Got a Call From OnStar
07-17-2008, 07:48 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-17-2008
Location: MA
Posts: 74
Got a Call From OnStar
On the way to work yesterday, my phone started ringing and it was the OnStar guy. He activated my OnStar for me while I was stuck in traffic. He also told me that I have 30 days of "Directions and Connections" for free which I used for the first time. Worked pretty cool. I also found out you can setup trips on Mapquest and access them from your OnStar:
http://wireless.mapquest.com/send-onstar
I've always wanted Nav, but the "smash and grab" lowlifes are out of control in my area and I've resisted buying a Nav Device.
He also told me I have 30 minutes free on the phone and that I could buy 100 more minutes (good for 1 year) for $15. I tried the phone and it works awesome. I will probably link it to my wife's Verizon plan for $9.99 a month.
http://wireless.mapquest.com/send-onstar
I've always wanted Nav, but the "smash and grab" lowlifes are out of control in my area and I've resisted buying a Nav Device.
He also told me I have 30 minutes free on the phone and that I could buy 100 more minutes (good for 1 year) for $15. I tried the phone and it works awesome. I will probably link it to my wife's Verizon plan for $9.99 a month.
07-17-2008, 07:52 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-20-2006
Location: Hillsdale, Michigan
Posts: 21,640
We did our OnStar call with our Sales rep. Picked up the extra minutes for the phone as well. They are there in case of emergency or our cell is dead. Have called a couple times to find out locations of restaurants while we were on vacation. That worked out great. As for the turn by turn directions it is a good feature but not so good when you have 9 other cars following you and it needs to update directions 
This can take up to 2 minutes and if you are in an area with lots of exits you need to pull over until the update is done.
This can take up to 2 minutes and if you are in an area with lots of exits you need to pull over until the update is done.
07-17-2008, 08:04 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-26-2008
Location: Schaumburg, IL
Posts: 201
The built in OnStar phone is supposed to be very good quality. Nice that you have Verizon and can link into that . . . I have AT&T and no can do.
Directions and Connections is very neat, and slick the way they can download the directions to the DIC.
Neat info about Mapquest!
Directions and Connections is very neat, and slick the way they can download the directions to the DIC.
Neat info about Mapquest!
07-17-2008, 08:37 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-19-2006
Location: East Moline, IL
Posts: 611
As for the turn by turn directions it is a good feature but not so good when you have 9 other cars following you and it needs to update directions This can take up to 2 minutes and if you are in an area with lots of exits you need to pull over until the update is done.
This can take up to 2 minutes and if you are in an area with lots of exits you need to pull over until the update is done.
07-17-2008, 08:42 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-19-2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,454
I haven't tried the directions thing, i figured it might be cool to try but i have a TomTom that gets me where i need to go. Plus i'm a visual person, i don't want to just do it by listening.
Did the extra minutes as well. For $15 why not, and they're good for a year. Figure if i forget my cell phone they'll come in handy. Plus our rep said that the signal strength for the phone is about 7 times that of a normal cell phone, so it will work where most phones won't. He said when natural disasters have happened, and so much of the cell service goes out, people have been able to use their cars just fine, so that's always a good thing.
Love when i wanted to try out the phone on it, and i was running some errands, so i called my wife to ask her something from my cell phone, and said, i might call back if i had another question, and to keep her phone close. I just wanted to try the car though, so i get to the car and call her, and what do i get, voicemail...
Did the extra minutes as well. For $15 why not, and they're good for a year. Figure if i forget my cell phone they'll come in handy. Plus our rep said that the signal strength for the phone is about 7 times that of a normal cell phone, so it will work where most phones won't. He said when natural disasters have happened, and so much of the cell service goes out, people have been able to use their cars just fine, so that's always a good thing.
Love when i wanted to try out the phone on it, and i was running some errands, so i called my wife to ask her something from my cell phone, and said, i might call back if i had another question, and to keep her phone close. I just wanted to try the car though, so i get to the car and call her, and what do i get, voicemail...
07-17-2008, 08:55 AM
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-17-2008
Location: MA
Posts: 74
I haven't tried the directions thing, i figured it might be cool to try but i have a TomTom that gets me where i need to go. Plus i'm a visual person, i don't want to just do it by listening.
Did the extra minutes as well. For $15 why not, and they're good for a year. Figure if i forget my cell phone they'll come in handy. Plus our rep said that the signal strength for the phone is about 7 times that of a normal cell phone, so it will work where most phones won't. He said when natural disasters have happened, and so much of the cell service goes out, people have been able to use their cars just fine, so that's always a good thing.
Love when i wanted to try out the phone on it, and i was running some errands, so i called my wife to ask her something from my cell phone, and said, i might call back if i had another question, and to keep her phone close. I just wanted to try the car though, so i get to the car and call her, and what do i get, voicemail...
Did the extra minutes as well. For $15 why not, and they're good for a year. Figure if i forget my cell phone they'll come in handy. Plus our rep said that the signal strength for the phone is about 7 times that of a normal cell phone, so it will work where most phones won't. He said when natural disasters have happened, and so much of the cell service goes out, people have been able to use their cars just fine, so that's always a good thing.
Love when i wanted to try out the phone on it, and i was running some errands, so i called my wife to ask her something from my cell phone, and said, i might call back if i had another question, and to keep her phone close. I just wanted to try the car though, so i get to the car and call her, and what do i get, voicemail...
07-17-2008, 09:24 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-19-2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,454
ha, when i call my wife's phone i swear i get voicemail 95% of the time. She doesn't like the ringer to be loud, but won't carry it around the house with her, usually in the living room. So she never hears it. My phone is on the highest volume, and in my pocket at all times...
Love it when i specifically tell her to have the phone nearby, and it doesn't happen. I go on bike rides a lot and bring my cell phone just in case. The last time i was on a longer one ended up finding our chevy dealer's tent sale, and was looking at hhr's, which is how i ended up getting one sooner then i was thinking. So i call her 3 times, to say they have some hhrs that we should look at since before when we went they didn't have a model i wanted. She doesn't pick up once. So i ride home, and she's like oh, you're home, i was wondering if you were going to call. I'm like yeah, i called 3 times! But this happens every week. I call her 4 times and just get voicemail, but the she often doesn't check the voicemail, and just call back. So she says what did i want, and i say, it's all in the voicemail. Back and forth we go...
Love it when i specifically tell her to have the phone nearby, and it doesn't happen. I go on bike rides a lot and bring my cell phone just in case. The last time i was on a longer one ended up finding our chevy dealer's tent sale, and was looking at hhr's, which is how i ended up getting one sooner then i was thinking. So i call her 3 times, to say they have some hhrs that we should look at since before when we went they didn't have a model i wanted. She doesn't pick up once. So i ride home, and she's like oh, you're home, i was wondering if you were going to call. I'm like yeah, i called 3 times! But this happens every week. I call her 4 times and just get voicemail, but the she often doesn't check the voicemail, and just call back. So she says what did i want, and i say, it's all in the voicemail. Back and forth we go...
