BadMojo

Question for those that do *not* have a current subscription (or a trial) to the Mercedes-Benz Apps portion: What happens when you access the "Mercedes-Benz Apps" section in COMAND? Or the web browser (that's the "www" option in the menu)?

This isn't a trick question.

yk0786

I get a message saying its trying to connect.

texex91

Yep same as yk0796.

I was even told by dealer not worth it. Quite frankly their pricing model (3 various services all with different trial times) is just BS. The bigger concern for me, when I had my CLS550 and signed up, it took an act of god to get them to take my cc number off the account--kept charging every month. For me the apps aren't worth it--especially since no Pandora with direct stream. Was told by dealer SOS button is always hot so subscriber or not.

BadMojo

I got the base mbrace subscription only and nothing else because I find one particular feature useful - sending addresses to the car. Even when I'm in the car, it's just easier to search for an address in my cell phone and then push it to COMAND.

Anyways, the reason I was asking is that I don't have mbrace plus nor the Mercedes-Benz Apps package. Yet surprisingly, I have access to the in-car Wi-Fi hotspot, the browser, all the apps, etc. And I'm well past the trial period.

Was just wondering if anyone else had experienced this.

MTrauman

You either are very lucky or will be very unlucky.


So you are either getting the stuff for free or they will eventually figure out that you are getting the stuff for free and will charge you for the service you think you are getting free. So be aware--by the way, let me know how the heck you did this since I am paying for the apps and wifi and I want it free also.

jprescott

We have a new ML 350 and have not gone through the process of signing up. I can still use all the apps. I don't know if the S is similar but it takes so long to load a web site etc that the iphone does the same thing faster. Much faster. BTW the local weather app is cool but overall the mbrace seems gimicky

MTrauman

You may be in the three month initial trial period or in "demo mode". If you are in demo mode, they will figure it out eventually and stop allowing access.


The item I like the most is the internet radio. I like listening to stations from Germany and Austria in particular (my 15 year old son is becoming fluent in the German language so I am trying to brush up on my German by listening to Germany radio stations). I also like to listen to the local police scanners once in awhile through the internet radio in the car.


These stations come in so crystal clear over the internet radio. The downside is that sometimes the radio is buffering do to the crappy service that Verizon Telematics delivers to MB (this has been discussed somewhere on this forum already).

AppleFan1

This is pertinent to you. I just received a letter from MBrace today stating that my trial to MBrace Plus ends early next month. It will automatically renew unless you actually call to tell them to cancel. Thus, you will probably get charged for the service on your credit card.

I called today to inform them to cancel MBrace Plus when the free trial ends early next month. Furthermore, I told them that the reason I am not going to continue the service is due to the very slow internet speed.

Like Trauman, I really like Internet Radio since I enjoy listening to stations from Greece. However, it either buffers or stops playing completely on a regular basis at least on these stations from Greece. Thus, it's rather worthless.

Btw, I tried connecting to the Wi-Fi hotspot with my iPhone and I have not been able to do so. Is there a trick involved?

whoover

I just cancelled my MBrace to avoid getting billed past the demo period. Be prepared to stay on hold. They want you to give up. They won't cancel you until you hear a script about the horrors of not having MBrace when you crash or your car is stolen. That department is always busy.

I liked send to benz also. But it's almost as easy to add the location to your gmail contacts. Then it shows up in your phone book and you can navigate to it. It's even easier. I have an Android phone. I'm not sure what the equivalent operation is for iPhones.

BadMojo

See, I already received the letter. I called mbrace, canceled the PLUS and Apps packages, and subscribed to the base mbrace package. Did all of that in February.

Comically, I even called mbrace to ensure I wasn't getting billed extra and they told me they couldn't help answer any questions since the Apps package wasn't active on my account. Okaaay.

I even checked my credit card statements and I was only billed for the base mbrace package. There are no subsequent charges.

You'll need to go to the vehicle section of COMAND, go to System Settings > Wi-Fi. There'll be an option to turn it on, connect via WPS, show you the security key to connect, etc.

Here's the app for iPhone. Decently executed, works well in some places, not so well in others. You will need to pair it as a remote (also under the System Settings in COMAND).

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/merc...647776655?mt=8

That's true but my work kinda makes that less practical. Being in real estate, it's not uncommon for me to navigate to random addresses only to never go there again, thus negating the need to save it.

