Keyfob A/C button works

Do we have to have a Toyota Safety Connect account now to use Entune? This is my 3rd Toyota with Entune apps but the first that doesn't seem to do anything without TSC. I don't want/need TSC. Do I have to have it to use Entune?

 

Yup, as far as I can tell, but it's free for the first 3 years. More info:

Entune Premium JBL Audio With 11.6-In. HD Multimedia Display – Prius Prime Apps

So, it's free for you for 3 years, and the app to pre-heat or pre-cool your Prime works because you have the Advanced package.

 

Strictly speaking, it is the Safety Connect feature that is free for three years, then paid. The Prime Entune Apps use the Safety Connect cell phone to connect to the Internet and thus to your smartphone. The original purpose of Safety Connect was to provide emergency response like GM's OnStar, but they found they could piggy-back additional low-data-rate services on that. Part of the Safety Connect fee goes to paying for cellular service (currently from Verizon) for the embedded cell phone.

With Entune 3.0, they will use the builtin cell phone for other services, such as the media Entune apps and map updates. But that requires new hardware, so it can't just be "back ported" to current models. Currently, the media Entune apps, such as Pandora, use the user's smartphone for Internet access.

Part of the confusion results for using the term "Entune", to describe both the media Entune apps, available on all trim levels, and the Prime Entune Apps, which are only available on the Advanced.

 

I assume that I have to give a credit card for this "free service" and I'm guessing that Toyota is banking on most of forgetting that it will automatically starting debiting that card in 3 years. It's like Sirius/XM all over again.

 

When I signed up for Sirius XM I never entered any credit card information.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I never gave Safety Connect a credit card. They have no way of charging me after the three-year period expires.

 

If history repeats itself, it'll remain free after three years. That's what happened to the previous iteration of Entune. I received notice that the features will remain free after my 3 years elapsed on the PiP.

I suspect Toyota has it written that way to cover themselves in case operation costs sky rockets. For example when AT&T turned off 2G networks which is what Nissan Carwings operates on, all Leafs had to have the infotainment system replaced at substantial cost to customers if they wanted to keep wireless features.

 

I signed up for Safety Connect and they tried like heck to get my credit card. Thanks for letting me know that they don't need it. They made it sound like they did.

 

Interesting. I do not remember them even asking. The person on the phone basically walked me through the same form I could have filled-out on-line (had I been pointed to it) and a Credit Card was not part of the process. The only issue I had was that I requested the contract ID at the end of the process and the one the person quoted me was wrong. Fortunately the email that came shortly afterwards pointed me to a PDF I could download and the correct ID was in that file.
Not that I ever expect to use it but I needed the contractID to get the apps to load

 

Thanks for clarifying.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I thought the confusion around whether Toyota wanted a credit card might be based on whether you had the advanced model or not.
For the advanced model, the "trial period" is free and lasts for three years.
I signed-up for that without even a request for a card.
Once the three year period is up, I expect they will try to sign me up to continue the service, want a credit card and try to charge it monthly.
As some have suggested, it's possible Toyota will decide to not charge when the time comes but I'm not betting on it.

BUT, bresna experienced the credit-card hard-sell and has the advanced model so that theory didn't hold.
Maybe it depends on who you get. I didn't try to sign-up, I called to get my contractID...But I doubt that was the difference...

OR, are we mixing conversations about SiriusXM and Safety Connect? The damn Sirius people must have noticed I blocked the number they kept calling on and started calling from a different number...That one is now blocked as well.

 

Back to just the keyfob...my experience is this (2017 Prime) one carries WAY further than the 2007 Prius fob ever did, including through a couple of brick walls of my house.

 

They used to charge for the ordinary Entune apps (the media ones, like Pandora), but they dropped that charge. Is it being claimed that Safety Connect (and the associated Prime Apps that depend on Safety Connect) will continue after three years without charge?? I paid $$$ to renew Safety Connect on my 2012 PiP when it expired in 2015. When I got the Prime, they refunded a prorated amount of that fee when I had them cancel the service on the PiP.