Data usage in a VW T6.1 California Ocean

[BobTheVan]

Hi. I have on order a VW T6.1 California Ocean with We Connect plus. I looked into the company that offer data plans to work with the built in eSIM and they were extremely bad value and not worth considering. So I plan to hotspot from my iPhone. Does anyone have real world feedback on typical monthly data usage with the latest Ocean with Discover Media Pro dash and We Connect plus? Thanks.

 

[Wildcamper]

We looked into this and found it far more cost effective for us to purchase a mifi type router and use a data only SIM from 3. 3 sell a range of data only SIM cards just get the one that suits. You just buy what you need, they have a 30 day life. If you don't need one in any month just don't buy one. The SIM doesn't expire. Other providers also provide data only SIM cards.

 

[BobTheVan]

We looked into this and found it far more cost effective for us to purchase a mifi type router and use a data only SIM from 3. 3 sell a range of data only SIM cards just get the one that suits. You just buy what you need, they have a 30 day life. If you don't need one in any month just don't buy one. The SIM doesn't expire. Other providers also provide data only SIM cards.

Thanks for the info, if I ever get the van I'll look into it!

 

[66tim99]

Hi. I have on order a VW T6.1 California Ocean with We Connect plus. I looked into the company that offer data plans to work with the built in eSIM and they were extremely bad value and not worth considering. So I plan to hotspot from my iPhone. Does anyone have real world feedback on typical monthly data usage with the latest Ocean with Discover Media Pro dash and We Connect plus? Thanks.

This is all wizardry to me. I'm clueless, but thought the Discover media pro came with 3 years wifi/data connection?

 

[WelshGas]

We looked into this and found it far more cost effective for us to purchase a mifi type router and use a data only SIM from 3. 3 sell a range of data only SIM cards just get the one that suits. You just buy what you need, they have a 30 day life. If you don't need one in any month just don't buy one. The SIM doesn't expire. Other providers also provide data only SIM cards.

I purchase Data sims for 3 on Amazon or eBay that last for 1 Yr from activation. They can be topped up if needed but normally I just replace the sim as it is more cost effective. Some good deals can be had.
I use them in a standalone Huawei mifi that can have upto 10 devices connected and lasts for 6hrs or so on its own battery .

 

[BobTheVan]

This is all wizardry to me. I'm clueless, but thought the Discover media pro came with 3 years wifi/data connection?

Yes, this is my confusion too. But I think the free 3 year period covers a "membership" to the WeConnect service. After 3 years it costs £100/year. But that this does not include data for streaming music subscription, DAB radio, map updates, travel info etc. This is why VW suggest the third party company to provide data, or that you hotspot your phone.

However, as I say I'm confused and some clarity would be great. My dealer has swerved the question and I can find no definitive answers at VW or anywhere else online. It seems to be deliberately ambiguous.

 

[66tim99]

Yes, this is my confusion too. But I think the free 3 year period covers a "membership" to the WeConnect service. After 3 years it costs £100/year. But that this does not include data for streaming music subscription, DAB radio, map updates, travel info etc. This is why VW suggest the third party company to provide data, or that you hotspot your phone.

However, as I say I'm confused and some clarity would be great. My dealer has swerved the question and I can find no definitive answers at VW or anywhere else online. It seems to be deliberately ambiguous.

Thanks
Do you think even during the first 3 years you can’t stream music etc, or just beyond 3 years?
If you can’t get travel or software updates o wonder what you can get?!

 

[BobTheVan]

Thanks
Do you think even during the first 3 years you can’t stream music etc, or just beyond 3 years?
If you can’t get travel or software updates o wonder what you can get?!

Here is the WeConnect page which also has details on WeConnect Plus.

