No 4G signal

[Simple Simon]

Hi,
Just taken delivery of an S5 Trophy. It doesn’t seem to be connecting to 4G data - just 2G, despite being in a good signal are for all networks. Consequently, none off the live data functions seem to be working. I can connect to the car the iSmart app but its very slow.

Anybody else had this problem?

Cheers
Simon

 

[Alb]

No problems (yet) on my car and I live in a very low signal level area.

 

[Ian Key]

No problems (yet) on my car and I live in a very low signal level area.

Mine connects OK too.

 

[stevedee]

Mine was almost useless 2 days ago, but the following day it was OK.
I don't think it has anything to do with 2G-4G. Its more likely a hosting/server issue.

 

[Hugo A Go Go]

Have you been playing about with watching videos on the car screen, and inadvertently went over the data allowance? It is reported to be 1GB per month.

I’m not sure what happens when you reach it, whether they cut you off completely or throttle it to 2G.

 

[stevedee]

Have you been playing about with watching videos on the car screen...

No, I can't believe anyone does that.

We use navigation, which I guess is a combination of GPS (free) and internet derived data. Also use iNotSoSmart as the car is new to us, so still playing with this feature.

I would love to have an accurate understanding of how internet access is provided, as everything I've read here seems to be guesswork.

 

[Simple Simon]

Have you been playing about with watching videos on the car screen, and inadvertently went over the data allowance? It is reported to be 1GB per month.

I’m not sure what happens when you reach it, whether they cut you off completely or throttle it to 2G.

It’s definitely not that. Unless the delivery driver was watching you tube or something - but I doubt it.

 

[Hugo A Go Go]

No, I can't believe anyone does that.

I admit that I have done this on a couple of occasions to pass the time whilst rapid charging. But I’ve always used the hotspot on my phone so I don’t waste the car’s data.

You are correct that the Satnav will use internet data for things like traffic congestion (when the road shows amber or red) and road closures, etc. The actual map will be stored offline in the infotainment unit.

 

[stevedee]

...I would love to have an accurate understanding of how internet access is provided, as everything I've read here seems to be guesswork.

Using a combination of ChatGPT and following up various ref links, this appears to be the situation regarding the MG S5 ev internet services.

Note: iSmart is both the name of the phone App and the name of the car's internal comms system.

- MG use a large IoT (Internet of Things) company called Telenor Connexion to supply & manage internet connectivity. They didn't write the iSmart software.
- Your cars connectivity appears to be part of a long term contract with MG (possibly for the life-time of the vehicle), which is not chargeable to users.
- There is no publicised data allowance for the S5 ev (...this may not be the same as saying there is no data limit, but if you're not using it to watch videos, I guess you will never hit it).
- The car continually sends information to a server (located in Paris, for European cars), but this is a very small amount of data (...unlike video streaming). This will probably include things like VIN, errors, battery SoC, current location & so on.
- There appears to be no way to view or control this data on/via iSmart for the MG S5 ev, but this capability may vary by model.

 

[dx4100]

Some days I get 4g... Some days E.... Some days it just goes to sleep and can't be bothered until I sit in the car and after 10 seconds to 5 mins it will wake back up and connect... and then its a lottery like I say what speed you get. Location makes no difference (it gets parked in two regular locations and you get similar behaviour). I don't watch videos in the car etc.

Its just another bit of the MG that is poorly implemented. Ive started to learn to ignore it and not expect the app or things like the weather to most the time. If it does its a bonus if it does.

I am going to setup Tasker on my phone to smartly turn on and off the wifi hotspot so the car uses that while I am in the car, connected to bluetooth and my phone is charging.

 

[Jazzyboy]

Mine is working ok

 

[Simple Simon]

The car has now randomly started to connect to 4G, but there’s no rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes full strength, sometimes ‘E’ and often no connection at all- that's all in the same location! Mind you, even when connected, none of the live services work - I just get a message saying check your network connections…

 

[dx4100]

For a test turn on Mobile Hotspot on your mobile phone and connect the car to it. Then try the online services. Have you accepted the live service agreements ? There is somewhere in the settings that needs doing to get stuff to work I think.

 

[Simple Simon]

For a test turn on Mobile Hotspot on your mobile phone and connect the car to it. Then try the online services. Have you accepted the live service agreements ? There is somewhere in the settings that needs doing to get stuff to work I think.

I’ll try the mobile hotspot and see if that works, I’ll also try connecting to our home WiFi and see if that works. I’ve accepted the terms and conditions - also tried toggling them on and off…

 

[Simple Simon]

Right, so all of the live services work when connected to my iPhone via hotspot. I can live with that, but still slightly miffed that it doesn’t work as it should. Will have to get a service centre to take a look.