https://apple.news/ArmK4_kWmREyP-NF8VFb4Jg
Saw this and thought I would share.

 

thats awesome...when is it available ?

 

Article says 2018

 

I`ve been waiting on this since last year so hopefully it`ll finally come to fruition this year.

I`m very interested in hearing what kind of rip off installation fee dealers are going to charge but the $17.00 monthly fee sounds very reasonable to me.

 

It looks to be a plug and play option

 

It is plug and play, but if you don't have Verizon you will have to with it, thatsvthe service it uses.
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/3/21/17143428/ford-smartlink-obd-dongle-lte-hotspot

 

Doesn't matter who your current cell carrier is, as this has nothing to do with your phone.

This will require a $16.99/month cost, and that's just for the various vehicle services. If you want 4G for your passengers, that's an additional cost. And that's all on top of the cost of the dongle itself.

 

Sounds like it's a partnership between Ford / Verizon piggybacking on VZW's "Hum" OBD dongle. Depending on the level of integration Ford applies to this, it could be very interesting. Nice find.

 

 

 

Anyone heard anything about Smartlink availability??
My dealer does not even know what I'm talking about....
I have a new Perimeter plus and Remote Access that I'll put in the 18 if smart link is not out soon...

 

 

I haven't researched what advantages it offers over the old VSS/RMU module system. But fee on that is only $49 per year. I think SpinDance also gave me a currency discount when I paid up, they only charged me $39.
I'm happy with what I have. If Verizon is involved in the new system I'd pass for sure. I was chained to them long enough for cell phone service and finally broke away last year.

 

Now that things are getting a bit more clear, especially that tease of $17.00 dollars per month, i`m going to pass on SmartLink

Hmmmmmm,
Things with SmartLink that I don`t need for more than $17.00 dollars per month.

I don`t have a need to start, lock, or unlock my vehicle via my cell phone because I have Intelligent Access on my Lariat, I don`t need multiple Hot Spots, I don`t need vehicle location because I always know where it is or where I parked it, I receive vehicle health reports via the Ford Pass app.

If anyone can think of other features that I missed please post them.

I figured everything would be covered for that $17.00 per month cost and I would have gladly paid that amount but in the end, I bet the total monthly charges will be closer to $50.00 per month or more. The most expensive cell phone company in the US is providing service so it`s not going to be cheap.

Have a great day.

 

Part # for Smartlink is VHL3Z-14F642-A.

It opened up to dealer orders this month, but I'm not sure when dealers would actually receive them. Only a handful of dealers in the country were pilot test dealers and have them available now.

Problem for dealer orders is they must order in quantities of 10 at a time, most dealers are probably going to pass on that unless they have enough people in line waiting.

I wouldn't expect this to become readily available all that soon in most areas.