Replacing P-SIM after expiry with '3' 24-month SIM

[DanishPastry]

This has been covered many times before, but I'll add this anyway to confirm the current position for any new users.

My MY2020 car was supplied with a Vodafone personal SIM (P-SIM). I inserted that into the SIM-holder under the boot floor and carefully followed the complex instructions to activate it.
Usually the dealer would do that for you and I rather hope that today it is no longer necessary...?

That enabled 12 months of over-the-air map updates and, much more important, Realtime Traffic Information, which enabled Sensus navigation to direct me around traffic jams.

That year has ended. The renewal fee to keep the Vodafone car SIM working seemed... extravagant....

So I bought a '3' network single-payment SIM giving 24GB over up to 24 months.
I bought mine from Argos https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3342985 but I understand it's available from Amazon too.

Installing it was utter simplicity.
Pulled out the SIM-carrier from the slot under the boot floor, removed the Voda SIM, inserted the '3' SIM and plugged the SIM-carrier back in.

That was it.
Powered up the car and after a few monents got a message about '3' Internet connection available.
Job done.

Be aware that map updates can quickly consume that 24GB, so you may still want to use the rather more fiddly:
"download-to-your-computer; copy to USB stick; put USB stick in car, route."

I believe actual car sortware update, car app updates and of course realtime traffic info can ONLY happen over-the-air, and so will consume from the 24 GB.

Suspect it is all different these days with 'Google-Built-In'.

[m@rk]

Be aware that map updates can quickly consume that 24GB, so you may still want to use the rather more fiddly:
"download-to-your-computer; copy to USB stick; put USB stick in car, route."

I believe actual car sortware update, car app updates and of course realtime traffic info can ONLY happen over-the-air, and so will consume from the 24 GB.

Actually the map updates don't. In the first 12 months of owning my car, with auto download of maps I still used less than 2GB of data because unlike the download to USB option where the whole map is downloaded, OTA they only download the deltas.

Indeed since putting the Three SIM in my car at the start of December, with auto map updates enabled (there have been a couple of updates since then plus an update to the Wikiplaces app), I have yet to use 1GB of data so you shouldn't need to worry

Actual car software is not done OTA except on the P8 so no worries there.

And real time traffic uses the embedded Volvo Online SIM (yes the car actually has 2 SIM cards) which is separate and covered by your Volvo Online subscription (free for the first 3 years)

The only way you will really burn through the data on the Three SIM is if you use things like the built in Spotify (instead of via your phone) or the WiFi hotspot with little people streaming Peppa Pig in the back seat

And yes I agree, the Vodafone registration thing is ridiculous but they do it to force an account on you in the hope you will just pay Vodafone £100 for 12 months after the first year

[Mikeg1]

I loathe Vodaphone. I don't care what they give you for free. I will never willingly deal with them ever again.

I took theirs out when I got the car and replaced it with the 3 SIM on an Amazon deal and have been delighted. Simply plug n play - no poncing around with setting up accounts.

I've still got the Vodaphone SIM. Anyone who wants it can have it. I'll post it. DM me.

[Macachia]

Be aware that map updates can quickly consume that 24GB, so you may still want to use the rather more fiddly:
"download-to-your-computer; copy to USB stick; put USB stick in car, route."

I believe actual car sortware update, car app updates and of course realtime traffic info can ONLY happen over-the-air, and so will consume from the 24 GB.

Actually the map updates don't. In the first 12 months of owning my car, with auto download of maps I still used less than 2GB of data because unlike the download to USB option where the whole map is downloaded, OTA they only download the deltas.

Indeed since putting the Three SIM in my car at the start of December, with auto map updates enabled (there have been a couple of updates since then plus an update to the Wikiplaces app), I have yet to use 1GB of data so you shouldn't need to worry

Actual car software is not done OTA except on the P8 so no worries there.

And real time traffic uses the embedded Volvo Online SIM (yes the car actually has 2 SIM cards) which is separate and covered by your Volvo Online subscription (free for the first 3 years)

The only way you will really burn through the data on the Three SIM is if you use things like the built in Spotify (instead of via your phone) or the WiFi hotspot with little people streaming Peppa Pig in the back seat

And yes I agree, the Vodafone registration thing is ridiculous but they do it to force an account on you in the hope you will just pay Vodafone £100 for 12 months after the first year

im still waiting for my t5 recharge to arrive

got a query. if the car comes with a SIM card for oat maps etc, how is the car configured to get Spotify data and whatnot from your mobile phone? I have unlimited 5g data on my iPhone, so that would be perfect

[m@rk]

Be aware that map updates can quickly consume that 24GB, so you may still want to use the rather more fiddly:
"download-to-your-computer; copy to USB stick; put USB stick in car, route."

