How is my smart phone able to talk to my F350 20 miles away, without the F350 having a paid cell service?

[GON]

My 2019 F350 has an option called Ford Connect. Ford connect does a number of things, I can lock, unlock, remote start, turn off the truck, etc- all from my smart phone. The truck will send my phone issues like low tire pressure, check engine light including details on the issue, etc.

I was able to start the truck today from five miles away as a test- when I arrived the truck was running. My question- how is the truck able to send and receive digital information with no cell subscription for the truck?

 

[RhondaHonda]

It’s included I believe. My 2019 had it and didn’t charge extra. My wife’s 2017 Yukon XL included connectivity originally then went to a subscription and the 2021 Suburban required a subscription after a short trial.

 

[Torrid]

Because even if you aren’t paying for it, there’s active service to the Ford Connect system. Whether that’s a new promo or the last owner’s leftover service that hasn’t cancelled yet, or if it’s just included with Ford Connect I don’t know. I don’t have first hand experience with a vehicle I have owned because my F150 and Edge did not have the Connect module.

 

[michaelluscher]

FordPass Connect service is now free

https://fordauthority.com/2019/10/fordpass-services-are-now-free/

This is a rare Ford W, compared to OnStar and BlueLink connected subscription charges

 

[ctechbob]

Deal that Ford has with AT&T. I suppose the people that pay for hotspot service pay for the rest of us to be able to use Fordpass.

(And also subsidized by the data Ford sells to marketing departments.)

 

[Method]

Dang, not bad. I did not know this.

 

[daves87rs]

Crazy…..

 

[mr_boring]

The modem is always connected (provided you are within range of service) though you can't utilize it for anything outside of FordPass.

There is a 5 mile stretch in between where the lady lives and where I live where both my AT&T phone and my truck do not have service. No bars on my infotainment screen.

 

[CKN]

Mean while some guys go out of their way to remove the OnStar "black box" out of their GM pickups.....

 

[JWC86]

It’s pretty handy. Also should have tire pressure, fuel level, etc.

 

[redhat]

You’re phone is very smart and I for one welcome our new digital overlords.

But seriously, that’s excellent Ford includes that now. Very handy especially in winter… start it up drive to it, warm!

 

[andrew_j]

My 2019 F350 has an option called Ford Connect. Ford connect does a number of things, I can lock, unlock, remote start, turn off the truck, etc- all from my smart phone. The truck will send my phone issues like low tire pressure, check engine light including details on the issue, etc.

I was able to start the truck today from five miles away as a test- when I arrived the truck was running. My question- how is the truck able to send and receive digital information with no cell subscription for the truck?

Ford is working with a provider. The reality is very little data except 2 almost short texts (request message to do something and another replying request fulfilled) is occuring.

 

[zzyzzx]

Deal that Ford has with AT&T. I suppose the people that pay for hotspot service pay for the rest of us to be able to use Fordpass.

(And also subsidized by the data Ford sells to marketing departments.)

Probably this:
also subsidized by the data Ford sells to marketing departments.

 

[billt460]

My 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee had that feature for free for the first year. (I forget what they called it). After that I had the option to renew. I didn't do it, because I don't need to be able to remote start my vehicle in Arizona, from the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Don't get me wrong, all that stuff is really cool, and fun to play with. But I didn't really have a need for it, so why pay for it? Besides, once I deliberately parked at the far end of my local Walmart parking lot. I then tried to remote start it from the back end of the store with the FOB, just for giggles.

When I got to it, it was running with the doors locked, and the parking lights on. So that was from the inside of a building, a good 400 feet away. I'll never need to remote start it further away then that.

 

[GON]

My 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee had that feature for free for the first year. (I forget what they called it). After that I had the option to renew. I didn't do it, because I don't need to be able to remote start my vehicle in Arizona, from the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Don't get me wrong, all that stuff is really cool, and fun to play with. But I didn't really have a need for it, so why pay for it? Besides, once I deliberately parked at the far end of my local Walmart parking lot. I then tried to remote start it from the back end of the store with the FOB, just for giggles.

When I got to it, it was running with the doors locked, and the parking lights on. So that was from the inside of a building, a good 400 feet away. I'll never need to remote start it further away then that.

