ESim billing issues

[AlteBMW]

Setting up the esim resulted in four separate esim numbers being created by ATT -- and all four appeared on my bill. Do not even bother with ATT wireless support, as they cannot solve the issue. I finally reached the "ATT Connected Car Department" but not until after speaking to no less than 7 customer service reps and supervisors. The rep on the phone ended up removing all four numbers (and their charges) and then we started from scratch setting up the esim. The process was a bit different than a couple of weeks ago when I first set it up, so hopefully this won't happen to you. The number for ATT Connected Car is 1-866-706-5773. It makes sense if you talk to them to get the number that is set up in the esim, so you will know that any other numbers are duplicates. It also makes sense to look at your bill on line to make sure that it is correct.

[Lovin7er]

Crazy, glad you got it worked out.

[Mr.blue]

Originally Posted by AlteBMW

Setting up the esim resulted in four separate esim numbers being created by ATT — and all four appeared on my bill. Do not even bother with ATT wireless support, as they cannot solve the issue. I finally reached the "ATT Connected Car Department" but not until after speaking to no less than 7 customer service reps and supervisors. The rep on the phone ended up removing all four numbers (and their charges) and then we started from scratch setting up the esim. The process was a bit different than a couple of weeks ago when I first set it up, so hopefully this won't happen to you. The number for ATT Connected Car is 1-866-706-5773. It makes sense if you talk to them to get the number that is set up in the esim, so you will know that any other numbers are duplicates. It also makes sense to look at your bill on line to make sure that it is correct.

So I had a question about this. In my old BMW, AT&T handled the wireless hotspot in the car but my cellular service is with Verizon. When activating the E-sim in the car and gives you the option to choose a carrier, is it asking me to choose the carrier that I have cellular service with? Or is it jus asking me to choose a carrier for the car? In other words, do I have to wait for Verizon to be available to use this option or change carriers?

[Lovin7er]

Originally Posted by Mr.blue

So I had a question about this. In my old BMW, AT&T handled the wireless hotspot in the car but my cellular service is with Verizon. When activating the E-sim in the car and gives you the option to choose a carrier, is it asking me to choose the carrier that I have cellular service with? Or is it jus asking me to choose a carrier for the car? In other words, do I have to wait for Verizon to be available to use this option or change carriers?

Right now you can only activate the e-sim in the car with T-Mobile or AT&T. Verizon, I am told, is coming in April.

You can't use your Verizon number for the BMW e-sim without getting a separate account with either of these two other carriers.

You can, of course, use your Verizon phone in the car, and you can connect your Verizon phone to the car through the e-sim, and it will all go through the new BMW e-sim but show that number on all your calls.

If you don't want to do that, just use your phone in the car, and not connect it to the e-sim, and then your calls will show with your Verizon number.

[Mr.blue]

Originally Posted by Lovin7er

Right now you can only activate the e-sim in the car with T-Mobile or AT&T. Verizon, I am told, is coming in April.

You can't use your Verizon number for the BMW e-sim without getting a separate account with either of these two other carriers.

You can, of course, use your Verizon phone in the car, and you can connect your Verizon phone to the car through the e-sim, and it will all go through the new BMW e-sim but show that number on all your calls.

If you don't want to do that, just use your phone in the car, and not connect it to the e-sim, and then your calls will show with your Verizon number.

Thanks for the clarification, I was puzzled when I went to activate the e-sim in my BMW app.

[Game]

Originally Posted by AlteBMW

Setting up the esim resulted in four separate esim numbers being created by ATT -- and all four appeared on my bill. Do not even bother with ATT wireless support, as they cannot solve the issue. I finally reached the "ATT Connected Car Department" but not until after speaking to no less than 7 customer service reps and supervisors. The rep on the phone ended up removing all four numbers (and their charges) and then we started from scratch setting up the esim. The process was a bit different than a couple of weeks ago when I first set it up, so hopefully this won't happen to you. The number for ATT Connected Car is 1-866-706-5773. It makes sense if you talk to them to get the number that is set up in the esim, so you will know that any other numbers are duplicates. It also makes sense to look at your bill on line to make sure that it is correct.

Did you go through the initial eSim setup through your app? My client is constantly getting an error when trying to go through the ATT side. When he called ATT directly, they told him he needed to get the phone number of the car.

Such a pain in the ass.

[AlteBMW]

Originally Posted by Game

Did you go through the initial eSim setup through your app? My client is constantly getting an error when trying to go through the ATT side. When he called ATT directly, they told him he needed to get the phone number of the car.

Such a pain in the ass.

You need to call the connected car department at ATT. They can see which numbers are active. The esim numbers appear in the ATT bill also, but you cannot tell from the bill which one is the esim dedicated number.

