3g TCU upgrade, what cell carrier in the United States?

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marcomendoza

Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Messages
19
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Hi, I have 2014 Leaf and upgraded the TCU last year to the new 3g. It works well in the city (Los Angeles area) but I now live outside any cell coverage area. There is no cell coverage but I have a Verizon network extender which broadcasts 3g in my home and about 50 feet outside. The car is parked in the reception area, but I can't do anything with the app, it won't update the % charged much less activate the climate control (my main reason for using the app at home).

Just wondering which carrier 3g signal the Leaf uses, so maybe I can get a network extender specifically for the Leaf TCU.

I wish they would've had added WiFi when they upgraded, but I guess Nissan wasn't thinking that route.
 
marcomendoza said:
Hi, I have 2014 Leaf and upgraded the TCU last year to the new 3g. It works well in the city (Los Angeles area) but I now live outside any cell coverage area. There is no cell coverage but I have a Verizon network extender which broadcasts 3g in my home and about 50 feet outside. The car is parked in the reception area, but I can't do anything with the app, it won't update the % charged much less activate the climate control (my main reason for using the app at home).

Just wondering which carrier 3g signal the Leaf uses, so maybe I can get a network extender specifically for the Leaf TCU.

I wish they would've had added WiFi when they upgraded, but I guess Nissan wasn't thinking that route.

If you're outside the cellular coverage area, you're pretty much SOL. You could try one of the generic cellular extenders that covers the AT&T frequencies. You would need to mount the primary antenna as high in the air as possible to try and catch a signal to repeat to the car. The MicroCell available from AT&T won't work for the Leaf. You have to specify the phone numbers that are allowed to connect to the MicroCell. It is not displayed in the info system on the car, and getting the number from Nissan or AT&T might be next to impossible.
 
Thank you both for the quick replies. I am totally out of cell service, with high hills completely surrounding the house. My Verizon extender doesn't require a phone number unless you want to restrict it to certain numbers.

Are there AT&T extenders the same way? Are there any that don't need specific numbers to allow access?

Once again, thanks for the help.
 
marcomendoza said:
...

Are there AT&T extenders the same way? Are there any that don't need specific numbers to allow access?

...

No, the AT&T extenders only allow access to the specific numbers you specify. You need to have a wireless account with AT&T to activate one of their extenders and use it. Your only hope is one of the generic repeaters that is configured for the frequency bands AT&T uses. You might look at setting up a solar-powered unit on top of the hill with a directional repeater antenna pointed at your house.
 
I have the same problem. Very spotty coverage at my house.

Is like to know which carrier they used.

It doesn't have to be a Microcell from AT&T, if it's GSM, you can buy a generic GSM boosting
antenna , but if it's CDMA, you have to buy a generic CDMA boosting antenna.

Does anyone know which carrier they use and where the cellular antenna is located in the car?
 
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