Advanced Telephone Prep

[NickNotts]

I had my Nokia salesman in the other day to go through new models upcoming etc, and to escalate a problem we have with the Lumias and bluetooth car kits. When I asked the question about external aerial support, ie the Mk7s upcoming advanced prep with USB socket, and whether the Lumia supported it?

He came back to me today and advised that Nokia Care have said that they do not support the connection, and when plugged in it will only charge the unit and not act as an external aerial connection.

With that in mind, I emailed VW UK with that fact and asked what handsets will the USB connection support... and low and behold they have no information on it. I then asked my Vodafone AM to enquire about this too, and was told that Samsung's should support this.

So its not a case of rsap support, the actual USB connection needs to support the external connection?? I will be demanding a refund of the cost of the advanced telephone prep as they have forced a useless optional extra onto me. Why should I have to change my mobile phone to use it and why is it really required for the climate screen.

I've googled and not found anything on the climate screen either, VW are keeping schtum on this one for some reason. Not a great help for customers ordering blind with no support or help from them.

[CraigW]

Funnily enough I was speaking to my dealer about this yesterday and he was saying that because the climate screen has some sort of metallic elements in it then this was causing interference with the telephone reception. The advanced telephone prep is basically a second Ariel which is require to get round this problem. It seems very poorly thought out by VW

[NickNotts]

Yeah, and they've provided a solution that most consumer hardware wont support it seems! I have an iphone for personal and a Nokia Lumia 925 for business, and neither support the external connection to the aerial! Pants!!

[Bill_the_Bear]

Guys, I may be wrong but is not the aerial an induction loop?  It's not part of the USB at all.

Basically the phone sits inside a box that becomes its universe (the arm rest).  When it transmits the loop receives the signal via induction and transmits at higher power from the roof aerial. The phone mast sends back to the roof aerial which then transmits inside the arm rest and the phone thinks "oh wow, super power signal, I go to extreme low power transmission now!"

That's basically how it works.  All phones are compatible because its nothing to do with the phone.

Whether the phone can interact via BT or USB to allow the car to access features like dialing or phone book or music is a separate matter.

Oh and this is why you need it if you have climate screen.  Without the induction loop supposedly you can't transmit because the screen blocks it.  This is of course complete BS because only the windscreen has the block, other windows are fine.

[CraigW]

Guys, I may be wrong but is not the aerial an induction loop?  It's not part of the USB at all.

Basically the phone sits inside a box that becomes its universe (the arm rest).  When it transmits the loop receives the signal via induction and transmits at higher power from the roof aerial. The phone mast sends back to the roof aerial which then transmits inside the arm rest and the phone thinks "oh wow, super power signal, I go to extreme low power transmission now!"

That's basically how it works.  All phones are compatible because its nothing to do with the phone.

Whether the phone can interact via BT or USB to allow the car to access features like dialing or phone book or music is a separate matter.

Oh and this is why you need it if you have climate screen.  Without the induction loop supposedly you can't transmit because the screen blocks it.  This is of course complete BS because only the windscreen has the block, other windows are fine.

Whatever it is Bill, it is one big con to get you to fork out ridiculous money. You must be nuts if you go for this option purely because you want a heated front screen.

What happens if you get a stone chip or the screen cracks? How much to replace?

[monkeyhanger]

What happens if you get a stone chip or the screen cracks? How much to replace?

£50 to £75 in most cases (maybe £100) - via your insurance windscreen coverage. You don't lose NCD for a windscreen claim, so don't be shy if the worst should happen to it.

[Bill_the_Bear]

£50 to replace a £300 windscreen?

Anyway here is why I'm not opting for the heated screen/advanced phone prep, both options I would like to have:

1. Heated screen should be included in winter pack at no additional cost.  Doubly so when you realise winter pack offers f**k all else and is basically free money for VW if you spec it.

2. Should be able to get the screen without the phone prep if you want.  Why force both?  Just make us aware and let us decide.

3. If they are gonna force around £600 just for a heated screen they should offer a cheaper £100 option for the standard style of screen that doesn't affect phone signal.  The only heated screen option costing £600 is crazy.

4. The induction loop should clearly be standard equipment anyway.  Who the hell charges £300 for this in this day and age?

For all the above reasons these two options are stupid.  They could do any one of the above 4 and instantly make either or both options way more appealing.  Not hard VW, its really not hard.

[monkeyhanger]

£50 to replace a £300 windscreen?

More like a £500 windscreen (you're paying £300 for the difference between standard windscreen and climate one), but yes, your windscreen excess is all it will cost to replace your windscreen should the worst happen. Ford "quick clear" owners get windscreen coverage as normal, can't see why Golf owners wouldn't get the same treatment.

[NickNotts]

Bill, where have you read about the induction loop then?? Why have VW billed it as a USB connection to the external aerial?? Rather than suggest a charging station, and induction loop?? Be interesting to see where you read that. I've still had no reply from VW UK since asking for clarification yesterday.

[Bill_the_Bear]

http://www.vwvortex.com/news/volkswagen-news/volkswagen-golf-7-gti-press-materials/

Scroll down until you see interior equipment.  Admittedly I can't see anything on the VW website itself, but iPads are not good for navigating that kind of site really...