We Connect | all features | Volkswagen online features

Find out which services Volkswagen offers you with We Connect and We Connect Plus.

www.volkswagen.co.uk

It states all the functions you receiver with the basic plan and then outlines the extras you get with the Plus version. You get a package called "Streaming and Internet". Included in that package are Internet Radio, Media Streaming and WiFi Hotspot. Besides each of these functions there is the footnote index link "4". At the footnotes it states that additional data is required to enable these functions to operate.

Hence my original query of approx how much data could these functions need each month.

I would also prefer to use the gizmos already present in the vehicle before I ever consider adding a mifi router etc.

 

[andyinluton]

Thanks
Do you think even during the first 3 years you can’t stream music etc, or just beyond 3 years?
If you can’t get travel or software updates o wonder what you can get?!

I don't have a data plan for the inbuilt sim. I get full functionality by using the usb or bluetooth connection to the phone.
My phone is on a unlimited data plan so am not concerned about the data usage, but having checked it, its only streaming via Spotify that appears to have used anything more than a tiny amount.
On the rare occasions that I haven't had my phone with me, the only difference has been the lack of traffic info on the sat nav.

 

[BobTheVan]

I don't have a data plan for the inbuilt sim. I get full functionality by using the usb or bluetooth connection to the phone.
My phone is on a unlimited data plan so am not concerned about the data usage, but having checked it, its only streaming via Spotify that appears to have used anything more than a tiny amount.
On the rare occasions that I haven't had my phone with me, the only difference has been the lack of traffic info on the sat nav.

Thanks for the info. I was planning to hotspot off my iPhone and I don't have unlimited data. The reason I started this post was to see how much data I would need, ballpark. I have 8GB of data, so presumably that would be sufficient. Cheers.

 

[andyinluton]

Thanks for the info. I was planning to hotspot off my iPhone and I don't have unlimited data. The reason I started this post was to see how much data I would need, ballpark. I have 8GB of data, so presumably that would be sufficient. Cheers.

Should be fine as long as you are not streaming music via the phone.

 

[BobTheVan]

Should be fine as long as you are not streaming music via the phone.

Oh... I was definitely planning on streaming music via the iPhone. I'll just have to see how it goes. It looks as if the van is still a long way off anyway!

 

[andyinluton]

I should have said that slightly differently, it won't use much data if you are streaming stuff you have already downloaded and saved onto your phone.

 

[66tim99]

I don't have a data plan for the inbuilt sim. I get full functionality by using the usb or bluetooth connection to the phone.
My phone is on a unlimited data plan so am not concerned about the data usage, but having checked it, its only streaming via Spotify that appears to have used anything more than a tiny amount.
On the rare occasions that I haven't had my phone with me, the only difference has been the lack of traffic info on the sat nav.

I see you have a 6.1 Andy, so why didn't you get a data plan for the inbuilt sim? I thought it was included for the first 3 years...? My Mrs has unlimited data, so perhaps thats the way, but I'd like to try to use the inbuilt, for when she's not with me...

 

[andyinluton]

I see you have a 6.1 Andy, so why didn't you get a data plan for the inbuilt sim? I thought it was included for the first 3 years...? My Mrs has unlimited data, so perhaps thats the way, but I'd like to try to use the inbuilt, for when she's not with me...

No one has managed to give me a valid reason to buy a data plan!
I don't think you get a free data plan for streaming but would be happy to be shown I'm wrong.
The data for information sent to your phone via VW connect must be included as that works when there isn't a phone in there.

 

[pluc99]

Thanks for the info. I was planning to hotspot off my iPhone and I don't have unlimited data. The reason I started this post was to see how much data I would need, ballpark. I have 8GB of data, so presumably that would be sufficient. Cheers.

That's what I'm planning but I have unlimited data in Western Europe in my package. What does your package give you when you're outside the UK? What about when you take off somewhere with your phone, will the rest of the family be without wifi?
When I was using my hotspot to connect my laptop to work for about 3 hrs per week day (pre covid home office) I used between 1-1.5 GB/month, but that was without streaming music or videos.

