sammyshammy

I just picked up a 05 E500 wagon recently. This is my first MB so I don't know to much about the features but do see a phone cradle with no phone in it.
I would like to make use of the phone cradle and other features that associate with it. Does anyone know what model phone came in this car at this year or was there many choices. Is there a way of telling what model phone that will go in the cradle. If I do pick up the right phone from say E-bay can I get cell service locally. It would be Verizon service in the northeast U.S. . Is there a better phone and cradle option for us that everyone else is using. Sorry for all the questions, I have been searching the net and am confused.

vfast_E500

Check here:

http://www.wireless4mb.com/

sammyshammy

Thanks for the link, This don't look like its going to be easy.

From what I read my 05 E looks to have MHI technology which means I need to buy my phone through MB and have service with them too. Am I close?

I was hoping for an aftermarket solution to keep things simple but
does anyone have an opinion on the MB phone service that they would like to share. Thanks.

vfast_E500

The key here is that these came with a Mercedes branded Motorola flip phone in the US. In Europe, they were mostly Nokia (I believe).

I have my phone still. The issue is that it is TDMA/Amps network technology. AT&T still runs their old TDMA system, but they are phasing it out for GSM technology (a much better network).

If you had the old phone, you probably couldn't even get AT&T to provision service for you since they are trying to get all the subscribers over to the new network.

That's why Mercedes offers the Blue Tooth adapter that replaces the old phone that would go in the cradle in your car.

Once you have that, there is a list of current generation phones from Verizon, AT&T, and Vodaphone that will work with your car with all the standard features intact.

Wired phones are a thing of the past. Most new cars have a Blue Tooth phone option these days (Much better).

RD

cyclerider

Remove the cradle and look for a part number on the bottom of the cradle. Then check the part number with your dealership parts man, and find out what phone works with that cradle. If you are interested in using bluetooth instead of a cradle, then you could just replace your existing cradle with a bluetooth module. This would allow you many more choices in phones. There are hundreds of posts on this forum about bluetooth and the phones that work (and don't work) with it. Good luck.

sammyshammy

Thanks guys, It's starting to make some sense.

Skylaw

vfast E500 gave you the best and most succinct information in his first response. Go to the AWS link and click on the "vehicle phone compatibility" button near the top of the page. Select your car type from the resulting grid. You will then have a choice of whether to use a plug-in phone or a cell phone. Once you make that choice, your options are presented.

If you already have an MHI cradle, then cyclerider's advice on how to determine which phone fits your existing cradle (by determining the cradle part number) is applicable. The existing cradle would be for a plug-in phone. If you use a plug-in it must be an MB branded phone. They are expensive, but integration into the COMAND system is sometimes less problematic.

If you want a bluetooth solution, you will need to replace the cradle you have with a bluetooth puck. That offers greater flexibility, but can be about as expensive as buying the plug-in phone for the existing cradle. You must be sure to get a compatible phone for minimal problems. AWS can help you with that.

In no case do you have to arrange phone service through Mercedes. You can choose any carrier that AWS lists as having compatible firmware for its phones (be aware that Sprint does not have any compatible firmware). The phone service you arrange through Mercedes is Tele-Aid - an emergency service similar to GM's OnStar. You can read about Tele-Aid on the MBUSA website. It is not cell service for routine calls, even though it works on cellular equipment built-into the car.

AWS is Mercedes' partner for wireless solutions. If you research more, you may find aftermarket solutions to be more complicated than AWS.

You do not have to buy your phone from AWS; again, a plug-in must be Mercedes branded, but a cell phone need not be. However, if you buy your cell phone from someone other than AWS, be sure it will have compatible firmware. AWS can tell you if it is when you buy the Bluetooth puck, if you ask.

Of course, they will want to sell you a phone, and take the profit - but you don't have to get the phone from them - but they also don't want you returning the puck - so there is room at that point to get your questions answered even if buying a phone from your service provider (or using one you already have).

