LR Discovery 5 sim card

[rollestonpark]

My father has a Disco 5, I know nothing about this vehicle (as I don't like land rovers, sorry just my preference)
But he seems to have to have a data sim in it for some strange reason I can't really fathom.
Anyway, it's costing £186/year (+vat) to run this sim card currently and it's about coming to the end of the contract.
I'm trying to convince him to cancel it after the end of the contract.

First, can anyone tell me what benefit this is?
Can the car not get the same functionally by connecting to a wifi hotspot on his phone? Thus removing the need for this sim card?
Thanks

 

[Exfarmer]

Could be mapping or it maybe just giving connectivity to Landrover to warn them when it has broken down or possibly had an accident. My BMW has similar but never paid a sub for it
£186 sounds an awful lot of money

 

[335d]

The SIM card in the vehicle gives you access to online services, live Updates etc, and can provide a hot spot for the vehicle. you can also download an app and use the SIM card to track the vehicle etc. This means it is not using your phone data, and can have a better signal has there is an external 4g aerial.
On other vehicles you would have android auto or apple carplay to mirror your phone. Maybe the land rover has both. I would suggest if he doesn’t know what it is for, then he has no need for it.

 

[rollestonpark]

Thanks, given the monthly ongoing cost, it'd be better if the discovery used the phone's hotspot for data (for the occasional needed use), rather than the other way around.
Since the EE Sim card shows no data usage for the last 6 months on the bills.
No doubt father will think otherwise, lol

 

[335d]

Just make sure that any “SOS” or call breakdown functions work ok, when connected to the phone’s hotspot. And that your father can work the hotspot etc.
You’ll be the worst in the world if he breaks down and hits the call breakdown services button and nothing happens

 

[rollestonpark]

Just make sure that any “SOS” or call breakdown functions work ok, when connected to the phone’s hotspot. And that your father can work the hotspot etc.
You’ll be the worst in the world if he breaks down and hits the call breakdown services button and nothing happens

According to various sources on google there is another sim card buried in the dash somewhere (none user replaceable) that does that.
This is the an addition sim card to that, which I fail to the need for.

 

[Kam]

I have a Disco 5 and can confirm you don't need an active sim in the car. If you want to update the car, all you have to do is connect it to a Wi-Fi hotspot and away you go.

 

[rollestonpark]

I have a Disco 5 and can confirm you don't need an active sim in the car. If you want to update the car, all you have to do is connect it to a Wi-Fi hotspot and away you go.

Thanks, think is the info I was looking for.
I'm gonna see if I can get father to try it without a sim card when the contract ends, then if he's got a problem with it, could go for a PAYG sim.
Seems mad to be paying £15/month for this.

 

[globalste]

I have a Discovery 5. The sim card is used for traffic, maps, weather, spotify etc. They can be a bit funny to install requiring a small tool (they click-spring in and out). The way to know is by going to settings>connectivity>mobile settings and check that you don't have a useage limit etc and you can also see the useage.

If this shows EE then you have the sim inserted correctly, if it shows zero data used then you have the problem that quite a few others have with an EE sim card in that it will work fine in a phone or a mifi unit, but it won't work in the Incontrol Pro.