NavyBlue2

Just got an "Special Savings Offer" email from OnStar:

"Buy 60 Hands-Free Calling minutes for only $4.99, or get 300 minutes for $9.99..."

I already declined once before, upon initial setup with OnStar when leaving the dealership. I was hesitant about giving my credit card number also.

I carry my smart cell phone with me 99.9% of the time.
So what are these hands-free calling minutes for?
& are they worth it?

nmerhaut

I always wait for the 300 min for $9.99. I use the OnStar phone and when traveling it works where my Verizon may not-very powerful and good insurance. Some love it, others don't. Your choice.

-CM-

I don't talk on the phone in my car, so they are useless to me at any price.

Definitely do not give your credit card number to OnStar or Sirus/XM. There are countless threads about this here and on the C6 forum.

GM-4-LIFE

I have so many OnStar minutes and I will most likely never use them. I do believe in the OnStar crash notification services though. They sent help when my wife was in an accident and badly shattered her wrist. She couldn't call for help and was dazed in the accident. Within minutes Police, Fire and EMS were there getting her out of the car. After that incident, I vowed to NEVER own a car without OnStar. It's cheap insurance knowing my wife and kids are safe and help is never far away.

Steve_R

I wouldn't "buy" them if it was free. Why do you need cell phone minutes from OnStar if you have a cell phone? Their claims about those minutes is a borderline scam.

red2012

How so?

Bucknut2006

I buy the minutes as a backup. Have left my cell phone at home/work and haven't realized it until too late. You can also opt-out of continual billing with OnStar to avoid unwanted billing.

C7Joy

I am on "pay as you go" with OnStar, no credit card!

Steve_R

They cost lots more than minutes on any cell phone plan. They also claim it will work where there's no signal for your cell phone, which is simply a lie.

owc6

They are like insurance.

You buy it hoping you'll never need it, but it sure comes in handy if you do. I have been known to leave w/o my phone, and for sure have driven through areas w/o cell coverage.

It's a risk-reward situation if you ask me. Everyone who has this car makes this decision, whether they realize it or not.

NavyBlue2

Can someone pls clarify that once I'm out of T-Mobile cell phone coverage area, the On-Star minutes uses satellite signal, thus ensuring that in emergencies, we still have cell phone signal via OnStar's satellite?

Thanks,

BIC

OnStar through 2014 models use Verizon 3G for voice calling. Most 2015 OnStar models use AT&T 4G LTE. I doubt that OnStar uses any satellite phone service. You may be confusing that with OnStar's utilization of GPS for locating the car.

runutzzzzz

It's still cellular. Since you have T-Mobile, aren't you always out of their coverage area?

The OnStar cellular is able to pick up signals much better than any cellphone.

I purchased minutes because you just never know if you leave your cellphone behind, lose your cellphone or break it.

Thunder22

I've never heard that claim. They do say that the antenna is stronger in the car than on your phone, so in an area with very weak signal, the car might pick up a weak signal better than your phone.

aj98

Depends.

300 minutes at 9.99 is 3.3c / minute.

On a "double minute" plan, tracphone (my carrier) is
about 6c / minute.

Tracphone works out to average about 10/month

To that end, either route is cheaper than 39.99+ /month for "normal" cell service. (which I can't justify b/c of how little I use the phone)

That said, having cell time in the car can be convenient, as others have stated, regardless of carrier, you can have dead phone battery, left it at home, whatever.


Be aware once the free trial period ends, Onstar will require you have the basic safe/secure plan for 19 and change, plus the cost of minutes.

NavyBlue2

Thanks for the responses.

Yes, my T-Mobile signal sucks, esp inside car with tinted windows. That's why I'm looking into this.

I don't plan to continue with OnStar plan after the initial free trial period.
So will those leftover minutes go away also?

Bucknut2006

They are a use or lose deal.

red2012

In case you haven't read, the topic of this thread was:
"Buy 60 Hands-Free Calling minutes for only $4.99, or get 300 minutes for $9.99..."
Nobody was talking about the regular rates Onstar charges for minutes. It also does work where your cell phone does not as I had it happen to me many a time where I was in a dead cell area but Onstar worked every time with no drops. Onstar's cell phone uses a 3 watt transmitter where I think a hand held cell phone pushes 1-1.5 watts, could be the difference right there.

Bill Dearborn

I don't worry about my credit card with OnStar. They do put you in continuous coverage which means once your subscription expires they put you on a monthly rate unless you call and cancel which is pretty painless. The OnStar phone is so much better than any hand held phone that if you have an important call to make while on the road you want to do it through OnStar. The system has a far better antenna so you don't get all of the dropped calls or hash and the phone even works in fringe areas where hand helds indicate No Service. I don't use mine much but when I need to make a call that will go through I use it. It is amazing how clear the communication is on both sides of the conversation.

Bill

Rave

Please fill us in on how that works. I wasn't aware that was an option.