Greetings, first time Volvo owner and first post, 2018 XC90 T6. The first perhaps of many questions to come, but the issue I have is, how do you hook the car up to your phone to pick up internet data? I'm seeing vague information in the manual and Volvo Support was contradictory.

As I understand it kind of, there are three methods to get internet data to the system's apps:
1. The car's own modem using, in my case at least, a 6 month trial with a certain data limit from AT&T. I do not wish to use this, I have Verizon with unlimited data and an iPhone with hotspot.
2. Bluetooth internet sharing with the iPhone.
3. Wifi internet sharing via the iPhone's WiFi hotspot.

The issue I have is, I initially connected to the WiFi hotspot. It works fine but every time you restart the car it doesn't reconnect automatically. I asked Volvo support and they say this is normal behavior.

They say that Bluetooth internet sharing, once paired, will share internet data and does automatically link up to provide internet to the system.

I asked what happens if you have both activated and the vague answer was that one will be turned off. Which one? Didn't know. The only time this would happen is if you are already hooked up with Bluetooth internet and then go ahead and manually connect to the Wifi hotspot. What happens then?

I asked if Bluetooth automatically connects, what is the purpose of the more inconvenient WiFi hotspot method that requires you to navigate to the right menu and select your phone and reenter the password - the response from support was that some people just prefer the WiFi. Why? No response.

I even read somewhere that you should have both activated. Is this true, and if so, WHY?

HELP! What's the proper way to do this?

Mitch

 

Mitch, I bought my 2017 XC90 at the factory in Gothenberg last March. I took a Project Fi SIM card with me to pick up the car.

First, I paired my and my wife's phones with the car's bluetooth. That enabled us to make and receive calls using the car's entertainment system's speakers and microphone. I put the SIM card in the modem in the trunk and followed the onscreen instructions to set it up. This allows the car's modem to serve as a wifi hotspot for other devices, e.g., my wife's work PC when we're road tripping. These two systems operate independently of each other. My primary music source is Pandora.com. I can get it through my phone and play the music through the bluetooth connection. OR - I can download the Pandora app to the car, via the car's modem, and log into my account through the car's entertainment system. While in Sweden, that is what I did. I didn't want to have to test the usability of my phone's communication system overseas considering the possibility of high data costs.
You may have both activated. We do it all the time while traveling. Once the modem is activated with your carrier's sim card, it is completely separate from the bluetooth system.

 

I just got a 2017 XC90 T8 and kind of went through the same thing that you did. While I did not call into Volvo Tech, I read through the manual and experimented. I finally came to the same conclusion that Jtreeves shared. It seems to work well. I prefer the car's modem connect with Pandora as it seems a bit more stable then my iPhone 8. I keep the iPhone connected to the one USB connector in the arm rest. While I am able to bring up Apple Play, my contacts have not loaded into the system for some particular reason. With our Chevy Bolt as soon as we start up the iPhone links its contacts. If I get a call or text it does show up on the screen. I like the fact that Volvo lets us input navigation as well as make phone calls while driving. My Toyota would not allow that. They wanted one to stop along the roadway and then manipulate the screen. I have kept the AT&T setup as that is the system our phones are using. Once my initial 3gb of data are consumed I will pay $10 per month for 1gb. The nice thing is that I can take that 1gb and use it with our phones as shared minutes. So depending on what car we are driving or which phones we are using helps conserve data minutes. Thus far I am loving this vehicle.