OnStar Cost $14.99 Per Month On New Truck

unit · May 2, 2020

I received an email from OnStar today with a notice that OnStar was running out on my 2020 Silverado 2500HD. I called the number listed in the email and was told that price for using the My.Chevrolet app on my phone is now $14.99 per month. I told the tech that I was under the impression that the app was free for the first five years and he said that GM had changed from free to the price stated. I'm more than a little flabbergasted and pretty angry over this fee. I have a 2019 Ford F-150 with the Ford Pass app and it's free for the life of the truck. I can live without the convenience the app provides but I'm pretty sure my next car or truck won't be a GM if this isn't corrected.

davester · May 2, 2020

It's been years since GM did this change.

If whoever sold you the truck said it was free for five years, you need to take it up with them...

If you just remember how it was with the last GM vehicle you purchased, well, that's on you for not finding out.

SilveradoX2 · May 2, 2020

When I bought our 2018 GMC we weren't told it was free for 5 years, only 6 months. I wouldn't change brands because OnStar wasn't free. Right now GM P/Us are taking the lead back from Ford.

ChuckTaylor · May 2, 2020

I pay $15/month for my Ford -- but that is for unlimited, unthrottled 4G internet. $15 for onstar is rediculous.

davester · May 3, 2020

43 minutes ago, ChuckTaylor said:

I pay $15/month for my Ford -- but that is for unlimited, unthrottled 4G internet. $15 for onstar is rediculous.

Onstar is entirely different from wireless internet access. You can add wireless internet access to an onstar account, but onstar itself provides an entirely different "service".

Bob2C · May 3, 2020

15 per month is for the app remote start and remote unlock. Onstar is another 25 bucks. If you call them and haggle you can get both for 25 a month. If you just want the app to remote start and unlock your car it can be had for 99 a year if you pay upfront. The unlimited WiFi can be had for 200 a year. Can be bought through the app. Watch it carefully the price changes daily. If you call and cancel onstar they usually will throw a few months free to retain you. I have been doing it for a year. I only paid for 4 months. Just haggle low price for a few months. Then call and cancel. They don’t want you to so they will give a few months free. Just like Sirius Xm. Hope this helps

ChuckTaylor · May 3, 2020

I guess my point is - the unlock my car, check gas level part is free, when I pay the $15/month I get unlimited internet. So remote access: Ford Free, GM $150/year. Ford internet $180/year, GM $480. Feels a little rediculous.

migrabill · May 3, 2020

1 hour ago, Bob2C said:

15 per month is for the app remote start and remote unlock. Onstar is another 25 bucks. If you call them and haggle you can get both for 25 a month. If you just want the app to remote start and unlock your car it can be had for 99 a year if you pay upfront. The unlimited WiFi can be had for 200 a year. Can be bought through the app. Watch it carefully the price changes daily. If you call and cancel onstar they usually will throw a few months free to retain you. I have been doing it for a year. I only paid for 4 months. Just haggle low price for a few months. Then call and cancel. They don’t want you to so they will give a few months free. Just like Sirius Xm. Hope this helps

Bob- I have a question. I'm not too internet/techy savy. I have the unlimited Data plan. Paid $200 for a year of it. My question - what exactly is it doing for me? I know it makes my truck a hot spot. Does that just mean my cell phone can have wifi from my truck if I'm in an area where my cell phone cant pick it up normally? I also used to listen to Pandora in my truck. At some point I stopped being able to do that. It always said "loading" and never did. Once I paid for this plan, I can listen to Pandora again. Was that a coincidence, or is this "plan" doing that for me?

Thanx for your time- Bill

davester · May 3, 2020

3 hours ago, migrabill said:

Bob- I have a question. I'm not too internet/techy savy. I have the unlimited Data plan. Paid $200 for a year of it. My question - what exactly is it doing for me? I know it makes my truck a hot spot. Does that just mean my cell phone can have wifi from my truck if I'm in an area where my cell phone cant pick it up normally? I also used to listen to Pandora in my truck. At some point I stopped being able to do that. It always said "loading" and never did. Once I paid for this plan, I can listen to Pandora again. Was that a coincidence, or is this "plan" doing that for me?

