bigmel

I bought a V60 BT puck and used it with my Iphone and it worked good. However I prefer to have a dedicated car phone. After after reading many threads I decided to go back to a V60 setup. When I bought my car it came with a V60i (Cingular). However as we all know that cell is no longer supported. So my only V60 option is Verizon's V60s. I happen have a verizon wireless account, so I'm planning on transferring my current Verizon # and use call forwarding when I'm not in the car.

I saw a few Mercedes branded v60s on ebay. However I would go to AWS if thats my only V60 option.

My concern is if I get a V60 via ebay could I just call verizon to activate the cell? Also I remember in the past when I activated verizon cells I had to dial #228 and press 1 or 2 for programming. Would that jack up cell's firmware?

thanks
Mel

jbondox

Don't know your answer but I will say that BT is way over rated, cell reception always suffer, kills the battery, works when it wants to. I think we actually got herded like cattle into this also, (and blindly) because there really is no benefits while in the car.

bigmel

I starting to feel the same way. thats way I want to go back to V60 set up. It looks like Verizon is the only option, bc of the 911 thing..

Also the BT is a pain in the butt at times bc when I'm at home and I have my car in the garage or drive way and my cell rings and when I answer it I dont hear anything bc the damn car picks up the call....lol. I'm like dammit.

rmeltz1

Hi there,

Verizon's *228 option 1 will update the programming but not flush the MB firmware (which makes the phone work with your car). Verizon's *228 option 2 will update your roaming profile. All verizon customers should do this every few months regardless of phone type.

I also agree that you should consider BT as a second option - behind the integrated docking function. I currently have an MB branded Motorola V710 which works with the car seamlessly.

Rob

bigmel

Oh ok...
Thanks for the info..

so the reprogramming have no thing to do with flashing the firmware.. So I could be able to call verizon and activate the phone.

Skylaw

You can call them and activate the phone.

However, careful!! Some contributors have reported specifically that Verizon's OTA programing (*228 Option 1) did overwrite their MB firmware version, and rendered their plug-in phones unusable with their cars. I don't know if there have been changes to the *228 Option 1 programming since these incidents, but when they have reduced a $500-$600 phone to a $50 e-bay phone in seconds, without recourse - I'd be careful. I'd want to know just what had changed in the process.

Updating the firmware in the store (having update facilities) has also done the same thing - rendering the phone unrecognizabe as an MB phone.

Updating the Bluetooth phones is less of a problem, because the MB Bluetooth does not have to recognize the phone as MB branded. However, asking Verizon to "flash" a newer firmware version has on occasion resulted in firmware that was incompatible with the bluetooth cradle. Verizon would then refuse to re-flash to the older, compatible version, leaving the owner with phone book download problems, etc. when none had existed before. This is less of a problem with the newer Bluetooth 2.0 pucks, because they are more easily compatible than the older version. But I still would not let Verizon flash my phone without checking the new firmware's compatibility through AWS.

The advice about *228 Option 2 is correct - it updates roaming information only, and will cause no problems.

bigmel

I remember some thine back when I bought a new AT&T cell phone. I could not get the phone activated over the air bc I was in a roaming all the time. so i call at&t and they told me what codes to put in the phone.

I stop by the my nearest MB dealer. just to ask how much they are selling the v60s for. they told me $750.....

Skylaw

AWS is selling the Verizon CDMA version for $599.

bigmel

yeap I saw it on aws. Its funny how the price change so much from dealer to dealer. I call the dealer where I'm car bought car they told me it will cost 305. Since I had some time on my hands I called a bunch of mbdealers and the price ranged from 400 to 589. Well the ebay v60s should be here by tomorrow.

Skylaw

Good luck - we'll be interested in how it works out.

my06clk

I Actually discovered a fix for that annoying problem. I just told my phone NOT to automatically connect to my car.Meaning my bluetooth is off unless I want it to connect to something ( my car ) when I hit the connect button it tells me that my bluetooth is off and asks if I want to temporarily connect. I say yes, and it connects to my car as long as the car is running. When I shut off the car it automatically shuts off the bluetooth disconnecting it from the car.So when I am in my house and my car is in the garage, I get a chance to answer my phone not the car. It really pissed me off the first time that happened to me. LOL.

