GSM module

Hi,

Does anybody know whether the Connect people in Milan support the GSM module on the Nav Connect? The problems I have encountered so far are that the PIN activation does not seem to work as expected. True that it does set the pin function on the SIM (Virgin). Putting the SIM into a normal mobile requires the PIN to access the phone. But in the car I am able to use the phone without entering the PIN. The other point is voicemail. How does one know if there is a voicemail waiting?. I thought it was the picture of the mobile phone on the initial screen, the one with the date on it, as it is Greyed out and then becomes active. But it doea this whether you have a voicemail waiting or not, I think it just tells you when you have a connection to you network provider. Voicemail is obviously catered for as there is a menu option which has the Mailbox number listed. Though I cannot work out why it is there as pressing the traditional digit 1 on the keypad does not dial your voicemail. I have had to setup a separate directory entry for voicemail. Maybe I am missing something, after all I have had the car less than a week and am still getting to grips with the system. Having said that I probably am missing something as I though I had bought a FIAT but looking at the entries in this forum it looks as though I have a PEUGEOT instead. This was one of my alternatives and I chose the Fiat because having had a few in my life I know their engines to be great for long, non-stop journeys. Anyhow,any thiughts on this?

Lou

DO NOT SWITCH ON VOICEMAIL! Easy as that. I was under the impression all services had to be switched off the the Connect to work properly. This was stressed many times from Milan.

My SIM does not have PIN protection. Cannot see the point because it is a PAYG, kept in the car all the time. If someone nabs the car, they have under £10 credit - wow wee. It may be worth transferring the SIM to a mobile and switching every service/PIN off.

OK!

Stuart

When you say Don't switch on voicemail, presumably you mean for the initial connection process.
After that it's fine, but you do need to set up a directory entry and hopefully a voice command.
If you have your provider configured so that they ring you when you have voicemail, or send you a text message, it shouldn't be a problem.
And if someone does nab your car, they won't get very many calls made before Milan tell the Constabulary exactly where it is!

felix

Yes, I was under the impression that voicemail not to be switched on initially - something that Milan kept telling me, but I was using an O2 card at the time!

I like the idea about the Constabulary - our very own TRACKER!

Stuart

I was also told it was for the initial setup, having said that it was on when they set it up. so who knows. I'm beginning to wonder whether there is secret manual to this system but who has it?

Where are you, Fiat Expert???

Have made some small headway regarding the Voice Mailbox number in the system. If you select the option and choose OK a message pops up that says that your system has been set to voicemail. At this point a different problem came to light which stopped me from doing what I should have done which was to ring my number and leave a voicemail. As the system had set the calls to voicemail instead of me putting the sim in another mobile phone to set it, maybe the screen would have alerted me that I had a voicenmail waiting. I will try this soon. The other problem is that once you set the sim to voicemail using the car system there seems to be no way of cancelling the divert unless....yes you guessed it, take the sim out and put it in another mobile phone. There must be a way. Does the Fiat expert know?.

On another note, I tried my NavTech CD for the first time and found some strange behaviour. If you approach a sharp bend to, in this case the Right, followed by a left turn, the system tells you to turn right followed by a left. This would not have got me home. Anybody else come across this?

Hi Lou,

I remember asking the same question to the so called Fiat Connect expert at my main dealer - i.e. trying to cancel the divert without taking the SIM out and putting it into a proper phone. I even demonstrated it to him, he took notes, etc. Never did hear anything back, surprisingly.

As far as the NavTech is concerned, it seems OK to me generally. BUT I am looking at the colour LCD screen as well as having voice commands, so even if the voice goes a bit quirky, I tend to go with instinct.

Stuart

The Colour screen would help as I have seen this in action but mine is the normal ConnectNav. Still, it did work and did take me home the way I would have chosen.

Lou

Yeah, the commands are a bit dodgy sometimes.

Occasionally where there's a road joining from the left, instead of being told to carry straight on, or nothing being said at all, I'm asked to "turn right".

Doing a U-turn on a dual carriageway would raise a few eyebrows, too. (This happens when you miss your offramp to a junction and go over the top on a flyover).

felix

Hi,

Been reading in the papers about all this mobile phone business! I have always used hands free, and don't feel it is a major distraction.

BUT now some so-called do-gooders out there are trying to not only stop hands-free kits, but also SAT NAV and systems whereby you can book hotels and restaurants! Did anyone else read that? There is no way they can ban that as well?

Does that mean screaming kids in the car are banned, as well as smoking, listening to CDs etc....How about banning manual gearboxes as well, and cruise control - where will it all end.....

Stuart

I wish they'd ban screaming kids from the back (or front) of cars... :D

I have left four points for my dealer to check up on with Fiat

1) How to cancel Voicemail once set.
2) Is there some kind of alert when you have a voicemail
3) Why does the set pin function not work properly in the car (I.E. if it is set you never get asked for a pin when trying to make a phone call)
4) A point that I have not raised in the forum yet which is interference on calls. In the car there is no problem. But the distant end gets the buzzing sound that one used to get on early mobiles and cordless phones especially if near metal objects. This only happens if the person in the car is not speaking. I thought the roof bars in spoiler setting might have something to do with it as they are very close to the aerial so I moved them to the middle of the car but no change. Anybody had any problems like this?

Lou

Hi,

I also have noticed the buzzing sound on the receiving end of voicecalls from the car. I just presumed my wife was driving in a black spot of some kind - wonder how the guys n gals in Milan cope with it?

Will have to get her to phone me from a different area and see if I notice anything.

Stu

When I had my Connect Service setup I did ask Milan whether they could hear the interference, they said that they could not. I am still trying to figure out whether they may have the secret manual to this system. I think I will ask them.

Lou