Thanx for your time- Bill

Assuming your cell phone uses a different provider (say T-Mobile) than what GM outsources their cell service to (currently AT&T I believe, but I'm not entirely sure), then yes, your phone could get internet access via your truck if you are in an area where your phone can't connect to t-mobile.

But, if you use AT&T (or the same provider that GM outsources to), then it's unlikely your truck will get a signal that your phone can't.

And yes, the plan is enabling Pandora to work. You could also do it via your phone, if you wanted to ditch the internet plan for the truck.

If it's just you primarily in your truck, then, IMHO it's less useful. If you also have an S.O. and/or children regularly in the truck, then perhaps it becomes more useful for them to be occupied while you drive...

Bob2C · May 3, 2020

Bob- I have a question. I'm not too internet/techy savy. I have the unlimited Data plan. Paid $200 for a year of it. My question - what exactly is it doing for me? I know it makes my truck a hot spot. Does that just mean my cell phone can have wifi from my truck if I'm in an area where my cell phone cant pick it up normally? I also used to listen to Pandora in my truck. At some point I stopped being able to do that. It always said "loading" and never did. Once I paid for this plan, I can listen to Pandora again. Was that a coincidence, or is this "plan" doing that for me?
Thanx for your time- Bill

Yes if you connect your cell phone to the trucks hotspot you can have service where your phone doesn’t. If you have WiFi calling setup on your phone you can also make calls if you have no cell phone signal on your phone and your truck does. I find the download speed to be much slower than my phone. It’s prepaid data so your like a second class citizen behind att postpaid customers. If lots of people in your area are using data you will get de prioritized. I too at times have the spinning circle. I listen to iHeartRadio radio. I guess I could hit spot my phone to the truck and save money, but with iPhones I also had to manually connect and it would disconnect if I stopped using the connection. Just a pain. Hope this answers your questions

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Bob2C · May 3, 2020

Assuming your cell phone uses a different provider (say T-Mobile) than what GM outsources their cell service to (currently AT&T I believe, but I'm not entirely sure), then yes, your phone could get internet access via your truck if you are in an area where your phone can't connect to t-mobile.

But, if you use AT&T (or the same provider that GM outsources to), then it's unlikely your truck will get a signal that your phone can't.

And yes, the plan is enabling Pandora to work. You could also do it via your phone, if you wanted to ditch the internet plan for the truck.

If it's just you primarily in your truck, then, IMHO it's less useful. If you also have an S.O. and/or children regularly in the truck, then perhaps it becomes more useful for them to be occupied while you drive...

I use cricket which is att and at times in some back roads I had no cell phone, but had one bar in truck and was able to use data. So in some rare circumstances it does work over phone. The truck emits more wattage than our phones.

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ChuckTaylor · May 4, 2020

I wouldn't be surprised if the modem in the truck doesn't support MIMO or carrier aggregation either. Most of the retrofrits for big rigs aren't either.

sdelam · May 4, 2020

You also need a data plan to get traffic updates in the Nav system, I think google maps is way better at this but i like having the nav in the HUD. If only we could integrate carplay/android auto into the HUD.

migrabill · May 4, 2020

37 minutes ago, sdelam said:

You also need a data plan to get traffic updates in the Nav system, I think google maps is way better at this but i like having the nav in the HUD. If only we could integrate carplay/android auto into the HUD.

That's a big part of why I paid the 200 bucks for a year. I really like having the next turn in the HUD.

MaverickZ71 · May 4, 2020

Dudes on here have no problem whatsoever paying $60-70K+ for a new truck every few years (to pull their expensive camper and/or boat and haul their ATVs), and instantly start in on the expensive vehicle mods, but another $14.99 for the app is just too much and triggers the snowflake responses (WAAAAH!) and trying to scam OnStar and SiriusXM for free service. Go take a long look in the mirror, ya greedy bastids. The rest of us honest people don't like having to subsidize your scam artist efforts.