I have this option fitted, but as far as I can tell it makes no difference to the signal I get on my iPhone! Is there any way of checking if it is working or fitted correctly? The base of the phone compartment has a sort of "keyboard" logo moulded into it - is this also on non-BT+ cars, or is this the way to identify BT+ is fitted? Should it work for all phone frequencies? (i.e. 900, 1800, 2100MHz)?

 

The owners manual refers to this feature as "phone box" which is a better name as it doesn't use Bluetooth at all. Does anybody else have this option and how are they finding it?

 

thanks, Andy

 

rest of spec: VRS diesel estate, race blue, only options are sunset glass, spare wheel and BT+

Phone/keyboard logo in the holder at centre console is only in Bluetooth+ versions.

Sure there are apps available to monitor phone signal.

Think someone else has it and found it doesn't really do anything either.  I don't have it and don't have any signal problems with my iphone....

Do you have a roof aerial? Bluetooth+ should have one (as does sat nav though), I know it may be a daft question but as we know the factory does make mistakes!

Another daft question but you are putting your phone in the phone box? Won't work unless you do.

Oh and

I have it, I posted on here about my experiences in another Bluetooth+ thread. I ordered it so I could maintain a reliable data connection, data is much more sensitive to signal strength than voice or SMS. In the car on my driveway I get approximately 3 mbps (from Three) and with the phone in the bluetooth+ compartment it goes up to approx 13mbps, this was obviously repeated numerous time to see a pattern. It will be used to give passengers reliable wifi/internet connectivity on long journeys (to the Alps for instance).

 

If it's purely for voice calls, ime the signal inside the car is fine most of the time - all depends what network you're with and if you ever travel in sparsely populated areas.

It makes a difference here on the coast in the crappy 'uk network black spots' where you usually cant get any UK operator, just french ones now most of the time I can get my usual uk operator. So has made a big difference to me! Esp when Im sat outside my parents gates and cant get in and their darn gate bell isnt working! (at 5'2 im way too short to be bothered with clambering over 7 foot tall double solid wooden gates lol)

Running a speed test was a good suggestion. Using the BT+ compartment, the speed was increasing by about 50%, so at least I know the BT+ is doing 'something'. It's quite difficult to see what exactly as the number of bars changes a bit randomly and there is a bit of a lag between when the phone changes the bars and when this is reflected on the car display. The best test was to turn on the numerical power meter (*3001#12345#* on the iphone) which showed the received power jump by about 10dB when the phone was in the compartment (from about -100dBm to -90dBm). It didn't seem to make much difference if the BT+ compartment lid was closed or not.

 

thanks all for responses,

Andy

I too was struggling to notice a difference until I downloaded an app that showed a distinct increase in signal strength when in the tray.

Hi,

 

does anyone have experience of whether a case on the phone makes a difference when in the phonebox? Or must the phone be placed on the surface with no case at all?

 

thanks....