OnStar to discontinue service after 2007

[Rocinante]

When I bought my 2003, 2500HD, D/A GMC, one of the features I liked was the ONSTAR option. My wife and I love the safe feeling we have when traveling in remote places. On one occasion in 2004 we were traveling near Chinle, AZ, when our trailer caught fire while in-tow. Our cell phone had no signal, but we were able to contact help with ONSTAR. Now before you think that this is a paid advertisement for ONSTAR, let me share my concern.

All GMC vehicles to 2004

[Inspector]

In my opinion On Star is overrated. They are to expensive for the service you get. I have On Star in both my 2002 Envoy and 2003 LT Chev Duramax. If they hadn't already been part of the package I wouldn't have bought it. Same goes for XM radio. I'll be darned if I pay for radio. Both subscriptions have run out now and I will not be renewing. I agree they are gouging. If I have to get a hold of someone that badly I'll use my cell. Haven't been anywhere it didn't work.
Denny :rolleyes:

[Wing'n'it]

I agree that ONSTAR is not worth the money. Instead of paying that kind of money to upgrade, I'd get a portable or permanent hands-free car kit for my cell phone. The reason some people are able to get ONSTAR while not a cell phone receiption is because ONSTAR has a more efficent external antenna and a higher power transmitter, both of which can be addressed with the hands free kits.

I think GM really missed the boat by not signing deals with some of the major cell service providers allowing owners to select their own service provider and piggy back on their own cell plan. If that was available for a reasonable cost per month I'd be interested.

As for XM, I hate $12.95 per month, but I love my XM in the truck and on the computer.

Mike

[Rocinante]

OnStar has reached an agreement with Verizon wireless to use OnStar as a second line to your cellphone and share your minutes between them, including unlimited evenings and weekends. The catch is ... you MUST upgrade to digital and agree to the 3 year pre-paid commitment to get it!

[Chris Curran]

Originally posted by Inspector:
Same goes for XM radio. I'll be darned if I pay for radio. Both subscriptions have run out now and I will not be renewing. I agree they are gouging. If I have to get a hold of someone that badly I'll use my cell. Haven't been anywhere it didn't work.
Denny :rolleyes: LOL... I'm 44 and once upon a time I said "I'll never pay for radio" (or water or more than a $1.00 per gallon for gas, etc)... Then I did a long distance haul with the XM on and I was a convert. These days I simply cannot stand to listen to "normal" radio due to the constant stream of commercials and used car salesmen yelling at me while I drive. And that "info" button is way cool. Not missing a NASCAR race due to driving is real nice too. ;)

The in-truck cell phone is pricey to use, but, I bought a discounted package of 100 mins for 20 bucks to use when my hand-help cell is out of range (3 watts vs 0.25 watts - figure it out). I tend to wind up off into the deep woods frequently... places my wimpy little hand-held cell phone simply doesn't work.

ONSTAR? Yea, it is pricey too. But I buy it for both me and the wife. I like that if one of us breaks down, we don't need to know where we are - tell ONSTAR to figure it out via the GPS signal my truck is pumping out, then send the calvary. I spend more on my cable bill, and don't enjoy it near as much. ;)

[MBC]

Call Onstar with blue button on your mirror.You will find that they will upgrade for free if you agree to pay for 3 years of safe and sound up front.

[Rocinante]

The OnStar button in my truck is where I started. They told me to go to the dealer after April 1 and have it upgraded, they would pay. Ha! Ha! I went to the dealer and they said that this isn't true. I called OnStar Cust service, they told me that the upgrade was at my cost AND I would still have to pay for 3 years of service.

If you have had yours upgraded with OnStar footing the bill, please share the particulares with us, so that those of us who like the service can continue to receive it w/o the expense of paying the $575 for the privledge.

[Mudflap]

Last year we were off road in North Carolina back woods at night when I got off in some soft stuff that I couldn't dig out of. I had a weak signal on my cell but we had absolutely no idea where we were. (DUMB,DUMB,DUMB..). I pushed that little blue button that I have been paying for and I got this very reassuring female voice. She knew my name but more important exactly where I was. She called AAA for me and less than 1/2 hour later I was back on the road. Turns out she was in Canada. I think I'll keep OnStar, I like knowing I am not alone.

[VT_mountain_man]

Can you say ONRIPOFF!You can get AAA for less than $50 bucks a year and they have a lot more to offer, Ex; trip maps, discounts,towing,and a lot more. Onstar is like $17 a month over $200 a year and they charge extra if you use the phone per call. What a Rip-Off! What did you guys do back about 10 years ago without a cell phone or
Onstar ?

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Mountain Man,
I here ya brother, but nowadays my wife travels quite a bit and alot of the time she is by herself. On Star is pricey, but I feel a whole bunch better knowin' that she has a SAT phone along with her cell. Some of the places we go cell service ain't there and the SAT phone for ON Star always works...so far. We just talked to On Star and they WILL indeed upgrade your rig for free if you buy the 3 year subscription, and since we use Verizon anyways it isn't that bad of a deal for us. But, that's what I like about the good ol' U.S. of A.....we have a choice.
JP

[Steve N AZ]

I have both OnStar and XM. The OnStar is a waste of money IMO, but it was nice to use the hands free while driving, but honestly I can't say the signal is better if at all than a regular cell phone. There may be a few places where that's an exception. (A pricey one).

XM on the other hand, lets face it, most radio stations suck, most of the time and on long dist trips...what radio stations? I have XM at home on my cars/boat and work truck. Harldy ever use a CD anymore.

If you get something out of it, then it's worth it.

[Wing'n'it]

Heartbeat Hauler, ONSTAR is not a SAT phone. As delivered in your '01 it is an analog cellphone. The upgrade is to a digital cellphone (anybody know if it is GSM?). As such, it will only work when it has cell service. ONSTAR has a satelite component in that it has a built-in GPS receiver that passes the truck's current location back to ONSTAR. Lots of people say they can get ONSTAR service when their cell phones don't work, but I suspect that is only because of service agreements between the various cell service providers. The biggest problem is that the analog network soon will cease to exist as service providers complete the change to all digital networks to increase the number of subscribers they can service at any given time with the allocated bandwidth.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Bummer, oh well I think I'm still gonna get the upgrade. It makes me feel better knowin' my wife's 04 Sub will have an alternate means of communications in case she get's in a bind.
JP

[MBC]

My truck has been upgraded to digital service.The only cost is for three years service at time of install.

[olehoss]

MBC, I use OnStar frequently in my travels throughout the Valley of the Sun, and when I travel to the Northwest. Jest wanted o confirm that you called OnStar, and they paid for the ditigal upgrade after you agreed to a three year service contract. Did you bring your truck to a dealer for the upgrade or what?

[MBC]

Yes onstar paid for upgrade and dealer did install at no charge to me.

[sb359]

Will the upgrade from analog to digital be done at no charge if you purchase the safe and sound plan or do you have to buy the more expensive plans.IE -Directions & Connections or Luxury & Leisure plan.

[sb359]

PS phoned On star- Any package will do.