Why it matters to you
If you’ve got a lot of cars to keep track of, T-Mobile’s SyncUp service is here to help. It can now manage up to 24 cars at one time.
T-Mobile, the self-styled “Un-carrier,” is making it easier to keep track of your loved ones — and their hot rods. On Monday, it announced a free upgrade to the SyncUp Drive program that will let current customers track and manage up to 24 vehicles from the SyncUp Drive app.
T-Mobile introduced SyncUp as part of a platform designed to provide “4G LTE connectivity, driving analysis, vehicle tracking, and maintenance monitoring.” It comes in the form of a dongle that plugs into a car’s OBD-II port, and it is T-Mobile’s answer to the connected-car trend: Hassle-free mobile Wi-Fi for any car in your family’s — or company’s — fleet.
Now, SyncUp Drive does more. From the companion app for iOS and Android devices, you can track a fleet of vehicles on a single map — and even customize them with unique icons and colors.
T-Mobile is positioning this as an enterprise feature. It’s easier to manage a fleet of vehicles from the SyncUp dashboard, now, and to route vehicles based on their current location.
“This is what the Un-carrier does — gives you more without asking more! Last month, we gave SyncUP Drive customers roadside assistance, and now we’re giving them the ability to track all their vehicles in one place – all at no extra charge,” John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile, said in a statement. “I know moms and dads are gonna love being able to keep an eye on all their family cars, and businesses are going to have their minds blown by how easy it is to track and manage an entire fleet with SyncUP Drive.”
Otherwise, SyncUp is pretty much the same as it was before today’s update. You can set up geographic boundaries in the SyncUp Drive app that trigger text alerts when you cross a boundary — a useful check on free-spirited teenagers, T-Mobile points out. And you get access to real-time diagnostics and maintenance information, and analytics that warn your about dangerous driving behaviors like speeding, harsh breaking, rapid accelerations, and more.
SyncUp also comes with free roadside assistance. You can connect to a dedicated Allstate Motor Club customer service team member via the SyncUp Drive app, and get tows and tire replacements on demand.
SyncUp is available on a subscription basis. It normally costs $150, but T-Mobile is running a promotion that substantially discounts the price. For a limited time, you can get 2GB of data (or higher) for $48 with a 24-month no-cost finance agreement.
“With T-Mobile SyncUp Drive, you have a new way to ride on America’s fastest nationwide 4G LTE network,” Legere said. “We’re making it radically simpler for customers to connect their cars with a complete, all-in-one package.”