OnStar Customers want a better solution for 2G Network Sunset

[KurtM]

So, I've spent part of the morning looking at post after post lamenting the loss of key services (OnStar Remote FOB, Remote Start, Remote Lock/Unlock, Stolen Vehicle Assistance, Automatic Crash Detection) due to the 2G Cellular Network shutdown.  OnStar's solution is a downloadable App on my phone (Guardian) for "key services" (I would argue with that statement). The previous "dongle" solution (announced in 2021) was half-baked too.  No solutions presented so far are acceptable replacements for a depended upon service.

GM/OnStar, you had the perfect solution and brilliantly implemented it once before -- because this is Canada 2015 all over again.  Canada shut down its 2G CDMA network and you provided a set of 4G LTE-related hardware to upgrade affected vehicles -- complete with dealer Service Bulletins and everything.   I understand that you provided this before as a no-cost upgrade to your customers and I certainly wouldn't expect you to upgrade my 2012 Cadillac CTS Sedan at no cost to me.  However, you already know how to do the upgrade, you have already trained dealerships before and even have the Service Bulletins already developed (GM of Canada Service Bulletin 15-08-44-001J in case you've lost it). 

Why on earth are you not offering this to your customers as an out-of-pocket option for a dealer-installed upgrade?  I would gladly pay to have my 2G hardware upgraded to 4G LTE (which would also get me a sweet in-vehicle hotspot I suspect) using my own money.  I love my car.  I don't want to get a new(er) car. But I am heartbroken that I'm losing one of the best features of the car (in my opinion).

[KurtM]

And so on Thanksgiving Day, after enjoying a fabulous meal at my daughter's house, I used the myCadillac app on my phone to remote start my car and warm it up before braving the elements and the cold -- or so I thought I would. My Remote Start button was gone from my app. Fearing the worst, I went out and got into my car and saw that the OnStar light was dark. Yes, that's right, GM sent me a Thanksgiving present and while I was eating dinner and giving thanks, they disconnected my OnStar on my 2012 Cadillac.

I knew it was coming and yet just the same I was pissed off. On Thanksgiving Day GM? Way to rub salt into the wound! Here's the funny thing (well, maybe one day it will seem funny). I pushed my OnStar button out of frustration and anger (and may have even used my middle finger to push it) and imagine my shock when I hear the OnStar voice advising me to push it again if I wanted to connect my car to the OnStar service (or something to that effect). Now intrigued, because apparently I still had 2G CDMA service since my car was able to remotely figure out that it had been disconnected, I pushed the OnStar button again and found myself connected to and speaking with an OnStar advisor!

I explained to the nice person on the other end that the reason for my call was that I was confused about the situation. I had just entered my vehicle and found my OnStar service disconnected, yet here I was using the 2G CDMA OnStar network to speak with her. She politely asked me to hold on while she looked up my account details (apparently she could still get her system to find me) and verified that this was regarding the 2012 Cadillac. She then asked if I was aware that GM was being forced to switch the owners of older vehicles.to their Guardian App. I said I was and that it was my understanding that it would happen in DECEMBER 2022, not on Thanksgiving Day in NOVEMBER.

She apologized and said that GM has already been rolling out the disconnections. I asked how it was that she and I were able to still talk through the OnStar button. I mean obviously, 2G CDMA hadn't disappeared yet. She said that the ability to speak to an OnStar Advisor was the last thing that GM would disconnect -- on December 31, 2022.

As we ended the call, she asked if there was anything else she could help me with -- and I replied "Besides saying goodbye to an estimated 1.5 million OnStar customers and their revenue? Yeah, tell me when GM is going to offer a hardware solution that I can purchase to upgrade my 2G CDMA OnStar module to a 4G LTE version." Of course, there was no solution to offer. Happy Thanksgiving GM.

P.S. Here's a petition that I encourage you to sign if that pissed you off as well (takes less than 4 minutes) -- https://chng.it/f8JmG4yxvY

[Dstits]

Sorry to hear the story on the 2012 Cadillac. General Motors obviously doesn’t care about pissing off customers through poor support and planning. 4GLTE (long term evolution) dates back to 2010, and GM continued producing the 2G Onstar units through 2015 already knowing they were obsolete. My 2014 Equinox Onstar was deactivated weeks ago, in fact 7 weeks before the sunset. GM did the right thing for the Canadian customers, upgraded the hardware, and maintained service. To the US customers, GM said “Screw You”. After 57 years of buying GM cars, this was the last straw.

[Bleudiesel]

Dear Customer Service,
Thank you very much for sending me so many emails over the past year regarding the termination of the old cellular network.
I admit I did not pay much attention until my services were abruptly terminated in November for my 2010 CTS Wagon.
Speaking with many OnStar agents today, it is obvious that OnStar has no plan to help me change out the hardware.

When my 2008 Silverado needed new hardware, OnStar supplied that and I have assumed that OnStar would continue to do this service.

It seems an egregious failure of customer service to throw us loyal GM customers under the bus so to speak.

I am willing to pay to have my 3 vehicles upgraded to 4G and 5G service, I sure can't contemplate upgrading the vehicles!
GM is justifiably proud of its reliability, I remember seeing advertisements that over 90% of GM trucks more than 20 years were still on the road!
In any case let me know what can be done.

My wife and I are older and we depend on OnStar services for maintenance and peace of mind. We have used all the features of OnStar at one time or another. The OnStar agents have been without exception very helpful, thoughtful and compassionate.

[diggerdegroff]

Petition to General Motors to change their stance.

https://www.change.org/p/gm-should-upgrade-onstar-hardware-for-2g-equipped-vehicles?utm_content=cl_s...

[ToddBallew]

if you have a cadillac  2013, 2014  Here is one of the parts you will need. It's for sale in Canada here https://hg.mygmparts.ca/oem-parts/gm-f-module-23230538 and this bulletin will tell you what part you need for what vehicle. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/MC-10113654-9999.pdf  You will have to pay out of pocket. plus pay the dealership to program it for you. They may install it as well, for a fee.