BMW Group and Telekom integrate 5G and Personal eSIM networking into a vehicle.

Munich / Bonn. With the BMW iX, the BMW Group is the first premium manufacturer to integrate the 5G mobile radio standard into a globally available production vehicle and Deutsch Telekom is offering the first corresponding 5G connectivity for such a vehicle. The Personal eSIM can be easily extended and activated via an existing contract with the MobilityConnect option. This makes the vehicle another interconnected device for customers, like a smartwatch. They benefit from the high bandwidth and low latency of 5G. The vehicle provides significantly improved telephone quality* and enables a 5G WLAN hotspot* for up to ten devices in the vehicle. The activated Personal eSIM is linked directly to the BMW ID of the customer. It can be used in any enabled vehicle including the corresponding functions.

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.

“BMW has always been a pioneer in the networking of mobility. We already installed the first SIM card in a vehicle back in 1997. With the 5G Personal eSIM, we are now integrating a completely new level of connectivity for our customers in the car in cooperation with Deutsche Telekom.” says Stephan Durach, Senior Vice President of Connected Company Development and Operations BMW Group

Telekom introduces the first 5G mobile radio option for the car
For the first time, Telekom is introducing a special rate option for integrated connectivity in the vehicle. When the BMW iX is available on the market Telekom customers can extend their mobile phone contract with the MobilityConnect option to include the BMW iX and later other enabled models for 9.95 euros per month.

“Telekom is the leading network provider in Germany - both in mobile radio and in the landline network. With our new MobilityConnect mobile radio option, we are bringing 5G networking into a vehicle as standard for the first time. Our best 5G network makes premium connectivity possible like in the BMW iX. We thus create completely new applications for Telekom customers in the fields of entertainment and infotainment and enable the increasing networking of the car”, explains André Almeida, Managing Director Private Customers Telekom Germany.

Simple booking via app
The booking can be easily started in the vehicle and the customer is guided step-by-step by the My BMW App or Telekom customer centre to the conclusion of the contract. When you book the rate option, the eSIM is activated for the vehicle. After a minimum term of one year, the rate option can then be cancelled on a daily basis. Families can thus e.g. book the digital services at short notice for the next holiday trip by car. It should be possible to book the mobile phone option for the car for other vehicle models as early as this year.

Personal eSIM can be transferred to other enabled vehicles
Once the Personal eSIM has been activated using the MobilityConnect option, the personal driver settings are not only stored in the car, but also with the BMW ID. Customers can thus transfer the settings of the Personal eSIM to other enabled vehicles by activating the BMW ID. Activation of the Personal eSIM in the car is carried out automatically with login with the BMW ID and is immediately available. Customers thus turn every 5G-capable BMW (also for rental or loan vehicle) into their interconnected device.

* Presumably available as of the end of 2021. Availability may vary depending on the market and the customer's mobile radio provider.