Great and thanks again for your posts. I spoke to the service people at my dealer and was told they can't do it because the solution is still with "BMW Development" and I should "call back in a month...."

 

Asking my questions again, just incase someone didn't read this. I am trying to find a phone which will work? I was hoping the Blackberry would since my company uses a Blackberry server for e-mail. I could try the Treo650 when it comes out in 3 weeks.
[/quote]

Please see an earlier post by pharding in this thread which has an attachment from BMW which list phones that work.

 

Pharding I called my BMW service manager and gave him all information. He was very surprised. He promised me that he will go in to this and call me back.
I hope he will.
Thank you again.

 

You know, this might sound like herisey, but you might want to invest in a Bluetooth headset instead, which is about $150-$200 and sounds dead-on accurate. a 10 out of 10. Answer calls with a touch of the button on your ear, rather than steering wheel.

I have BT built in to my 2005 530i, but I think the headset is a better overall way to communicate... especially if you care about what the other person can hear.



JABRA

 

I just had my 04 530 in for routine software update since my iDrive always freezes. They upgraded, after a few failed attempts, version 13.3. What do I need to do to get the BlueTooth option programmed? Do I need another service appointment and just ask them to perform the steps in these bulletins? My dealer, Open Road BMW in Edison, NJ, is just as clueless as most other dealers. They simply deny the availability of any such retrofit for the 04 E60s. BMW needs some consistency in their training....

 

No need to save any voice tags with version 12.2 software. When you say "dial name" now, the system literally listens to what you said and finds a matching entry in the phone book that's stored in the phone. It's actually quite impressive and, in my opinion, it's about time someone implemented technology that's useful and actually works!

Before my 12.2 software upgrade (I was on 11.x), I couldn't even use the "save name" command. It simply wasn't available. When I got the upgrade, I was prepared to go through and do "save name" for all my entries. Imagine my surprise when I found that all of that wasn't necessary!

 

Test Results BMW Bluetooth in e60 versus Motorola Bluetooth Headset

I drove to a location where I got a strong signal, 5 bars out of 5, pulled to the side of the street. I called my wife with my V600 with a Bluetooth connection to the car. My voice quality to my wife sounded distorted. She said 7 on a 10 point scale, with 10 being equal to good quality wired telephone with a good connection. Next I called with my Motorola top end Bluetooth headset, sitting in the car in the same location. She said that the voice quality was 10 on a 10 point scale. You would expect it to be better in part because with a headset you have a microphone 3 inches from my mouth. Also the car BT set-up by design must work significant ambient noise and the microphone is not as close to your mouth. The problem is not Bluetooth Technology itself or the Motorola V600 phone, but it appears that it is the BMW Bluetooth hardware and/or software. However this test says to me that it should be possible for BMW to improve the audio quality so that BMW BT phone system could become equal to the current CPT 9000. BMW listens to legitimate technical issues voiced by its clientele. I am confident that if enough people ask for Bluetooth with Excellent Audio Quality that BMW will address this issue.

Commentary on the Features, User Interface, Look and Feel of the BT Option

The user interface, ease of use, and feauture set are all excellent. The BT option is simply a joy to use. Obviously it is the future direction of automotive cell phone technology.

What I Am Going to Do

I like the technology a lot so I am willing right now to continue to use the BMW BT option as it is and wait for future BMW improvements to voice quality. As I said earlier the optimal solution does not exist at present, right now this all about trade-offs. But we have reason to be excited about the future.

 

Test Results BMW Bluetooth in e60 versus Motorola Bluetooth Headset

I drove to a location where I got a strong signal, 5 bars out of 5, pulled to the side of the street. I called my wife with my V600 with a Bluetooth connection to the car. My voice quality to my wife sounded distorted. She said 7 on a 10 point scale, with 10 being equal to good quality wired telephone with a good connection. Next I called with my Motorola top end Bluetooth headset, sitting in the car in the same location. She said that the voice quality was 10 on a 10 point scale. You would expect it to be better in part because with a headset you have a microphone 3 inches from my mouth. Also the car BT set-up by design must work significant ambient noise and the microphone is not as close to your mouth. The problem is not Bluetooth Technology itself or the Motorola V600 phone, but it appears that it is the BMW Bluetooth hardware and/or software. However this test says to me that it should be possible for BMW to improve the audio quality so that BMW BT phone system could become equal to the current CPT 9000. BMW listens to legitimate technical issues voiced by its clientele. I am confident that if enough people ask for Bluetooth with Excellent Audio Quality that BMW will address this issue.


The sound quality for the hardwired Assist feature is very good so I don't think its the hardware/mic location. Seems like wassy's assessment was right on, but I guess none of us should be shocked at the weak BMW software at this point.

Many thanks to the wife

 

Buster, how do you know, unless you have been listening at the Assist help desk.
I think the audio quality of the BT through the speakers is OK too. Its what the other person hears. Pharding didn't complain about the sound of his employees, they complained about the way he sounded.

 

Test Results BMW Bluetooth in e60 versus Motorola Bluetooth Headset

I drove to a location where I got a strong signal, 5 bars out of 5, pulled to the side of the street. I called my wife with my V600 with a Bluetooth connection to the car. My voice quality to my wife sounded distorted. She said 7 on a 10 point scale, with 10 being equal to good quality wired telephone with a good connection. Next I called with my Motorola top end Bluetooth headset, sitting in the car in the same location. She said that the voice quality was 10 on a 10 point scale. You would expect it to be better in part because with a headset you have a microphone 3 inches from my mouth. Also the car BT set-up by design must work significant ambient noise and the microphone is not as close to your mouth. The problem is not Bluetooth Technology itself or the Motorola V600 phone, but it appears that it is the BMW Bluetooth hardware and/or software. However this test says to me that it should be possible for BMW to improve the audio quality so that BMW BT phone system could become equal to the current CPT 9000. BMW listens to legitimate technical issues voiced by its clientele. I am confident that if enough people ask for Bluetooth with Excellent Audio Quality that BMW will address this issue.

Commentary on the Features, User Interface, Look and Feel of the BT Option

The user interface, ease of use, and feauture set are all excellent. The BT option is simply a joy to use. Obviously it is the future direction of automotive cell phone technology.

What I Am Going to Do

I like the technology a lot so I am willing right now to continue to use the BMW BT option as it is and wait for future BMW improvements to voice quality. As I said earlier the optimal solution does not exist at present, right now this all about trade-offs. But we have reason to be excited about the future.
[/quote]

I agree whole heartedly and would do the same in your shoes. I am scheduled for Monday to have something done. I just am not sure what. They can either retrofit the car as they did yours (they are not clueless like some other dealers) or they have the CPT9000 in stock and will install it. As you noted the headset is like comparing a landline phone to a landline speaker phone, you will always hear the ambient noise.

The V710s address book will probably sync like yours does in January with the firmware update. I wonder if the BT problem with the BMWULF is also with MY2005 cars in which case they are sure to improve it.

I have until Monday to make up my mind. Every post helps me weigh the pros and cons better. There is one other factor. I am on a 3 year lease, so my next car will be a MY2008 5er, probably the 550 or 555 which I will get in 2007. I figure by then BT phones will be prevalent and BMW will be offering BT as its only in-car phone solution.

Until then I am leaning towards the CPT9000 although might be persuaded otherwise.

One again Pharding, thanks for all the very helpful posts