Interesting article in NY Times yesterday by David Pogue. Apparently Verizon has "turned off" several bluetooth functions in their only bluetooth phone (Motorola v710) so that it will not sync address books with any cars and won't allow file transfers with any other bluetooth device (done in the name of security). Don't know if just a plain syncing to place calls will work, but i'm not optimistic. As someone with an 05 E60 on the way i was looking at getting a bluetooth phone, but it won't be one from Verizon!

 

Thanks. I'm just plain mad that this process is taking so long. Not only is BMW taking too long, the next problem for me is Verizon who just this August released their only BT phone, the V710, but they disabled the file transfer features which
allow the address books in the car and handset to synch up.

People don't want to drive down the highway and tap little buttons when most of those controls and displays can be integrated with the automobile using today's technology.

Verizon is holding back on technology that Motorola has already developed. I purchased my $46,000 Bluetooth car and $400 phone at the same time, and now I am compromising safety, while they are playing games, including false advertising.

If pharding's BT update works, it won't be with the help of either Verizon or BMW. The "update" will sacrifice the most life-saving features of BMW Assist, and it won't be fully functional if he's a Verizon customer.

 

Have you considered purchasing your phone from e-bay? Many of the BT phones on e-bay are sold unlocked

If I'm understanding this correctly, I can buy a phone compatible with my carrier however my phone isn't restricted by them

Some one please correct me if i'm wrong

 

Now that's a great quesiton. I've been in need of a new phone for a while, and waited to order my 545 until '05 because of BT availability. My next planned purchase is the Treo 650 because they've added BT to it. But if Verizon cripples the phone I'll be f'ing pissed. But the idea of buying the phone separately from Verizon, then activating on their network is intriguing. Any cell phone guys able to chime in on this one?

 

afaik, unlocked phones are for gsm only. all you need to do is pop your own sim card in and you are good to go. but both cdma and tdma are different. you need to call the service providers to activate your new phone even though if you get one from ebay. they have to transfer your current number to your new phone. please correct me if i'm wrong.

 

afaik, unlocked phones are for gsm only. all you need to do is pop your own sim card in and you are good to go. but both cdma and tdma are different. you need to call the service providers to activate your new phone even though if you get one from ebay. they have to transfer your current number to your new phone. please correct me if i'm wrong.
[/quote]
Correct. Verizon requires a CDMA phone and they only sell the V710. You can buy an unbranded model at http://www.wirelessimports.com/ProductDeta...p?ProductID=407 but they still won't have the file transfer ability to synch.

 

Guys, I really don't think phardings BT is the so called retrofit. My dealer offered to do it for me a week after delivery in September. Remove (disable) ASSIST and configure/install BT ULF. I would think the official BMW BT retrofit when and if it is available with allow both ASSIST and BT to coexist.

Now I am going with the CPT 9000 because even if (v. big if), a retrofit is available, and Verizon update their firmware and somehow the V710 pairs with the car,

1. I'm not sure that voice dialing will work, through I-drive
2. a cradle will be available to charge the phone and use the fin.

The current phone I have can go a couple of days without a charge. not so with the V710. Not only does it have a short battery life, but it also drains even faster when using BT. So I am assuming it will not be happy permanently paired with the car.

The list Pharding posted mentions V600. I don't know that Verizon sells that phone.

The bottom line is I need to be able to operate the phone handsfree in the car. I don't need a color screen, be able to take pictures or play pacmanon whatever on my phone. Nor do I need it to play 'the blue danube" to tell me I have an incoming call. I just need good reception (the V60 is trimode- and works great, actually better than my newer all digital Samsung).

I was really looking forward to just getting into the car and having the car answer the phone in my pocket, but until all this stabalizes I'll just dock a V60.

Side note on BT. I have been following this technology for 3 years now. I have always owned an IBM Thinkpad and my current model has a BT radio.

Here is my vision:

I am at my desk. I need to add a phone number to my phone, which is clipped to my belt or in my pocket/briefcase. I key in the contact on my computer which in turn syncs to the phone using BT. I get into the car, and have the ability to call the new contact by scrolling through the address list using a steering wheel button. The contact calls me, his/her caller ID comes up on the I-drive screen, music is muted, I take the call. Its a server down emergency. I pull over and park the car, turn off the engine. BT unpairs with the phone. I open up my laptop the phone pairs with the laptop to give me a broadband connection. (currently only DUNS available with some phones). I connect to the internet take care of business and am back on the road ready to take or place calls. I never even looked at the phone through all this.

Now gentlemen, this technology is all available right now! And I am sure that our European members are doing this with their GSM BT phones with ASSIST turned on so that as Iceman posted today, they can also send an address to their cars from a computer so that they don't have to fumble around in I-drive to add it to NAV(a process which I might add has been further lengthened by BMWs decision to remove the zip-code function in recent software updates) and then have the car re-route you when there is heavy traffic on route.

This is all there, just look in the communications menu and see all the stuff that is greyed out on US cars.

Ahh!!! but we pay only $ 2.50 a gallon.

 

There are probably not that many other phone options available. Both Sprint and Verizon use a communications protocol called CDMA which is available pretty much primarily in the U.S. T-Mobile, Cingular, and At&T use the protocol that is pretty much available in the rest of the world called GSM. There just are not that many CDMA Bluetooth phones out there. That is why I ended up leaving Sprint not too long ago.

The carrier with the most options is T-Mobile because they not only use the same GSM protocol as pretty much everyone else, but also use the same frequency as everyone else.

One of the best boards to ask about cellphone options and bluetooth options available for your carrier is:

http://www.howardforums.com/

 

bump

 

Subject
Why is the feature of 'OBEX profile' disabled for the V710 and not the V600. ...

Discussion Thread
Response (Caroline M.) 10/30/2004 04:18 PM
Dear Customer,

Thank you for your recent correspondence with Motorola.

As per your reply, Motorola is developing a firmware upgrade at carrier's request that will restore the OBEXprofile on the V710. It is scheduled to be released in November for Verizon customers. However, this quoted timeframe is not meant to be construed as a guarantee.

For further information, please contact your service provider in order to check the status of availability.

Verizon Customer Care: 1.800.922.0204.

I hope I was useful to you. I really appreciate your patience.

Motorola is always working in the enhancement of our products and services.

For further information regarding this or any other subject, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-331-6456, where one of our agents will be happy to assist you. Our hours of operation are from Monday to Friday from 8AM to 7PM Central Standard Time. Please visit our web site for information about Motorola products and services at: http://www.motorola.com/ If you cannot hyperlink on this URL, copy and paste it onto the browser.

Thank you for allowing us to be of your assistance.

Best regards,