PCM using datapass & not my phone 4/5G network

[hkhan]

I have a strange situation which i want to see if someone might have the solution to!

my phone automatically connect to Carplay using wifi, but this also means anything i play/stream on my phone is using the onboard 4GB datapass allowance i have for the month.

If i turn off the wifi, the wireless carplay switches off. The only way i’ve found around this is when the car is in a blackspot for signal, i get a message on my iPhone saying “do you want to use 4G instead” to which is you tap Yes, carplay still works and PCM starts using my phones 4/5G network instead of data pass.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, its driving me crazy as mid month my datapass is exhausted!

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[PrudentOcean]

I don’t know if this works, but try turning off Settings -> Connections -> Vehicle hotspot -> Internet access connected devices.

 

[strwbryfruitcake]

I have a strange situation which i want to see if someone might have the solution to!

my phone automatically connect to Carplay using wifi, but this also means anything i play/stream on my phone is using the onboard 4GB datapass allowance i have for the month.

If i turn off the wifi, the wireless carplay switches off. The only way i’ve found around this is when the car is in a blackspot for signal, i get a message on my iPhone saying “do you want to use 4G instead” to which is you tap Yes, carplay still works and PCM starts using my phones 4/5G network instead of data pass.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, its driving me crazy as mid month my datapass is exhausted!

I had the same thought, so I just paid for the $20 for the data pass premium. Located in California, data pass and data pass premium provided by Verizon Wireless. My iPhone has AT&T and I live in the hills/suburbs where reception is non-existent (even in 2025 *eyeroll*) and having both Verizon when AT&T doesn't have reception doesn't seem like a bad thing, espc at only $20 a month.

I don’t know if this works, but try turning off Settings -> Connections -> Vehicle hotspot -> Internet access connected devices.

doesn't that disconnect apple CarPlay tho? when I try to disable hotspot, it tells me I will lose CarPlay connection.

 

[ferrocinque]

When you use, i.e., Spotify on your iPhone through Apple CarPlay, your iPhone’s mobile data is used — not the car’s data.

Apple CarPlay is just an interface that mirrors your iPhone’s apps onto the car’s display. It doesn’t provide its own data connection unless your car has a built-in SIM card and a standalone Spotify app (as in our case), which is rare and separate from CarPlay.

So, if you use Spotify as a stand alone App on the PCM you will be using the on board data. With Apple CarPlay you will use your iPhone's data plan. Of course this is also valid for Apple Music.

 

[llindenb]

I had the same thought, so I just paid for the $20 for the data pass premium. Located in California, data pass and data pass premium provided by Verizon Wireless. My iPhone has AT&T and I live in the hills/suburbs where reception is non-existent (even in 2025 *eyeroll*) and having both Verizon when AT&T doesn't have reception doesn't seem like a bad thing, espc at only $20 a month.




doesn't that disconnect apple CarPlay tho? when I try to disable hotspot, it tells me I will lose CarPlay connection.

Ha! I live in Minnesota and did the same thing for exactly the same reason.
AT&T coverage sucks.

 

[hkhan]

When you use, i.e., Spotify on your iPhone through Apple CarPlay, your iPhone’s mobile data is used — not the car’s data.

Apple CarPlay is just an interface that mirrors your iPhone’s apps onto the car’s display. It doesn’t provide its own data connection unless your car has a built-in SIM card and a standalone Spotify app (as in our case), which is rare and separate from CarPlay.

So, if you use Spotify as a stand alone App on the PCM you will be using the on board data. With Apple CarPlay you will use your iPhone's data plan. Of course this is also valid for Apple Music.

I would like for this to be true but don’t think it is true for me. I use youtube on my phone for the kids and there seems to be noway to not use the datapass i’ve found.

just took a screenshot of what comes up on my iphone:

 

[ferrocinque]

I would like for this to be true but don’t think it is true for me. I use youtube on my phone for the kids and there seems to be noway to not use the datapass i’ve found.

just took a screenshot of what comes up on my iphone:

The wi-fi must be activated on the phone to use CarPlay wireless, but you don't have to be directly connected to the Macan wi-fi to be able to use it. Try to disconnect the wi-fi to the Macan network, and everything will be fine. Actually, you can also use the hotspot function of the iPhone and ask the PCM to use the data of your phone instead the one in the eSIM in the car.

 

[PrudentOcean]

doesn't that disconnect apple CarPlay tho? when I try to disable hotspot, it tells me I will lose CarPlay connection.

No. There are separate checkboxes for “Vehicle hotspot“ and “Internet access connected devices”. If I disable the latter, CarPlay still works.

 

[cottony]

No. There are separate checkboxes for “Vehicle hotspot“ and “Internet access connected devices”. If I disable the latter, CarPlay still works.

just tried it out, thanks for the tip. was able to connect to carplay but not use car hotspot for data!

 

[wild1]

No. There are separate checkboxes for “Vehicle hotspot“ and “Internet access connected devices”. If I disable the latter, CarPlay still works.

I don’t seem the latter option ’internet access connected devices’

 

[ferrocinque]

just tried it out, thanks for the tip. was able to connect to carplay but not use car hotspot for data!

It is not necessary to disable “Internet access connected devices”. Simply do not connect the iPhone to the Macan wireless network (I suggest you to "forget" these networks on the iPhone). This way you can still use the Macan hotspot if you wish.

 

[cottony]

It is not necessary to disable “Internet access connected devices”. Simply do not connect the iPhone to the Macan wireless network (I suggest you to "forget" these networks on the iPhone). This way you can still use the Macan hotspot if you wish.

i believe CarPlay wireless does not work if you don’t connect to the Macan WiFi

 

[PrudentOcean]

i believe CarPlay wireless does not work if you don’t connect to the Macan WiFi

Correct. Device discovery is via Bluetooth, but the data transfer uses Wifi due to the higher bandwidth requirements.

 

[wild1]

It is not necessary to disable “Internet access connected devices”. Simply do not connect the iPhone to the Macan wireless network (I suggest you to "forget" these networks on the iPhone). This way you can still use the Macan hotspot if you wish.

Thank you!!! This totally worked!

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