[jack760]

Originally Posted by Mr.blue

So I had a question about this. In my old BMW, AT&T handled the wireless hotspot in the car but my cellular service is with Verizon. When activating the E-sim in the car and gives you the option to choose a carrier, is it asking me to choose the carrier that I have cellular service with? Or is it jus asking me to choose a carrier for the car? In other words, do I have to wait for Verizon to be available to use this option or change carriers?

Verizon is now showing up as one of the available carriers. I tried setting it up but got a message from Verizon that either my "account or vehicle is not eligible for Verizon's Unlimted + In-Vehicle Wifi Plan."


Anyone successful in setting theirs up with Verizon?

[Mr.blue]

Thanks, did not know Verizon had been added!

[zmm12345]

I just set it up with Verizon
Setup went smoothly, and now I’m trying to figure out the benefits and how it works

1) what do I gain, if I always have my phone with me

2) will it ring even when my wife takes the car, even though it’s linked to my cell?

3) when my car is in for service, with they get all my calls?

Ideally, it would be linked to using my digital key or remote, and not ring if a different user has my car

[AlteBMW]

Originally Posted by zmm12345

I just set it up with Verizon
Setup went smoothly, and now I’m trying to figure out the benefits and how it works

1) what do I gain, if I always have my phone with me

2) will it ring even when my wife takes the car, even though it’s linked to my cell?

3) when my car is in for service, with they get all my calls?

Ideally, it would be linked to using my digital key or remote, and not ring if a different user has my car

If you always have your phone, the gain is supposedly the use of the roof antenna, which is a help in poor reception areas. This is the prime reason for me. It also gives you a wifi connection in the car and I just used that to link it to my Escort radar detector for updates. Theretically you could use your phone's hotspot for that, but I have not been able to do that while Carplay is active.

Your question 2: when your wife drives the car she should select her own phone in the "mobile device" applet. That should mean the esim will not ring.

Question 3: Yes all your calls will also ring in the car, but I guess you could select your phone as the mobile device before you drop it off.

It is a shame that neither BMW nor the carriers have taken the time to explain esim and how to use it. There should be a FAQ for example for questions like yours.

[BMWKaz]

I tried setting this up with Verizon with no luck. We have a business account with Verizon and I could not get it set up through the app.

I spent about 2 hours on the phone with Verizon with 4 different reps. All of them confirmed that ESim works with business accounts as well … but none of them could figure out how to get it to work with the imei bmw provided to bypass the bmw app activations …

Anyone have any luck with this ?

[Lovin7er]

Originally Posted by BMWKaz

I tried setting this up with Verizon with no luck. We have a business account with Verizon and I could not get it set up through the app.

I spent about 2 hours on the phone with Verizon with 4 different reps. All of them confirmed that ESim works with business accounts as well … but none of them could figure out how to get it to work with the imei bmw provided to bypass the bmw app activations …

Anyone have any luck with this ?

I don't have a business account, but was having trouble as well. Someone on this forum had the same issues with an older plan and when he changed his plan to a current one, it went through.

I also had an older plan that is no longer offered, and when I changed mine to a current plan as well, it also went through right away.

You might want to check into this.

[BMWKaz]

Originally Posted by Lovin7er

I don't have a business account, but was having trouble as well. Someone on this forum had the same issues with an older plan and when he changed his plan to a current one, it went through.

I also had an older plan that is no longer offered, and when I changed mine to a current plan as well, it also went through right away.

You might want to check into this.

Thank you for that … I will check in with them again …. May throw in the towel and just switch to a personal plan

[AlteBMW]

Originally Posted by BMWKaz

Thank you for that … I will check in with them again …. May throw in the towel and just switch to a personal plan

I have had esim going for a while but am not sure it is worth it. Carplay keeps disconnecting while esim is active, and sometimes the esim has to reconnect itself. Thowing in the towel for me would be cancelling esim. YMMV

[BMWKaz]

That’s actually interesting … the only reason I want the ESim is for the screen in the back … without internet it’s useless… I haven’t been able to find a workaround to get internet on the theatre screen

[BMWKaz]

Well I finally gave in… there is currently no way of setting up the ESim/ getting data in the vehicle with a Verizon business account. I had to port my numbers over to a personal consumer account … now I can finally use the app to start the process and I added the 20/month plan… but can’t get the vehicle to register it … I’m stuck in the vehicle on the setting up personal ESim prompt ….

If they told me it was this much trouble I would have never forked out the money for the screen … what a crap delivery !!

[AlteBMW]

Originally Posted by BMWKaz

Well I finally gave in… there is currently no way of setting up the ESim/ getting data in the vehicle with a Verizon business account. I had to port my numbers over to a personal consumer account … now I can finally use the app to start the process and I added the 20/month plan… but can’t get the vehicle to register it … I’m stuck in the vehicle on the setting up personal ESim prompt ….

If they told me it was this much trouble I would have never forked out the money for the screen … what a crap delivery !!

Try rebooting idrive by holding down the volume button for 70 seconds. It will cycle on and off 2 times. That is what worked for me on one of my esim setups.