I believe actual car sortware update, car app updates and of course realtime traffic info can ONLY happen over-the-air, and so will consume from the 24 GB.

Actually the map updates don't. In the first 12 months of owning my car, with auto download of maps I still used less than 2GB of data because unlike the download to USB option where the whole map is downloaded, OTA they only download the deltas.

Indeed since putting the Three SIM in my car at the start of December, with auto map updates enabled (there have been a couple of updates since then plus an update to the Wikiplaces app), I have yet to use 1GB of data so you shouldn't need to worry

Actual car software is not done OTA except on the P8 so no worries there.

And real time traffic uses the embedded Volvo Online SIM (yes the car actually has 2 SIM cards) which is separate and covered by your Volvo Online subscription (free for the first 3 years)

The only way you will really burn through the data on the Three SIM is if you use things like the built in Spotify (instead of via your phone) or the WiFi hotspot with little people streaming Peppa Pig in the back seat

And yes I agree, the Vodafone registration thing is ridiculous but they do it to force an account on you in the hope you will just pay Vodafone £100 for 12 months after the first year

im still waiting for my t5 recharge to arrive

got a query. if the car comes with a SIM card for oat maps etc, how is the car configured to get Spotify data and whatnot from your mobile phone? I have unlimited 5g data on my iPhone, so that would be perfect

You have various options

Use the pSim as above

Use bluetooth to connect to your mobile and use it's internet connection (depends on your phone supporting this)

Use the WiFi hotspot on your phone and the car can connect to that for connection to the internet

If you wan't to use the built in Spotify app, you log into your Spotify account from the cars app (you must have a Spotify Premium account) and then you have access to all your playlists etc

Alternatively, you connect your phone to your car either via Bluetooth or using Android Auto or CarPlay (if you have specified that option) and can then use the app on your phone to stream via the cars speakers.

Once you get your car, I'm sure much of this will make more sense

[WelshRobin]

Since the two map updates so far this year I have driven under 300 miles (mid-winter and Covid!) and the SIM has used 563MB, most of which must be attributable to the updates (North West Europe only). But my experience in the long term is that in nine months since the SIM was new the average has been 1.1GB per month, so the 24GB SIM should be good for up to 10k miles per year. I'm quite happy with that. But now for the bad news - I keep reading that Vodafone is moving to take over Three so the cheaper option may cease to exist.

[WelshRobin]

Sorry, that figure should have been 1.1GB per 1000 miles, not per month!

[Mikeg1]

You have various options

Use the pSim as above

Use bluetooth to connect to your mobile and use it's internet connection (depends on your phone supporting this)

Use the WiFi hotspot on your phone and the car can connect to that for connection to the internet

If you wan't to use the built in Spotify app, you log into your Spotify account from the cars app (you must have a Spotify Premium account) and then you have access to all your playlists etc

Alternatively, you connect your phone to your car either via Bluetooth or using Android Auto or CarPlay (if you have specified that option) and can then use the app on your phone to stream via the cars speakers.

Once you get your car, I'm sure much of this will make more sense

Great write-up

Is there a definitive list anywhere of what the car's built in SIM is responsible for, and what our own personal SIMs deliver?

[fisherman]

Is there a way of checking the data use of the 3 sim. Thanks.

[eugen61]

Is there a definitive list anywhere of what the car's built in SIM is responsible for, and what our own personal SIMs deliver?

I couldn’t find a definitive list anywhere, but based on personal experience I can say that built in SIM is responsible for Volvo Cars App functionality as long as there’s a valid subscription. This SIM is operated by a Scandinavian telecom service provider as a M2M service and is functioning in roaming in every market Volvo is sold connecting to the best available network out there. Data traffic volume is low for operating Volvo Cars App commands and there’s no extra cost for the car owner besides the subscription (most markets offer first 3 years for free at new car purchase).

Personal SIM delivers internet connection for Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Map updates, Weather, basically it handles the large data volume internet traffic. This SIM will be tied to a single network in its country where it was bought by the car owner, but will be able to roaming connect to other networks in case of travel abroad (check your personal SIM data roaming allowance).

After Volvo Cars App (a.k.a. Volvo On-Call) subscription expires there will be no more access to its functionalities even if the car is connected to the internet through the personal SIM.