CPT8000 TDMA vs CDMA (archive)

Just in case anybody else has this problem, maybe I can save you some aggravation. I bought the CPT8000 phone kit in April, along with Voice Recognition, to go into my 2001 4.4i with NAV, CD, and Premium Sound. I chose to go with the Cingular TDMA unit, because Cingular covers great near my rural home, and I could keep my same old Cingular phone number. From day one, I had two problems. (1) When somebody would call me, and the phone was in the vehicle, about 60% of the time the phone would not ring at all. The only indication of a call coming in was that the radio would mute for 1/2 second, and the NAV display would show a picture of a ringing phone for that same 1/2 second. But I could answer the call fine if I happened to notice that short indication. And (2), I could NEVER adjust the volume of the phone call if I was using the handset (not hands-free) while connected to the vehicle. Over three months of working with the dealer to solve the problem, I went through 4 handsets, 2 TCU's, and installed a compensator. I called Motorola, and got through to somebody who told me flat out that they were aware of the problem, that it was a "timing problem" in the radio or the amplifier, and that BMW was working on a fix. I spoke with the regional BMW rep, and he knew nothing about that. I was impressed that the BMW rep actually drove out to my house (I live over 2 hours from the dealer), and he definitely saw the problem. But when we tried connecting HIS CPT8000 handset to my vehicle, everything always worked perfectly. His was a CDMA phone, on Verizon.

So ... I decided to just give up on Cingular TDMA, and switch to Verizon CDMA. The dealer swapped my TDMA handset for a CDMA unit, with no hassles whatsoever. (He was quite relieved to get the problem resolved.) A few days later I got a FedEx package from BMWNA in New Jersey, with a letter of apology for my difficulties, and three BMW gifts (a BMW blanket, a BMW umbrella, and a BMW keychain.)

The point is ... there is a compatibility problem somewhere between the BMW radio or NAV and the Motorola CPT8000 TDMA phone. And nobody knows how to fix it. Or at least they're not talking about it.

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