I kinda disagree with the statement that bluetooth is overrated. What I think is that people jut do not manage their bluetooth connection properly.Plus, I am one of the few who happens to get good response from my BT puck setup.

Bluetooth is not the internet, or some extension of a network. It is a communication protocol.Therefore enabling bluetooth and keeping it on as you walk around all day is completely pointless an WILL drain your phone.

YOu should try to only have your bluetooth turned on if you are actually connected to another bluetooth device. You might find it a bit more useful.

As far as the car goes, I hardwired a charger and have the plug in my ashtray and my phone fits perfectly there. So, when I am on long trips I use my Car's system for the hands free.

If I just want to use the charger and not use the car, it's also good because my phone automatically switches to ring when it's plugged in, an vibrate when it's not so I can hear incoming calls if the radio is not too loud.

Most people leave their BT set to on whenever they turn on their phone and I just do not think that is a good way to manage it unless you have one of those ear peices in your ear 24/7. but at the desk, or in the office, or at the store shopping or whatever, why have it on? so some hacker like me can sit across from you and try to connect to your device just because I saw it??
Just kidding but people will try anything given an invitation.

bigmel

I guess I want my bt system to read my mind.. however the main thing is that I want the phone system to be used in the way it was intended. I rather have the system fully integrated in the comand. Such as, SMS, edit phone book, 3 way, call waiting with caller ID, antenna boost, etc.

Skylaw

You have some very good suggestions, as you usually do. You address the unintended pickup of the call by the car, and of course the phone battery drain as well as security. All excellent and helpful.

However, the steps you suggest require considerable active management by the user each time they enter or exit the car. All of it can be done - but let's look at the steps getting into the car. Go into your phone's menu, and activate Bluetooth. Possibly, press the puck's button and pair (perhaps depending on timing of when you turn the phone's BT on). If you need to charge the phone, plug it in. Getting out, do the reverse. This isn't great for a feature marketed purely as a convenience. It's more convenient just to plug a phone in, and not worry about settings.

With my RAZR BT cradle, I had good voice quality - but of course always had to plug the RAZR into the cradle to get decent connectivity. Plus, the cradle limited me to a RAZR - to change phones, I have to change the cradle too - expensive, and choices are limited. In addition, there are small differences - surmountable, but still something to be overcome - in the way phone book downloads were handled, vice my plug-in phone. Not convenient on either count. It's easier just to plug a phone in, especially if I always leave it there.

Most of all, if the expense isn't excessive, the 2-line solution is great. Leave the plug-in always connected. Carry any other phone you want, and use no-answer call forwarding. The incremental cost, if one already has a family plan, is about $10 per month. If not, then it can get expensive, about $45 per month. One need not even activate the BT feature of the "latest and greatest" phone carried - overcoming battery drain and security concerns. And, one need not worry about compatibility with the car when changing the phone carried. So, for convenience with respect to the car, it beats the heck out of bluetooth.

As to other bluetooth conveniences, such as updating contacts and phone books with one's computer, some plug-in phones also have Bluetooth capability - the V710 and E815, for example. Bigmel's V60s doesn't - but many do. So, one may not have to give up that convenience, if it's important.

Bluetooth works; it is convenient for many. However, especially with our '00-06 Benzes, I think the plug-in 2-line solution beats bluetooth at its own forte - convenience.

bigmel

well skylaw I have good news and bad news ...lol.

First bad news
1. the cradles are different I v60s does not fit in my v60t cradle. a fellow member posted this link..http://www.mercupgrades.com/Mercedes...article-9.html it should that they make a different cradle for the v60s.

2. if you do use *228 it will wipe your benz programing out. You have to go through AWS to activate the phone. they have a form on their web site.

now the good news.

