WiFi
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 928
From: Garden City New York
WiFi
OK I have zero use for this- I will not renew or buy any extra gigs etc- Are people doing a lot of surfing while driving around?????? I rarely have passengers most of them engaged in the vette experience not banging away on their devices. Will it stop reminding me when i dont renew?
Also On Star- Im not renewing that- what is it they possibly can provide that my iphone doesnt? Calling 911 automatically in an accident- Im in metro NY 1000 people will call in your accident before onStar would initiate a call, driving directions -seriously this is 2018 google maps or waze far superior to in car nav
Also On Star- Im not renewing that- what is it they possibly can provide that my iphone doesnt? Calling 911 automatically in an accident- Im in metro NY 1000 people will call in your accident before onStar would initiate a call, driving directions -seriously this is 2018 google maps or waze far superior to in car nav
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,884
Likes: 2,884
From: Toronto
Anyone with half a brain at GM knows that OnStar's days are limited. Especially with integration from AA and Apple. They are just trying to wring every cent they can out of it since the investment of creating it done.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
My question would be, if you are renewing, doesn't it follow that you ordered for some reason in the first place? Perhaps this was a free trail period. I agree with you, why bother? I mean the car will get no better signal than your cell phone already gets. And the reason for accessing the internet while driving would be for streaming stuff and otherwise getting info (like mapping/points of interest/traffic info).
Using the car's WiFi may be useful if only to allow you to connet something like Android Auto wirelessly 'cept there are two questions I'd need ot have answered. The first being do I have to pay for any data plan if my usage was only to do wireless AA and 2) is the current hardware capible of doing wireless AA. I don't know the answer to either or them and in general, while using AA, I often want it connected to the USB if for no other reason than to have it charging the battery.
Using the car's WiFi may be useful if only to allow you to connet something like Android Auto wirelessly 'cept there are two questions I'd need ot have answered. The first being do I have to pay for any data plan if my usage was only to do wireless AA and 2) is the current hardware capible of doing wireless AA. I don't know the answer to either or them and in general, while using AA, I often want it connected to the USB if for no other reason than to have it charging the battery.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 53,520
Likes: 77
From: Arizona
I originally thought that the service would allow me to listen to Pandora when I traveled in areas without cell coverage. I thought the signal would be from a satellite. But in reality it is just using local cell service.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 467
From: Colorado
So, yeah, I wonder as well what real value is there in vehicle WiFi...especially a Corvette? Tahoe's, Subrubans...SUV...etc...yeah, sure and my kids might find value in it. Onstar-Collision/Recovery - yeah, I could see that for peace of mind. All other services are useless especially with AA and Apple integration.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
It's not a matter of working for me or not - I suspect if I set up and paid for it it'd be defined as "works for me". However when you mean "works for me" is equivalent to a good deal you'd be wrong. Some deals are just bad deals when they offer stuff that you can readily and more easily (let alone a lot more up to date) for free then any deal that you pay for is dumb or at the very least, by definition, a waste of money.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 284
From: Ten Mile TN
WiFi in a corvette make no sense to me. I can't use it and drive. My wife is not likely to use it.
I can understand a Suburban or Yukon, or family car to use it to entertain children.
Onstar, never renewed it in any vehicle, and have had many GM's with it.
I can understand a Suburban or Yukon, or family car to use it to entertain children.
Onstar, never renewed it in any vehicle, and have had many GM's with it.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 25,583
Likes: 16,942
While in the age of ubiquitous cell phones, there is at least one scenario where OnStar could save your life. If you were to go off road, into the woods, or down an embankment in a lightly traveled area with no witnesses, and unconscious in the vehicle, it could be the only thing that gets EMTs to you in time.
The base OnStar package is pretty cheap insurance.
The base OnStar package is pretty cheap insurance.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,195
Likes: 479
From: Bonita Springs Florida
I can see where it could be usable for some folks. I always thought wife could use it w/ her tablet to surf and shop while we travel. We actually don't use it since our trips are short ones. But for a passenger w/ WiFi device, it does have some usefulness.