 

[BobTheVan]

I see you have a 6.1 Andy, so why didn't you get a data plan for the inbuilt sim? I thought it was included for the first 3 years...? My Mrs has unlimited data, so perhaps thats the way, but I'd like to try to use the inbuilt, for when she's not with me...

Have a look at the link I posted to WeConnect. It does state that you have to get data for music, radio etc. Its not included free for three years. Hence you either get the data for inbuilt eSim or hotspot off your phone.

The third party data provider VW use are Cubic Telecom but its 15 euros for 5GB, which is a crazy price and not a lot of data. So phone data is more economic.

 

[BobTheVan]

That's what I'm planning but I have unlimited data in Western Europe in my package. What does your package give you when you're outside the UK? What about when you take off somewhere with your phone, will the rest of the family be without wifi?
When I was using my hotspot to connect my laptop to work for about 3 hrs per week day (pre covid home office) I used between 1-1.5 GB/month, but that was without streaming music or videos.

I really want to stream music and radio primarily. Who knows what will happen with phone contracts and Europe in the near future but at present with O2 I can stream on the continent.
The rest of the family will use their data on their phones, but we live in central London so don't use the van on a daily basis and are generally together on journeys.

 

[BobTheVan]

I should have said that slightly differently, it won't use much data if you are streaming stuff you have already downloaded and saved onto your phone.

I have Apple Music so don't generally download to the phone, but I can try and change that habit. I think its going to be trial and error I guess... and then I'll probably get an unlimited data sim anyway!

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Good luck if you do go with Cubic Telecom. Don’t think you’ll find positive reviews on here.

 

[BobTheVan]

Good luck if you do go with Cubic Telecom. Don’t think you’ll find positive reviews on here.

Cubic Telecom isn't worth considering in my opinion.

 

[GrahamB]

I did sign up to Cubic Telecom initially - I seem to recall it was free for a month. It worked ok once I figured out the log in. But I haven’t bothered renewing it. If you are in the van with your smartphone it does everything a built in SIM does for you as far as I can tell - its only a data connection. I also have Apple music and it streams through Carplay perfectly over bluetooth, including asking Siri via the voice activation button on the steering wheel.

 

[BobTheVan]

I did sign up to Cubic Telecom initially - I seem to recall it was free for a month. It worked ok once I figured out the log in. But I haven’t bothered renewing it. If you are in the van with your smartphone it does everything a built in SIM does for you as far as I can tell - its only a data connection. I also have Apple music and it streams through Carplay perfectly over bluetooth, including asking Siri via the voice activation button on the steering wheel.

Thats good to know, thanks. I was wondering how much data I would need on my phone when using it as a hotspot. But I realise now its impossible to answer as I depends on the usage. I plan on streaming music which would use a fair amount of data, I'll just have to experiment when I get the van. I don't use the van on a daily basis but would stream music on long journeys.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Thats good to know, thanks. I was wondering how much data I would need on my phone when using it as a hotspot. But I realise now its impossible to answer as I depends on the usage. I plan on streaming music which would use a fair amount of data, I'll just have to experiment when I get the van. I don't use the van on a daily basis but would stream music on long journeys.

If you have an unlimited data plan that’s absolutely fine but obviously in areas with no decent 4G coverage you’ll be stuffed. Suggest you download a whole load of your favourites onto your phone i.e. Spotify. Or you can load up a memory stick and plug it into one of the USB ports by the gear shift (you may need a USB adaptor).

 

[GrahamB]

Thats good to know, thanks. I was wondering how much data I would need on my phone when using it as a hotspot. But I realise now its impossible to answer as I depends on the usage. I plan on streaming music which would use a fair amount of data, I'll just have to experiment when I get the van. I don't use the van on a daily basis but would stream music on long journeys.

I don't think you will find it data heavy on short trips, streamed music files are not huge. For long trips you can download to a playlist on your phone via wifi at home in advance. We also download from Netflix or Amazon video for the kids to have movies on their tablets. Just needs a bit of planning