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BMW Bluetooth Compatible phones; What WORKS?

1M views 1K replies 888 participants last post by  efanton1 
#1 ·
Find a Compatible Handset - Not all Bluetooth phones will work!
Unfortunately, not all Bluetooth compatible phones will work (partially or fully) with BMW's Bluetooth systems. As such, "Bluetooth" is an ambiguous term and insufficient to ensure compatibility. That is unfortunate, since "Bluetooth" is all that is typically included in the phone's description.

My experience is a good example: my do-everything SonyEricsson P900 does not work with my Bluetooth-capable car (the SonyEricsson P900 lacks a "handsfree profile" required to work with the BMW implementation of integration of cell phone and car). Successful 6 Series Bluetoth retrofit, but phone incompatible

Even if you have a "BT-compatible" phone with the BT "handsfree profile," there are other features that may or may not work properly. For example, the phone should automatically share its phone book with the car to enable a set of nice features: based on your phone's address book: Calling Name display and

BMW Customer Assistance has a short list of compatible phones (SE T68i, SE T610, SE T630, Motorola V600). A more extensive compatibility list is here:
More extensive list of BMW-compatible phones

What phones work for you?
Please share what works for you so that we can all share in your experience and knowledge.

Please post your experience: :thumbup:
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Phone model:
Car model:
[ ] ability to make/receive calls
[ ] phone book automatically synches to car
[ ] dial by name (without verbal training of system)
[ ] calling name display (using adddress book)
[ ] ability to send/receive SMS

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#582 ·
I just test drove a 535xi and Bluetooth comatability was important, so I spent a fair bit of time playing with it.
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Phone model: LG VX8300 (Bluetooth 2.1+EDR)
Car model: 2007 535xi
[ x] ability to make/receive calls
[ x] phone book automatically synches to car
[ x] dial by name (without verbal training of system)
[x ] calling name display (using adddress book)
[x ] ability to send/receive SMS
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The audio (send and receive) quality was excellet at 70mph with the windows closed.
I was impressed with the quality of the phone book synch, all details were avaiable.
 
#585 ·
BT and Blackberry 8703E Verizon

2006 530Xi with Nav CIP 25.2
Takes 3 minutes to download 800 + contact lists.
Works great!

Phone model: Blackberry 8703e
Car model: 2006 530xi
[ x] ability to make/receive calls
[ x] phone book automatically synches to car
[ x] dial by name (without verbal training of system)
[x ] calling name display (using adddress book)
[x ] ability to send/receive SMS
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#588 ·
I have a 528i and a Blackberry 8800 from Cingular. My phone sync'd and paired flawlessly however it starts to freak out if I do anything out of the norm like Disable my phone's bluetooth to avoid linking it to the car. When that happens I have to delete the devices on the car and the phone and re-pair. Occasionally when I start the car, I get an error message "SOS Call System Malfunction". The dealer believes that this is a result of using an unapproved phone. The error doesn't seem severe just more of an annoyance not worth me purchasing another phone heh.
 
#591 ·
Don't know if anyone as posted this already but in any case here it goes.

As I see it, the problem lies in the operating system not in a specific phone (the problems are common to different phones who share the same windows mobile system)
I don't know for other phones but for windows mobile based phones the best solution is to install the JETware extension software from JETware (see at: http://www.jetwaremobile.com )

First, In my experience you have to first install the JETware software
Second, turn off the Hibernate/suspend mode in WM5 otherwise the phone will lose connection with any bluetooth module you may have ( haven't tested the WM6 yet, so don't know if you have to turn it off also)

with this you will achieve several things:

signal strength and battery status in the bluetooth panel and the ability to upload the contacts list to the car
 
#595 ·
Phone model: Apple iPhone (Cingular/AT&T)
Car model: 2006 X3
[X] ability to make/receive calls
[X] phone book automatically synches to car
[ ] dial by name (without verbal training of system)
[X] calling name display (using adddress book)
[ ] ability to send/receive SMS

i can dial by name, but need to record the names first in the X3's phone book. i don't have nav, so there's no way to view SMS messages.
 
#596 ·
After a few false starts, I was able to pair a AT&T pearl with a 2008 550. The phone always paired but would disconnect for no apparent reason. My IT department upgraded the handheld software to the most recent addition. 4.2.1.96 Platform 2.3.0.78. I also went through my Outlook contacts list and deleted all of the email groups and editing all of the phone numbers to eliminate any letters that were contained in the phone number fields. That has worked for the last two days. Over 900 ohone numbers transfered in minutes and I have been able to both make ans receive calls.
 
#597 ·
I have the Tmo Wing and I'm able to send/receive calls :)
 
#600 ·
I am in Cincy. I simply go to settings>general>bluetooth. In the car, go to the bluetooth pairing screen and wait for the iPhone to recognize the car. Click on the car, enter a passcode, and select next. The car should recognize that the iPhone sent the code to the car and ask for you to enter it and pair. Voila, should be done. If not, let me know. I will be at the BMWStore tomorrow and am not adverse to meeting up and giving it a try.

J
 
#605 ·
you should use the passkey that came with your car. whenever i've paired a new phone with my car, i've had to use the same passkey that was provided with my car's owner's manual. that may be why you are getting the passkey error message...
 
#608 ·
OK, this is getting ridiculous. I tried pairing my wife's new Blackberry Pearl and am having the same problem. Maybe it's "operator" error? Step by step, I'm putting the phone into discovery mode. I then put the E60 (2006) into discovery mode. The iPhone and the Pearl then each see the BMW. When I click on pair, I'm prompted to enter a passkey on the phone. I enter 0000 on the phone. The iDrive immediately asks if I want to reject or allow the connection. When I select allow, I'm prompted to enter a passkey, which I do using the iDrive, 0000. After this I push the iDrive up to return to the previous menu. Shortly after this, the phone shows invalid password. :mad:
 
#609 ·
After you enter the passkey in iDrive, you need to pull the iDrive controller toward you, which moved the cursor below the passkey entry area, and then you need to click on "enter passkey" or whatever similar acknowledgement shows. Without doing that, you haven't entered the passkey.
 
#613 ·
IPHONE with 07 535:
[ x] ability to make/receive calls
[ x] phone book automatically synches to car
[x ] dial by name (without verbal training of system)
[ x] calling name display (using adddress book)
[x ] ability to send/receive SMS
they sych perfectly!! BMW and Apple an unlikely combo
 
#614 ·
Palm Treo 650 (unlocked GSM):
[ x] ability to make/receive calls (also works from the steering wheel buttons)
[ x] phone book automatically synches to car (only the "favorites," this is a known limitation)
[ x] dial by name (without verbal training of system) (Works but name recognition is hit and miss)
[ x] calling name display (using adddress book)
[ x] ability to send/receive SMS (Yes but smses are received on and sent from the phone, not the iDrive screen - I've not tried the "BMW Service related" SMSs, like for when your car is ready for an oil change, etc.)

Overall very good but had some problems when I had "mobile write" third party app. enabled on my phone. Turned it off and is much more stable. I still have the occasional phone lock-up or reboot, but it's not often.

Voice quality is also good. Too bad about not synching the whole phonebook....
 
#615 ·
Blackberry 7290 and '08 535 xi

After updating the software on the T-Mobile Blackberry 7290 to version 4.1.0.377, the address book syncs perfectly, and I can make and receive calls. The address book did not sync with the older version of the software.
 
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