"Hot spot" seems to be becoming standard fare on many new cars. Sports cars are limited due to passenger capacity. In a sedan or SUV w/ kids or distracted passengers w/ tablets, can keep them happy and occupied while traveling or as an access point when parked at a car show or picnic area, If the Corvette didn't have it, while the Malibu did, there would be a outcry.
When rolling down the road I find listening to my thumb-drive music and watching the traffic around me to be all the entertainment I need.
"Hot spot" seems to be becoming standard fare on many new cars. Sports cars are limited due to passenger capacity. In a sedan or SUV w/ kids or distracted passengers w/ tablets, can keep them happy and occupied while traveling or as an access point when parked at a car show or picnic area, If the Corvette didn't have it, while the Malibu did, there would be a outcry.
When rolling down the road I find listening to my thumb-drive music and watching the traffic around me to be all the entertainment I need.
Advanced
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 68
Likes: 32
From: North Carolina
Allegedly, the wifi signal is stronger than that delivered directly to a phone. We experimented a good bit with this on a recent 4 hour drive to the beach on less traveled roads in NC and SC. We were simultaneously using a customized route with Android Auto and streaming Sirius 701 to the Infotainment center (not available on regular Sirius radio channels) using the same phone. The AT&T wifi signal was a surprising disappointment - very poor signal at times and long time drop outs, especially in the hinterlands of SC. The direct Verizon connection on my wife's Samsung S8+ was much better.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
I listen to music on my thumb-drive, music on my cell phone, mostly podcasts and audio books when I have along ride. Some things (TuneIn/Pandora/etc) stream things. I have a cell phone with and unlimited data plan. You can set up a hotspot on your phone directly and have your wife connect her tablet to it but many cell phone providers charge you extra for that (though there are ways around that too). But having to set up yet another data plan with AT&T and have yet another bill to manage/pay when the uses are that limited seems stupid to me or at least not worth the effort/agony.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 53,520
Likes: 77
From: Arizona
Allegedly, the wifi signal is stronger than that delivered directly to a phone. We experimented a good bit with this on a recent 4 hour drive to the beach on less traveled roads in NC and SC. We were simultaneously using a customized route with Android Auto and streaming Sirius 701 to the Infotainment center (not available on regular Sirius radio channels) using the same phone. The AT&T wifi signal was a surprising disappointment - very poor signal at times and long time drop outs, especially in the hinterlands of SC. The direct Verizon connection on my wife's Samsung S8+ was much better.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,486
Likes: 1,659
From: Las Vegas NV
Believe it. I am one of those owners who think it's worth it -- for the reasons Foosh outlines in his post above. In some emergency/crash situations, minutes are critical. OnStar knows who you are and where you are, immediately.
For people driving by a crash, unless they actually witness that crash happen, it's not unusual for them to think "well, I'm sure someone must have called that in already, and I'm already running late, so..."
I have the service level that provides crash notification/assistance (but not nav nor wifi), and I think for the minimal monthly cost (I think my discounted rate is like $11/month), it is indeed worth it to me.
I don't care if others think it is *not* worth it for them. YMMV. Buy it or don't. <shrug>
Last edited by Kent1999; Jun 26, 2018 at 03:28 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 53,520
Likes: 77
From: Arizona
Believe it. I am one of those owners who think it's worth it -- for the reasons Foosh outlines in his post above. In some emergency/crash situations, minutes are critical. OnStar knows who you are and where you are, immediately.
For people driving by a crash, unless they actually witness that crash happen, it's not unusual for them to think "well, I'm sure someone must have called that in already, and I'm already running late, so..."
I have the service level that provides crash notification/assistance (but not nav nor wifi), and I think for the minimal monthly cost (I think my discounted rate is like $11/month), it is indeed worth it to me.
I don't care if others think it is *not* worth it for them. YMMV. Buy it or don't. <shrug>
For people driving by a crash, unless they actually witness that crash happen, it's not unusual for them to think "well, I'm sure someone must have called that in already, and I'm already running late, so..."
I have the service level that provides crash notification/assistance (but not nav nor wifi), and I think for the minimal monthly cost (I think my discounted rate is like $11/month), it is indeed worth it to me.
I don't care if others think it is *not* worth it for them. YMMV. Buy it or don't. <shrug>