My cell phone plan is through my employer and as such, they do not allow me to sign up for a data package. Data, if enabled, is charged to be at a per KB rate and that's very expensive if I use it and I have to pay for it myself.

So I rarely used it and then began having problems with data getting charged to my phone during middle of the night, when phone was turned off, and after changing hardware, arguing with Cingular, etc., I finally decided just to have Cingular turn off my ability to access the internet, send text messages, etc., since I don't use it anyway.

Question is, am I really shortchanging myself by not having AcuraLink as a result?

HFL for making calls works fine, but naturally, with no data plan with my cellular provider, I can't activate AcuraLink.

I'm just not sure it'd be worth changing my cell number, which is the only solution Cingular can come up with to prevent further unauthorized data charges if I activate data service, and paying the exorbitant fees, due to my company's plan.

 

How vital is it? Hmmm...vital is not the word I would choose. Slick, snappy, conveniant maybe.

Data link will allow AcuraLink to remind you of service appointments when you make them on the Owner Link Website. It also is a potential informational mechanism if Acura wanted to send you a message. Where it can be more valuable is if your car throws a trouble code, you can transmit it to the dealer via AcuraLink for diagnosis. I doubt they can download to the car, and even if they could reset a code via AcuraLink, I am not sure I would rely on that without a dealer service visit.

When you 1st set up AcuraLink, you get a message a day for 30 days to get familar with the system. the messages are purely informational 'tips' on features of the RL and use of them. But since then, the only messages I have received via AcuraLink have been reminders of Service Appointments I made online from OwnerLink website.

And as Chas mentions you have to be specific as to which cell carrier / phone combination you have. Many work with HFL, but few work with HLF & AcuraLink. I was considering a Blackberry, Treo orBlackJack with Cingular, but they do not do data with AcuraLink. So I'll just stick with the Moto Razr V3 which does both.