But for most people, yeah, using navigation via contacts would be good enough, making the send to car feature moot.

whoover

I just add a contact named "A A" so it's easy to find. Navigate to it once and then delete it. Couldn't be easier.

yk0786

just be careful with mbrace. mbrace is serviced by Verizon Telematics and they outsource their customer service to a company called Concentrix. There is a posting on them on here as well as few blogs. Google them. Be careful with them, I have read some horror stories. Hence why I opted out with even the free trial service since they were asking for a credit card number.

AppleFan1

"You'll need to go to the vehicle section of COMAND, go to System Settings > Wi-Fi. There'll be an option to turn it on, connect via WPS, show you the security key to connect, etc."

Ok, I tried to connect my iPhone to the car's Wi-Fi and I could not get the phone to recognize the MB Wi-Fi. I called MBrace and the lady instructed me to go to "system settings" which I had already done on my own. She then said to go to the spot that says, "Enter the passkey on device." Well, no luck. The problem was that my phone could not recognize the MB Wi-Fi. She then said to uncheck where it says "activate". I tried that several times but the system would automatically place the check mark after spinning for a bit. She then gave up and told me to take the car to the dealer.

I then fiddled around with it on my own after messing around with iTunes Radio for a bit in the car. I tried to deactivate the Wi-Fi again and this time it actually deactivated. Don't ask me why. When I then activated it, bingo! The MB Wi-Fi showed up on my phone. All I had to do then is type in the passkey on my phone and I was connected to the MB Wi-Fi. I'm not sure how good the signal is since I had some trouble playing iTunes Radio with the MB Wi-Fi connection and it was not very smooth. I will work on it again tomorrow.

AppleFan1

Ok, here is an update on the car's Wi-Fi. After experimenting with it today and trying to play iTunes radio by using the car's Wi-Fi, it did not go very well at all. The songs would skip about every 5-10 seconds. At first I thought it may just be the iTunes radio not operating properly. However, When I switched to my house Wi-Fi from the garage, iTunes radio worked just fine. So, it looks like the car's Wi-Fi internet speed is so slow that it cannot handle streaming music. What a bummer! This is another example a very poor arrangement that MB has right now with Verizon. It's worthless.

texex91

Yep 100% garbage on streaming. MB should have direct integration for Pandora etc vs streaming through phone. Worst part if my S class.

siliconsamurai

Want to hear a horror story? I'm severely disabled and nearest dealer is 100 miles away. Tried to
activate trial period on used 2014 GLK.
Called MB wasted 15 minutes and was told I need a cell carrier to activate.
I spent three days buying a smart phone and activating it (useless to me at home because
we are in a dead zone with no service anyway.
Rested up and tried MB again. Was eventually told I had to take it to a dealer to
get it UPDATED or ACTIVATED or something.
Told the "help" line specialist that two weeks earlier I wasn't told that I was told to
get a cell contract - "Help" she told me that wasn't true I didn't need cell service.
Hung up on that one.
Called back in five and got a "help" man who insisted in reading most of the manual to
me over and over and answering any questions with another reading from the manual
(which I have). Then told me that since I was far too disabled to drive 200 miles round trip
for nonsense at a dealer and that I was pretty pissed about wasting several days and
several hundred dollars getting a smart phone and service I had no use for.
He then said I should just have it towed 100 miles to the dealer to get the service
I barely wanted but had already invested hundreds of dollars on.
Eventually hung up on him while he was once again reading all the benefits
of having mbrace for about the 5th time.
But not before he insisted that the first owner (I'm only the second owner)
never had activated the free mbrace system on his brand new MB.
I suggested that I didn't believe that one for a second, especially since there
were messages on the system which indicated he had been using it.
I'm a semi-retired journalist, can you guess how my consumer report
on buying a used MB during COVID will go? I bought it remotely from
250 cars away and that dealer was happy to have it driven to my place at
no extra charge (I had knocked down the price before I arranged for
delivery so I know there was no charge, but that was an Audi dealer
part of a gigantic network of high-end dealers in PA all apparently owned
by the same giant company.)
So, that's my sad tale of spending hundreds of dollars and several days
to NOT get a free trial mbrace unless I had a perfectly good car towed to and from
an MB dealer 100 miles away.
So if anyone hears of a way to activate that damn I button remotely please
let me know - Retired theoretical physicist who wrote thousands of articles and
5 major books on computer technology so I think I can follow basic instructions
despite what three MB "help" persons seem to think.
Best,
John McCormick

56RICKY

Have a 2016 GL450 , purchased mbrace full system can not be activated due to the vehicle not receiving the internet signal? Is there a fuse or relay that controls this issue?

Bart-N3GQ

Sorry to hear your horror story about trying to get help from MB. I've seen it in other businesses, too. May be a sign of the times.