I have just spoken to those nice people at BMW UK customer services. Very helpful and knowledgeable they are too. This is the latest story.

They are currently recommending only two phones for use with the BT system The SE T610, and the T630. Others work well, but they are no longer easily available in the UK e.g the Nokia 6310, Siemens S55 etc.

Engineers in Munich are working on other phones to assess compatability, but it seems (my view) that fewer phones are likley to be compatible. They said that no current or future Nokias are likely to work. Latest SE phones e.g. K700i do not work. Update of their list on the BMW website is unlikely before 2005. Updated software (or possibly hardware) for the BMW BT system is unlikely before 2005.

So ..... find yourself an old phone that works, and don't lose it. You may struggle to replace it with a new phone that works.

I am now trying to change my new K700i for a T630, but..... guess what? Vodafone are only issuing these to busines customers, and not even to them until (if ever) they resolve a current software problem.

Guess that is almost the end of the BT story for the forseeable future. Not much more to say

 

This really sucks.. I didn't have trouble to buy the Siemens S55 it was available normal. What I wonder is why some bluetooth phones don't work. Bleutooth should be a worldwide language that is talked by devices so they understand each other (I hope you understand). But if there are different versions of the bluetooth language it will surely stop in existance because it would be useless..

 

I don't kno what is the problem with this Bluetooth but certainly it isn't a standard for every phone. For example I can send pictures or other stuf from my SE T610 to some Nokia phones or Panasaonic.. But not to all models from Nokia or Panasonic.

It's strange. They should try to use a standard protocol by now.

 

So in other words bleutooth is a worthless language unless it is unified for the whole world.. that shouldn't be to difficult should it??

 

reading threads like this makes me feel slightly "better" about the fact my car doesn't have BT installed.

get the impression that many forum members seem to favour the 3rd party BT solutions.

I was looking at some solutions at my local car audio shop and the guy said they can integrate these products into the car, event to the extent of using the steering wheel buttons etc (not sure about idrive screen) so I may look into the 3rd party route.

 

Reading between the lines of what the guy at BMW said to me I get the impression that they are thoroughly hacked off with the fact that what was meant to be a universal standard...isn't. I gather this is the real problem.

Nokia have (or are doing so) apparently adapted it so their phones will only work with their accessories.

 

If i were you i would get the phone in other country and put it free from operator.
It's just a matter of software. It's easy to do in SE T610 and T630.
And the SIEMENS S55 it's available in other countries.

 

Sensible idea, but it's not in my nature to pay ?200 for a phone I can have for free if I stay on contract ..... which I want to anyway.