It may be information overload, but the sticky at https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=188818, especially posts # 5, 6, and 8 explain the whys and wherefores. The post numbers refer to the actual sequence in the string, not the number of the titled item.

sammyshammy

Thanks, this has been a big help.
Although this setup will be for my wife, I am not a big cell phone person so I don't keep up on this type of technology. Don't get me wrong I use my cell phone all day long but have had the same phone for the last 2-3 years. I have friends that buy new phones every other month when something new comes out, I guess its what your into.

sammyshammy

O.K., the cradle I have is for a Motorola V-710 phone. Can this phone still be used today with Verizon or is it a real relic. I am looking for a simple cell phone that will stay in the car and nothing too fancy at all. Buying one of these seems like a inexpensive way to solve my car phone situation.

Thanks

Skylaw

You will have to use an MB branded V710, but it's what I use - and Verizon will certainly allow it on their net. Mine is on it now. When you buy the phone from AWS or a dealer it will come with an MB/Verizon firmware version that works with your car. NEVER let Verizon flash a different (updated) firmware version, or the car will reject it - and no one will flash it back to the MB firmware (some MB branded plug-in phones have been for sale cheap on ebay for exactly this reason).

You can do the over-the-air (OTA) roaming software updates, but NOT the firmware update. Be very certain what you're doing in those OTA updates. The roaming software update provides the latest cell tower information to the phone; the firmware update changes the way the phone operates.

Because of the MB firmware, the phone integrates perfectly and does everything you'd expect. It is far from being the latest and greatest toy, and it is expensive (around $500, because of the special firmware MB had to develop for a small market) - but it works just fine.

If at some point you want to carry the latest and greatest, get a second number on a family plan, and set the V710 for Verizon's no-answer call forwarding to the number of the phone you carry. Callers calling your car number (the only one I used to give out) will be answered in the car if you're in it; and if not, the call is forwarded to the phone you're carrying. Never a phone compatibility problem, and you get your calls.

The second pic is a jpg you can copy onto your computer and load into your photos on a cellphone, and set it as your wallpaper. Paul H. Dick created this, and released it a few years ago. The third photo shows it on a V710, but I have also used it on a RAZR. It should work on others as well (but may require some re-shaping of the background).

By the way - I have a RAZR V3 and RAZR Bluetooth/cradle combo. I'm using the plug-in V710 because it's just simpler, has better signal strength, and I no longer must carry a cell phone with me all the time. My only objection to the V710 was its bulk. Now, the RAZR and its Bluetooth cradle are in a closet.

cyclerider

This is the best solution, and it makes me wonder why anyone would want to use Bluetooth instead of a phone hard-wired to the car's power source and external antenna.

sammyshammy

Wow, great info. I'm glad I asked first before buying a used phone of ebay. That was my plan to keep the cost down but now this flash thing you say put another monkey wrench in the works. Looks like I'm going to call AWS to get a phone and avoid any problems. I guess theres no way around it.

Thanks again

Skylaw

sammyshammy,

The firmware version on my MB V710 for Verizon is 8700_01.40.0R. The MB firmware for other service providers would be different.

If you want to try ebay, and because Verizon is your service provider, send an email to the seller and ask two questions:

1) Was the phone used only with Verizon?

2) What is the S/W version from the Phone Info menu? (Although described as S/W, it is actually the firmware version).

If the phone wasn't used with Verizon, don't buy it. If it was, but has different firmware, don't buy it. If the seller won't respond, don't buy it.

Please also note that the V710 cradle you have can also be used with the MB branded Motorola E815. You're not limited to just the V710. Unfortunately, I don't have the MB firmware version for the E815, but the same steps explained here would apply.

If there is a newer firmware version out for the MB Verizon phone, AWS or your dealer should be able to tell you what it is (if they're willing; unlike buying a Bluetooth puck to go with a phone you already own, there is no reason they would have to) - I bought my phone from my MB dealer in Sept '05. If you can get this information, and everything matches up, go ahead and buy the ebay phone.

Folks who use other service providers with MB branded phones will have different firmware; their MB branded phones will work just fine with their cars. However, changing a phone flashed for one service provider to another is often difficult with any phone; and may be nearly impossible for an MB branded phone (if you want it to integrate with your Benz).