Tesla 5G modem connectivity upgrade for Model Y offers up to 2.4 Gbps download speeds
Tesla started to outfit its new Model Y and other vehicles coming out of the factory with a 5G cellular modem for much faster download speeds and lower latency.
The lucky Model Y units come with the Quectel AG555QGL modem that has already been tested and approved for use in Tesla vehicles by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This automotive 5G modem series offers up to 2.4 Gbps download and 550 Mbps upload speeds under the 5G NR networks of US carriers like T-Mobile, and up to 1.6 Gbps downloads and 200 Mbps uplink rates when in the range of LTE Advanced networks.
For comparison, the current 4G LTE modem that Tesla uses in its cars provides up to 100 Mbps downloads, which is a far cry from Premium Connectivity as its boastful paid connectivity option name entails.
In addition, the Quectel AG555QGL 5G modem can operate at an extended temperature range of -40°C to +85°C, covering nearly all working scenarios that a Tesla vehicle can be used in.
Tesla offers both Standard and Premium Connectivity options with its vehicles, but the free Standard version only serves in-car navigation. The Tesla Premium Connectivity option costs $9.99/month, or $99 for a year, and comes free with a few of Tesla's high-end vehicles like the new 2026 Model S and Model X refresh units in inventory.
For a Benjamin a year, however, Tesla only offers 4G LTE speeds because that's the modem it has been outfitting in its cars for a good while and owners have been resorting to third-party solutions like the VOS 5G travel modem with USB-C connector that carries a Qualcomm Snapdragon modem inside.
Now that Quectel's 5G modem is in Tesla's part replacement catalog under the "TELEMATICS CONTROL UNIT TCU - GEN II" entry, Tesla is fragmenting its vehicles once more, this time by the speed of their Internet connection and it is not clear if retrofits will be possible, like with the move from a 3G to a 4G modem that could be done at a Tesla Service Center.
Since Premium Connectivity is used by Tesla's Grok AI assistant or the Sentry Mode and Dog Mode live view camera services, switching to 5G speeds will allow a much smoother connectivity experience for the myriad of Tesla services that now demand it.
