BMW & Vodafone bring 5G and Personal eSIM networking into the car!

With the BMW iX, the BMW Group is the first premium manufacturer to bring the 5G mobile communications standard into a globally available series vehicle, and Vodafone is also offering the first 5G mobile communications contract for a vehicle. An existing multi-SIM contract can be expanded with the Vodafone One Number Car option in order to activate the Personal eSIM in the vehicle. Like a smartwatch, this turns the vehicle into another networked device for customers. In addition to the high bandwidth and low latency of 5G, they also benefit from significantly improved telephony quality * through the use of four external antennas and a 5G WiFi hotspot for up to ten devices in the vehicle. The activated Personal eSIM is linked directly to the customer's BMW ID and, including the associated functions, can be seamlessly transferred to other eSIM-enabled vehicles.

Mobility is entering the age of 5G

The new 5G mobile radio standard will significantly increase the possibilities of data transmission compared to the previous ones. This creates new, data-based applications and increases the quality of the existing ones many times over. For mobility, this means a comprehensive expansion of data-based services in the areas of entertainment and infotainment, automated and assisted driving and, above all, traffic safety. The 5G standard is a decisive accelerator for future innovations in mobility and other fields of application.

For the first time, Vodafone and the BMW Group are using Personal eSIM and Vodafone One Number Car to connect the vehicle and the customer to mobile communications based on 5G. The vehicle becomes an integral part of the customer's networked ecosystem.

Personal eSIM, real 'Dual-SIM-Dual-Active' and WiFi hotspot

The BMW iX is the BMW Group's technology flagship and is a real world first in terms of connectivity. This is where 5G and eSIM are used for the first time in a series vehicle. In addition to the vehicle eSIM, which is integrated as standard, an additional personal eSIM is integrated, as previously known from smart devices such as tablets or smartwatches. The mobile radio technology built into the vehicle enables both eSIMs to be active at the same time with the full scope of services on 5G (dual SIM dual active). The multi-antenna system of the BMW iX specially developed for 5G routes the radio signal from the performance-optimized multi-band antenna directly to the vehicle's infotainment system via a Gigabit Ethernet connection.

In the future, all passengers will benefit from the improved connection quality and the increased data throughput, because a WiFi hotspot can be activated in the vehicle via the Personal eSIM, via which up to ten devices can surf or stream at 5G speed. At the same time, it is no longer necessary to book an additional service or a separate mobile phone tariff for the vehicle for a hotspot.

“BMW has always been a pioneer in networking mobility. We installed the first SIM card in a vehicle back in 1997. Together with Vodafone, we are now bringing a completely new level of connectivity into the car for our customers with the 5G Personal eSIM, ”says Stephan Durach, Senior Vice President Connected Company Development and Operations BMW Group.

Vodafone brings the first 5G mobile phone contract for the car.

Vodafone brings the first smartphone tariff for the car. In order to be able to use all advantages such as a connection optimized for 5G, improved connection quality and the use of digital services with high-speed connection in the car, no additional contract has to be concluded. As soon as the BMW iX is available on the market, Vodafone customers can expand their mobile phone contract with the Vodafone One Number Car option for just 5 euros per month to include the BMW iX and later other capable BMW models.

“Together with BMW, we are bringing the first 5G car onto the streets. The multiple antenna system brings fast network and digital services even better into the vehicle. For customers in the car, this means: even higher cellular quality, less annoying drop-offs and more digital diversity in order to make better use of the driving time, ”says Michael Reinartz, head of innovation at Vodafone Germany.

The booking can be easily started in the vehicle and the customer is guided step by step via the My BMW app or the My Vodafone app to conclude the contract. By booking the tariff option, the eSIM is activated for the vehicle for a one-time fee of 10 euros. After that, Vodafone One Number Car costs € 5 per month. There is no permanent bond for the customer. The tariff option can be canceled on a monthly basis. For example, families can book the digital services at short notice for the upcoming vacation trip by car. In the coming year, the mobile phone tariff for the car should also be bookable in other BMW models. In addition to the BMW iX, the BMW i4 5G will also be enabled and have the personal eSIM functions.

Personal eSIM can be transferred to other qualified vehicles

Once the Personal eSIM has been activated via Vodafone with the Vodafone One Number Car tariff, the data is not only saved in the vehicle but also with the BMW ID. Customers can thus transfer the Personal eSIM settings to other enabled vehicles by activating the BMW ID. Personal eSIM is activated automatically when you register your BMW ID and is immediately available. In this way, customers turn every 5G-capable BMW (including rental or loan vehicles) into their networked device.

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