BMW Group and Telekom integrate 5G and Personal eSIM networking into a vehicle
Mobility is entering the 5G era for the first time
The new 5G mobile radio standard will significantly increase the data transmission options compared to the previous standard. This will create new, data-based applications and increase the quality of existing applications many times over. For mobility, this means a comprehensive extension of data-based services in the fields of entertainment and infotainment, automated and assisted driving and, above all, road safety. The 5G standard is a decisive accelerator for future innovations in mobility and other fields of application.
Deutsche Telekom and the BMW Group use Personal eSIM and MobilityConnect to connect the vehicle to the customer’s mobile radio based on 5G for the first time. In addition, Telekom customers can extend their existing mobile phone contract to their car for the first time.
Personal eSIM, real ‘Dual-SIM-Dual-Active’ and WLAN hotspot
The BMW iX is the technology flagship of the BMW Group and represents a real world first in networking. 5G and eSIM are being used in a production vehicle here for the first time.
In addition to the standard integrated vehicle eSIM, an additional Personal eSIM will be integrated, as previously familiar from smart devices such as tablets or smartwatches. The mobile phone technology installed in the vehicle enables both eSIMs to be active with 5G simultaneously with the full range of services (Dual-SIM-Dual-Active). The BMW iX multi-aerial system, specially developed for 5G, routes the radio signal from the performance-optimised multi-band aerials directly to the vehicle’s infotainment system via a Gigabit Ethernet connection. In future, all passengers will benefit from the improved connection quality and increased data throughput, because a WLAN hotspot* can be activated in the vehicle via the Personal eSIM, allowing up to ten end devices to surf or stream at 5G speed. At the same time, it is no longer necessary to book an additional separate mobile phone contract for the vehicle for a hotspot. The vehicle’s eSIM can be easily activated with the MobilityConnect option via the existing mobile phone contract of the Telekom customer.
