MY16 VIN #:

"
3G "Sunset" FAQ & Action Points
Updated: November 2020
Summary

In early 2022 cellular providers throughout the US will start to decommission their 3G networks. This includes Volvo's partner provider AT&T and follows a standard upgrade path making way for 5G and beyond. The impact to Volvo is that any MY' 2015.5-2017 (Non-SPA) as well as 2016 SPA XC90 will no longer be able to access connected services. This includes Sensus Cloud Apps, Volvo On Call & Realtime Traffic.

Q: Will my Volvo On Call App still function?
A: No, if your vehicle is affected you will lose app functionality.
Q: Why can't I renew my VOC subscription?
A: Due to the shutdown of 3G prior to the 1 year extension expiring, we are not offering shorter subscription lengths at this time.
Q: Will Volvo offer an upgrade for affected cars?
A: At this time, Volvo does plan to offer an upgrade path for customers.
Q: Will this be covered under warranty or CPO?
A: Unless there is a physical hardware fault causing inoperability of vehicle functions, this is not considered a defect of the vehicle itself.
Q: Will Emergency & SOS functions still operate?
A: These functions will no longer operate without an upgrade due to relying on 3G service.
Q: When can I get the upgrade?
A: The hardware and expected pricing / packages is expected in early '21.
Q: Will SiriusXM be impacted?
A: No, any SiriusXM based service will not be affected.

"

Weird. I just went to the renewal site and entered my VIN, and it's still letting me extend VOC for another year. I got to the point of entering billing info before I stopped.

Is there any update on this? I was under the impression that you can't renew VOC starting in January '21

 

Here's an interesting article on network transitioning.
2G to 3G to 4GLTE to 5G

 

VOC RENEWAL WEBSITE NOT UPDATED SINCE NOV 2020

3G "Sunset" FAQ & Action Points
Updated: November 2020

I FILLED OUT THE UPDATE REQUEST FROM, AGAIN AFTER ONE YEAR

 

I posted possible solution to 3G modem problem here:

3G Cellular Shutting Down in 2022

*Latest US Update 3G Shutdown AT&T ~ Feb 2022 T-Mo/Sprint ~ Apr 2022 Verizon ~ Dec 2022 * as of ~ 20 Aug 2021 Original I have been reading on various cellular forms, such as Howard's, that 3G service is being shuttered by [end of] ~2021. I have read this about T-Mobile...

www.swedespeed.com

 

I am sorry guys

Volvo's position of "Working on a solution" for more than a year now is not good enough for me. I need more details. They should tell me why Volvo could not find a solution in 2021, and I will respect that. Availability, compatibility, etc...whatever it is. Just give us more information. That's all I want.

 

I am sorry guys

Volvo's position of "Working on a solution" for more than a year now is not good enough for me. I need more details. They should tell me why Volvo could not find a solution in 2021, and I will respect that. Availability, compatibility, etc...whatever it is. Just give us more information. That's all I want.

As they need to build a physical piece of hardware, I believe that despite their best intentions, supply chains have dried up. Blame the telecom providers, they are shutting off the 3G even though they are aware that many will lose service. FWIW, some are extending their deadlines...

 

MY 16 XC90 App will expire in mid January. An option to extend the App for two months but the price drops every day, last month was $42, few days ago was $30, now $25.....

 

Just saw this from Consumer Reports:

Volvo

Vehicles affected: 2015.5-2018 S60, V60, and V60 Cross Country; 2015.5-2017 XC60; 2015.5-2016 XC70, and 2016 XC90, according to Volvo’s website.
The fix: Volvo has yet to announce what will happen to vehicles with 3G technology and the Volvo On Call telematics service after AT&T’s network goes dark on Feb. 22, 2022, but Volvo spokesperson Russ Datz tells CR that the automaker will soon be offering owners a hardware upgrade to retain full On Call operation, and that details will be provided to customers directly within a few weeks.