# mobile phone connects to the vehicle's external antenna has



## Timbo152 (Mar 30, 2018)

Just received this letter for my new TT and asked to sign it - should I be concerned?

Audi Phone Box - product features amendment

As described in the product brochure and owner's handbook, a function of the Audi Phone Box option in your Audi is to connect a mobile phone to the vehicle's external antenna and enhance reception quality.

Please be advised that the feature where your mobile phone connects to the vehicle's external antenna has been disabled.

All other functions of the Audi Phone Box option, such as wireless charging and dual phone Bluetooth connection will continue to be fully operational without any restrictions.

A process whereby this feature can be re-enabled is currently being evaluated and will be communicated as soon as possible. This does not apply to vehicles built with Audi Phone Box with wireless charging.


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## EvilTed (Feb 5, 2016)

Depends if you particularly wanted phonebox to allow you to get better reception by using the external aerial.
If you didn't then it's probably not worth making a fuss about.

If you did (or choose to say that you did) then I'd be asking for a refund/reduction in the cost of the option unless they can guarantee that the feature will be replaced in the next 6 months (choose your own timescale).
It looks to me like they're hedging on whether it will ever be re-enabled so you may be looking at never having this feature.


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## Steve2017TTS (Aug 2, 2017)

Hi,
Out of interest - does anybody know why this function has been disabled?
Cheers
Steve


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## TondyRSuzuka (Dec 3, 2011)

Yes...

Collected TTRS last week, delay in collection as AG just told dealers to hold all new TT handovers til they released software.

We waited, collected an hour late...

Booster is emitting frequencies that by all accounts must be interfering with either Air Traffic or more likely Emergency Service bandwidths... nationwide recall on the cards for all Audi's with phonebox fitted.

Our "software fix" has disabled the feature until a fix is released...

... not good! And intrigued to know how this error was discovered.

I'd imagine a copper in his new Audi police car trying to make outbound calls, experiencing erroneous radio silence haha....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

I have an older 2015 model where the phone-box did not have wireless charging. All I had for my consolation was the "signal booster" feature. (the only real useful feature of PhoneBox) And now they want to take that away too?

Whats left then? Just a space to leave your phone? Well Audi can shove it!

P.s- TondyRSuzuka, a cop was chasing a crazy TT driver calling for backup when suddenly his radio was dead. Need For Speed Hot Pursuit style :lol:


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## RobinHelsby (Mar 24, 2018)

Just went to change my order and add the Tech Pack and was told about this - hit the dealers last Thursday - complete stop on shipping any vehicles with the Audi Phone Box (GB1) - new or used.

The e-mail included details about what would be done depending on where in the supply chain the vehicle is.

I guess mine will have the final fix - it's not even been scheduled for build yet :roll:


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## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

I am going to the dealers next week to fix my broken seat (the backrest won't stay completely in position during the drive). I wonder if they will try to tamper with my phone box while they have my car there. 

However after doing some research I am starting to believe that this is a UK only issue. Because nowhere else is this mentioned.


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## cliveju (Jun 27, 2018)

I was informed by the dealer that my new TT has had this feature removed by their workshop before I took delivery last week. I will await further developments.


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## jonstatt (Mar 30, 2017)

I am assuming the last sentence of the advisory should have the word "without" instead of "with"

This does not apply to vehicles built with Audi Phone Box with wireless charging.

My TTS is in for a while-you-wait oil change tomorrow. I will tell them not to update the software. Or can they force the disabling upgrade on me?


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## cliveju (Jun 27, 2018)

I was told that a small box had to be removed!


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## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

cliveju said:


> I was told that a small box had to be removed!


Can you clarify that statement?

What "small box"? 
Are they referring to some module that emits signal boost? 
Or they want to remove the phone box all together? (change the content of it, by removing the phone box bottom and giving you just a flat plastic surface? (like a regular hand rest storage)??)

Apparently this is only for UK because I was at the dealers last month and Im going again on the 16th and no one told me about any modifications to the phone box.


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## cliveju (Jun 27, 2018)

I think it was an electrical box. The compartment for the phone is still there.


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## phazer (Apr 2, 2018)

The issue is that Ofcom has determined that certain signal boosters are not compliant and have subsequently banned their use in the UK. A different (and very expensive) way of boosting signals is required that doesn't cause network degradation and emergency services interference as the original VAG part is alleged to cause.

When it came to light (1st April if memory serves) VW Group put an immediate hold on the delivery of all cars to remove the signal booster, just a black box, nothing you can see. It doesn't stop the phone box wireless charging as I understand it - The boost bit was removed from my order but it still states wireless charging etc.

