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What is the 2G network sunset and how does it affect my OnStar service?

Anonymous
Not applicable

As cellular carriers transition to 4G or 5G connectivity, vehicles using a 2G connection will lose OnStar service. In the U.S., most major network providers will complete the transition in December 2022. After the transition, 2G network connectivity will no longer be provided. The decision to sunset these networks was made by the wireless network providers and the need to upgrade to newer technology.


Certain GM vehicles on the road today currently leverage the 2G network for OnStar connectivity. Once the 2G network sunsets, the three-button interface in your vehicle will be deactivated.

9 REPLIES 9

williamskye
New Contributor II

17721
New Contributor

Evently they could care less about us or something different in Canada. 

I suggest everyone email Mary Barra and complain. 

vroomvroom
New Contributor

I wish that GM would offer an OnStar module upgrade to 4G LTE (like they did in Canada) so that I can continue to pay for OnStar for my 2013 Buick Regal that I plan to drive for 3-5 more years.  The remote key fob from my smartphone is very convenient in cold winters/hot summer days, and so is the piece of mind with automatic crash response.

ljschoepke
Contributor

I just wonder if everyone that currently has paid OnStar services and a 2G vehicles, cancels their service, how much will OnStar lose in revenue?  I will be cancelling mine...

ljschoepke
Contributor

How many GM vehicles that currently have 2G service is this going to affect?

ljschoepke
Contributor

What services will continue to work? ie. Bluetooth connection between cell phone and vehicle? Will this "hands free" connection still work?

ljschoepke
Contributor

Attn: Admin_Skylar

Please provide information as to what services will still work after the 2G shutdown.  ie. Bluetooth connection between our phones and vehicles.  Will the "hands free" still work?  Will spoken vehicle commands still work?  Please post here or direct us to where it is documented what will and will not work.  Thank you.

JasonDog3
New Contributor III

I've started a petition to get our vehicles upgraded: https://chng.it/RqCVdg85xC

KurtM
New Contributor III

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