I will not give up dammit...lol
I will go broke to make this thing work...
ts official I'm on a mission

bigmel

I got the V60 activated. I called AWS and they did it over the phone. after I gave them all the cell phone and my info the told me to dial *22890. I guess the 90 means something...lol. the v60s is bigger the all the other v60 cell phones.

Skylaw

Thank you for the updates - I learned something, and will definitely add it to the "How-to" guides. Really appreciate your feedback.

bigmel

I called the dealer and they have the part # for v60s cradle in stock. How hard is it to install?

bigmel

well I stop by the dealer today. the part # was the wrong part for my car. that part was for a 2005 +. The dealer searched his computer then he told be it cant be done.. . I felt dejected and was about to give up. however when I was driving home, I saw a mb dealer off the highway. I stop in and told them my situation. the Parts guy looked in his computer and brought back the same cradle that dont fit my car. Then a nothing parts guy came to see what was going on and I told him the same story. He asked me if the car was there. so we when to the car to check it out. He say he has I idea. we when back to the part department and he pulled out a big dusty book and look up my vin then asked me which phone the car came with. once I told him and he found the part # for my current cradle. they book showed my cradle is a wire v60 cradle and is discontinued. However the book also showed that there is a warranty replacement cradle#BQ6820898 that is listed as "V60S CP211 S" wired cradle. the Parts guy told me that this part is for warranty replace if the cradle fails. then it made sense bc the 2003/2004 have this wire setup and the 2005 have a different setup. so mb had to support the 03/04 for a short time. However MB stoped making them. therefore, the computer would not let him order it bc in not in the MB warehouse. However the computer showed that there are a hand full of the in the across the country in Mb dealerships.

the part guy gave me a few dealerships numbers that it showed the part in stock. I started calling my short list of dealers. the three that I called had the part in at one thing but it was special warranty ordered for a customer. and no long in stock even though its this show up in the computer. I called one place that there computer show 1 in stock but he could not find it....lol.
then I called Duval in FL. they have one but it was a special ordered too. he when and got in while i was on the phone and he descried it to me bc its on hold for people to pick up. However they said they have a few Ft. Lauderdale that they can pick up and ship to me. however by that time, it was after 5pm and they was closed so I have to call on Monday.

so I'm back on the hunt.

the one thing I learn so far is dont believe when people say it cant be done or give up. bc It may not be easy, but anything is possible.

bigmel

Well, I got all the V60s cradle. I installed it and it is good . the v60s cradle is larger that the other one. the new cradle have interchangeable clips so it can be use for the other V60 cell too.

Before I got the new v60s cradle installed, I tried to plug the v60 in to the orginal cradle and the comand screen just showed activating phone. However the phone ever hooked up.

Skylaw

Thank you, Bigmel - especially the news about the interchangeable connectors. The V60 cradle for the '04 S-Class and '03-04 E-Class does come out of the box with different connectors (FAKRA connectors) - so that's handy to know.

I take it your V60s phone worked out OK, too?

bigmel

yes it works very good . I notice the call quality is much better than BT. Also the signal strength stay at the full 5 bars.
I'm a happy camper . I feel like calling the first dealer and them that they was wrong bc they told me it will never happen LOL.

Skylaw

Bigmel

Ted Baldwin

............I have thought about this, but can text messages be forwaded? This will be great if text messages can be automatically forwarded

Ted

Skylaw

I don't know if text messages can be forwarded, Ted; right now I am using the setup to forward to a land line that isn't text capable. I don't use text messaging, and never tried it when forwarding to another cell phone.

Perhaps another contributor can respond?

Ted Baldwin

............in my job a get a lot of messages via SMS. As I understand it, one cannot have SMS messages forwarded to another number automatically. I don't know if this limitation is due to technology or due to telecom laws. So if I leave an integrated phone in the car and have calls forwarded to my hand held phone, I will not get my text messages. Sucks because this could have been a great solution.

Ted