Nothing to worry about IMO, not sure the signal boost made that much of a difference based on other VWG owners forums?


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## captainhero17 (Apr 10, 2018)

phazer said:


> The issue is that Ofcom has determined that certain signal boosters are not compliant and have subsequently banned their use in the UK. A different (and very expensive) way of boosting signals is required that doesn't cause network degradation and emergency services interference as the original VAG part is alleged to cause.
> 
> When it came to light (1st April if memory serves) VW Group put an immediate hold on the delivery of all cars to remove the signal booster, just a black box, nothing you can see. It doesn't stop the phone box wireless charging as I understand it - The boost bit was removed from my order but it still states wireless charging etc.
> 
> Nothing to worry about IMO, not sure the signal boost made that much of a difference based on other VWG owners forums?


Exactly, this is the story I read too. I lived in London for 5 years. (both in the centre, east London and Richmond). 
The cellphone services are terrible everywhere. Its criminally bad. Indoor reception in a local corner shop was almost non existent. 
Im not sure about emergency service radio interruptions. 
But the biggest problem with low cellphone coverage in UK (rated on of the worst coverages in the WORLD!!) is because all the cellphone use the outdated receivers and coverage towers. I heard the reason why its like this but its too long to write here.

As for the *effectiveness of the boost signal*. I can say living in hilly area it helps a lot. OFC there are rules to using it. You need to remove any casing that you have prior to putting it inside the phone box. (those phone cases reduce the signal anyways)
Its more noticeable in bad signal areas than when the signal is good anyways. Say I have barely 1 bar of signal, the booster will give me 3. (which is a lot).
Phone I use is iPhone 6s. (no casing)


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## jonstatt (Mar 30, 2017)

But are Audi removing this feature from existing cars when they are in for service etc?


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## VorsprungDur (Apr 6, 2018)

New regulations to allow use of mobile phone repeaters
22 March 2018
Ofcom has today confirmed regulations that will allow people to use certain types of 'mobile phone repeaters', without the need for a licence.

Mobile phone repeaters amplify signals between a mobile phone and the mobile company's base stations, offering improved mobile reception for the user.

In October last year, Ofcom decided two types of repeater should no longer needed a licence to be used legally.

The two categories are:

static mobile phone repeaters for indoor use; and
low gain mobile phone repeaters for use in vehicles.
Following consultation, Ofcom has now put together the regulations that will allow people to use these devices, provided they meet the required technical standards and conditions of use.

Repeaters available today are unlikely to meet these requirements, so their unlicensed installation and use will still be illegal.

*The regulations come into force on 12 April 2018.*

If you have the GB1 phone booster fitted it is now illegal. I would expect Audi to disable any GB1 phone booster in any car that passes through their workshops from now until the time a proper fix is found. They will need to design, test, approve and then bulk manufacture a replacement booster.

I believe that the issue is related to the indiscriminate boosting of radio frequencies rather than a specific mobile phone interference issue. The new booster will need to limit itself to boosting specific mobile phone frequencies used in the UK. As such it will need to be a far more sophisticated (and expensive) piece of kit.

You would think that Audi should have already issued a recall considering the issue of legality but I guess they may be holding back to be able to solve the issue in one visit rather than two as is currently being done.


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## jonstatt (Mar 30, 2017)

Well I had the car on for an oil change but they were very honest and said the computer was set up wrongly and it didn't need an oil change yet. So I don't know if they would have modified my phone box but they didn't mention it and it is still working. At least the car was given a full valet!


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## VorsprungDur (Apr 6, 2018)

jonstatt said:


> Well I had the car on for an oil change but they were very honest and said the computer was set up wrongly and it didn't need an oil change yet. So I don't know if they would have modified my phone box but they didn't mention it and it is still working. At least the car was given a full valet!


No idea where the booster box is buried in the car but I would guess it would take some time to disable it. I'm sure they would have said something if they did it.


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Or maybe they just take fuse out LOL or code it out.


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## jryoung (Feb 8, 2015)

Glad I didn't add Phone Box to mine - since in 2015 it didn't even include wireless charging (not that I have a phone that can be wirelessly charged anyway), so the £300 option would now include what exactly that is different from without the option?


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## cliveju (Jun 27, 2018)

Back in the day I had a Vodafone car kit with an external aerial, which worked beautifully. The shark fin on the TT coupe is pointless without this booster feature, unless you put in a SIM and use the integral phone.. maybe I should do that!


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