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GM doesn’t know or care how to update 2G to 5G

Jchasta
New Contributor

You’ve GOT to be kidding me!!! GM’s answer to updating is to provide an app for your phone???  Are they that backwards or are they waiting for the gov’t to provide them funding to perform this? It’s not like it happened overnight, they’ve had plenty of time to figure this out.  For goodness sake, everybody else has either provided an automated update or sent a replacement chip!!!  If it’s difficult to install, send the freakin parts to the dealer and send out notices.  This installing an app is not acceptable!!

And by the way, some people don’t have an android or iPhone for an app!!!  I have an older relative who has a flip phone (sigh) and will no longer have the Onstar service available to them!!!

Negligent and lazy. Calling it like I see it!!

55 REPLIES 55

ddavis78
New Contributor III

I totally agree! Since 2012 I've been paying for a service and now they are just going to shut it off? What about customer loyalty? I don't see any options to have a newer system installed either. I would definitely be doing it if they did.

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...

Guy
New Contributor III

Their app doesn't seem to offer value at $15 monthly. By choosing not to offer an integrated solution for pre-2015 vehicles, OnStar and GM are thumbing their noses at us. I'm furious about this, and I'll look elsewhere for a car with an integrated safety solution.

KurtM
New Contributor III

@Jchasta, there is a solution and it has been done before.  OnStar did a stellar job of addressing the problem for Canada back in 2015.  They've just elected to not provide the same solution for the US.

https://www.terrainforum.net/threads/onstar-announces-how-2g-to-4g-hardware-update-will-be-handled.9...

Since this was done once before (in 2015 in Canada), OnStar already knows how to do this and has sourced the 4G LTE hardware (for the upgrade) once before -- why not again?  They should run a quick focus group on 2G vehicle owners and pose the question of owner-paid upgrades (vs. OnStar paid) to see if it would be an acceptable solution (because the OnStar App is NOT acceptable). I for one would gladly pay out-of-pocket to upgrade my own car's OnStar module to a 4G LTE module to save Remote Key FOB (Remote Start, Remote Unlock/Lock), Stolen Vehicle Assistance, and all the other features I am losing in December 2022.  With vehicle ownership continuing to commonly exceed 10 years (especially with today's used car prices), I think many people would agree with me and pay out-of-pocket to upgrade their vehicle to 4G LTE at a dealership -- with hardware you sell to the vehicle owner.  Now THAT's customer service that shows you care.  OnStar, are you listening?

ddavis78
New Contributor III

So when the system stops working, does that mean my key fob no longer works either? That is totally unacceptable!!!

KurtM
New Contributor III

@ddavis78 no, your key fob will continue to work as normal.  You are just losing the Remote Key FOB functionality that was built into OnStar apps like MyCadillac.  You will no longer be able to initiate a remote start using an application with your phone.  You can still start your vehicle with your key fob as usual.

ddavis78
New Contributor III

Thank you for that info! Now if they would just update our systems, I'd be a happy camper!

hyperlexis
New Contributor II

The worst part is that the affected cars are not really that old!  8 years!  Thats not really that old in car years and there are millions of them on the road.  I'm sorry that phone app is total s--t and you'd have to be a fool to pay $15/mo for that, even for 7 people, even for tracking lost grandma, and even for the once in a blue moon roadside assistance.  You'd be a fool to even pay $5/mo frankly.  It's an obscene insult to millions (hundreds or thousands?) of OnStar users and GM has already made the calculation that it can weather most if not almost all legacy subscribers bailing. So threaten to quit all you want.  GM apparently wants us to.

Oh and BTW GM had a hardware fix for Canadian vehicles screwed over by their earlier 2G shutdown.  (See Service Bulletin: 16-NA-025).  So where is the US's hardware upgrade?  Where's our add on dongle to add 4G or 5G?  Oh nothing?  A sh--ty phone app that Google maps will already render mostly obsolete (auto crash detection) with no monthly fees is all we get?  Not acceptable GM and its likely going to take some real action to get their attention.

BowieJohn
New Contributor

I agree with KurtM - I would pay for an upgrade to 4G or 5G.