What interested me in the feature was smertphone unlock.

I currently have only one key (fob) for the truck. I took the smartphone as a option to open the truck in case I locked the key in the truck.

Of note, I only discovered the truck had this option while preparing the truck for a OEM aftermarket warranty inspection. Going through the OBD, noticed a modem error. After digging around, I found the modem mounted on the rear of the truck under the rear back window. I found the modem unplugged, and two coax leads pulled (ripped) from the modem. Plugged the modem in and now the system identified the modem.

The pulled leads were a bit more of a challenge and a lot more work to address. Long learning curve. The connectors that were mounted to the coax were not common. The connectors routed in opposite directions connected to antennas to the rear roof of the truck. One connector I "fixed" by simply installing an aftermarket cell antenna. The other connector not so lucky. I found the oem cable on Ebay, and replaced the pulled connecter. Invovled pulling part of the headliner. I could have patched the cable, but felt the best route was to replace the entire cable.

 

[JeffKeryk]

What'll they think of next?
Heck, my cell can unlock, start, set temp, whatever on the Tesla. I even know where it is at all times.

Sheesh.

 

[PandaBear]

Corporate data plan are different than retail customer data plan, they are negotiated and easier to predict based on the law of large number how much data they use and cost.

YOU did not pay for it but Ford did, and somehow they make money either gathering data for themselves, 3rd party, or able to sell you some custom paid services, or reduce warranty claim by catching abuses, diagnostics, reduce recall need by over the air update, etc.

 

[ctechbob]

My 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee had that feature for free for the first year. (I forget what they called it). After that I had the option to renew. I didn't do it, because I don't need to be able to remote start my vehicle in Arizona, from the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Don't get me wrong, all that stuff is really cool, and fun to play with. But I didn't really have a need for it, so why pay for it? Besides, once I deliberately parked at the far end of my local Walmart parking lot. I then tried to remote start it from the back end of the store with the FOB, just for giggles.

When I got to it, it was running with the doors locked, and the parking lights on. So that was from the inside of a building, a good 400 feet away. I'll never need to remote start it further away then that.

That's the thing with Ford though. They will sell you a vehicle 'without' remote start. In their terms that is a vehicle that does not come with the ability to start it from the key fob. But you can still start it through Fordpass. That is exactly what I have with my Ranger and mom's XL Maverick. Neither one of them officially has remote start, but we can use the app to start them.

Go figure.

 

[y_p_w]

There are a bunch of ways, but obviously the most likely is that it has access to cellular data service paid for by the manufacturer. It's not specifcally a cellular phone number. I haven't gotten any before, but I believe that cellular-enabled tablet devices have access to cellular data plans.

I suppose it might also be possible to have some sort of satellite service. Pagers were just short broadcasts from satellites, and each one would display which messages were directed at it.

But whatever app or webpage you access talks to the manufacturer's servers, and then those requests are sent via whatever the protocol is.

However, many vehicle apps can also talk to the vehicle directly via Bluetooth. I've looked at what can be done with a Tesla, and I believe all that stuff still requires internet access for both the vehicle and the app. However, it can serve as a "key" without such access.

 

[mr_boring]

A

That's the thing with Ford though. They will sell you a vehicle 'without' remote start. In their terms that is a vehicle that does not come with the ability to start it from the key fob. But you can still start it through Fordpass. That is exactly what I have with my Ranger and mom's XL Maverick. Neither one of them officially has remote start, but we can use the app to start them.

Go figure.

I had a Fusion with that. I absolutely love that I can program my F150 to start at a precise time to either warm it up (rarely) or cool it down (very nice when I work days and have a set time I leave - just use the app to start it 10 mins before I walk out of the front door)


tad bit off topic, but relative -

ForScan will open up a lot of things on newer Ford trucks that are typically only found in higher trims (or not even on F150's period), and allow you to customize some things that are standard to your liking. As one example - My 2018 didn't come with global open windows. Now, through ForScan, I can be walking out to my truck on a hot day and roll the front windows down with my fob. I turned off the seat belt reminder, I turned off auto stop start, I turned off the 'doodeedoo' sound when you first start it, and a host of other things.