How Will the End of 3G Impact Your Mercedes-Benz?

By the end of 2022,mbrace®® service will be discontinued in all Mercedes-Benz vehicles built during or prior to model-year 2016. Select MY2017 models will also be impacted. 

Why are services being discontinued? Major U.S. cellular networks have been planning to decommission their 3G services for some time. The switch will let them provide better 4G and 5G services—but change comes at a cost. Find out when 3G services may be discontinued in your vehicle and explore potential solutions with Mercedes-Benz of San Antonio.

Vehicle Service & Care Tips

Which Mercedes-Benz Vehicles Are Impacted?

3G wireless made its commercial debut 2001, and many Mercedes-Benz vehicles have offered some form of 3G connectivity ever since. The full list of impacted vehicles is as follows:

  • All 3G-enabled models made from MY2020 to MY2016
  • 2017 C-Class Coupe
  • 2017 GLS
  • 2017 AMG® GT
  • 2017 S-Class cabriolet
  • 2017 S 65 AMG® Sedan

These vehicles all use a communication module known as the Emergency Call Support System, which can be identified by option code 348.

Other 2017 models were built with the HERMES LTE module (option code 362). If you’re not sure which setup is featured in your vehicle, just reach out to our team! 

When Will Your 3G Services Be Phased Out?

August 1, 2022

  • All models from MY2020 – MY2012
  • 2013 S-Class
  • 2014 AMG® SLS
  • 2013 CL-Class

December 1, 2022

  • 2013–16 C-Class
  • 2013–16 E-Class
  • 2013–16 CLS
  • 2013–16 M-Class / GLE
  • 2013–16 SL
  • 2013–16 GL
  • 2013–16 SLK / SLC
  • 2013–16 G-Class
  • 2013–15 GLK
  • 2014–16 B-Class
  • 2014–16 CLA
  • 2014–16 S-Class
  • 2015–16 AMG® GT
  • 2016 GLC
  • 2016 GLE Coupe
  • All impacted 2017 models

Which Services Are Impacted?

Each of the following services will go dark on the date listed above:

  • Any and all services tied to mbrace®, such as eCall and in-vehicle roadside assistance
  • WiFi™ hotspot
  • Remote services available via your MB App

The home, assist, finance and inspire features of your Mercedes me app will not be impacted. Bluetooth®, Navigation, Sirius XM Radio, and associated SXM traffic and weather services will likewise continue to function without change.

Can You Upgrade an Impacted Vehicle with 4G or 5G?

Mercedes-Benz will not offer the option to retrofit your vehicle with a 4G LTE interface. If you don’t want to give up the convenience offered bymbrace®, and you’re not yet ready to upgrade to a newer vehicle, you may wish to consider one or more third-party solutions.

Hum, by Verizon, is one such alternative. This product is serviced solely by Verizon, and is subject to their terms and conditions, but it’s still a good option for the San Antonio or Alamo Heights driver who wants to maintain the features that they’ve gotten used to.

We’re Here to Help!

The world is always changing—but Mercedes-Benz of San Antonio will continue to offer the same high-quality service that drivers have come to expect from our name! If you have questions about your vehicle’s features, or something seems as though it isn’t operating as intended, you can always schedule service and let us take a look! We’ll get you back on the roads of San Antonio or Shavano Park in no time.