[rogataber]

Don't expect new phones/ phone cradles shortly! I recently wrote the following email to BMW Customer Support

Dear Sir,

I purchased a 330i in September and contacted you regarding the extremely restrictive range of telephones for which a cradle was available. On two occasions I have been contacted by your customer support staff bemoaning the limited range of (mostly obsolete) telephones which were supported, blaming the telephone manufacturers and assuring me that BMW was expecting an increase in the range of phones in this category shortly. It is now January and no progress seems to have been made at all, your list has increased with a Motorola V3 (but there is not a cradle for this either). This facility was an expensive option and I and (I expect) a number of your customers are frustrated with the lack of progress in this matter.

Can you please advise if there is any solution in sight?

Regards, etc.

The response came:-

Thank you for your email.

We are sorry to hear of your disappointment with the Bluetooth system in your car.

We do understand your frustration but we are unable to offer any further update as we are not aware of any at this time. We can only suggest that you review our dedicated website, where we can assure you that when any further information is received our website will be updated.

We apologise for not being able to provide you with further assistance in this matter.
<snip>
BMW UK

So it seems like they are not doing anything to help! Shame!

[E90Fleet]

V3 has a very bad position for its connector, so is unlikely to ever get a cradle.


Biggest problem is most new phones dont have anyway to connect to a external antenna

[ward]

yeah, the phones work fine without the cradle and you get to save the $$$$$ for the cradle

[Arkansas3]

only advantage i see to getting the cradle is being able to use the more powerful antenna in the shark fin. if you live in an area with good signal, why waste the money?

[boas1]

Forget getting a cradle. You don't need it. What you do need is the CIP 20 update. I have a Blackberry 7100g, its not approved and with the BMW update it works like a charm. Suggest you ask your CA to let you pair with a loaner on the lot and see if it works with the updated software. YEAH RIM, and thanks to BMW for finally getting their act together!
BTW, please note the address book trf is not working but will be after RIM update last week of January.

[jays1000]

Originally Posted by Arkansas3

only advantage i see to getting the cradle is being able to use the more powerful antenna in the shark fin. if you live in an area with good signal, why waste the money?

I was told that once a phone syncs to the car, it does use the car antenna...even if no cradle.
Anyone else have verification of this from BMW?

[Arkansas3]

Originally Posted by jays1000

I was told that once a phone syncs to the car, it does use the car antenna...even if no cradle.
Anyone else have verification of this from BMW?

don't think that's true, because the signal on my car matches bar-for-bar the signal on my phone.

[bmmunich]

Originally Posted by jays1000

I was told that once a phone syncs to the car, it does use the car antenna...even if no cradle.
Anyone else have verification of this from BMW?

This simply isn't true. You need a physical connection to connect to the car antenna. No cradle, no car antenna.

[mjh93sa]

Originally Posted by Arkansas3

only advantage i see to getting the cradle is being able to use the more powerful antenna in the shark fin. if you live in an area with good signal, why waste the money?

For me the advantage of the cradle is that the 'phone is charged whilst you are driving. My 'phone has not been near any charger other than my E46.

I don't think that the list of supported 'phones has increased by more than a couple in the last three years. I expected better, even if it's just a increasing list of 'phones that are in no way supported.