[NY-Rob]

My 3-month data trial expires on July 6th, I don't have a data plan on my phone (and won't be adding it to my $100/yr pay-as-you-go phone)- so I was considering getting the OnStar $10/mo for 1GB or $150/yr for 20GB data plan. It would pretty much be used for Android Auto only as I have a SXM $99/yr plan for music.

My question is..... can you make any deals with OnStar if you hold out like you can with SXM?
SXM initially wanted $240/yr for service, but by holding out... they eventually offered me the $99/yr plan.
Will OnStar do something similar if you hold out or is always the published rates for OnStar?

 

[surgeonFWW]

Don't know the answer, but many will be watching the replies as we will face the same decision in the months ahead.

 

[Cardyin]

Yep. Mine just expired on 6/26, so I'll keep you posted if/when I hear something from them.

 

[bro1999]

Onstar is currently offering $20/month unlimited 4G LTE WIFI. Check it out: https://www.onstar.com/us/en/4glte-subscriber.html?source=ct#pricing-section

 

[NY-Rob]

Thanks Bro... I saw that.

But for just Android Auto... and only using that maybe just once/month "unlimited data" is way overkill.

I Know I can cache the google maps on my phone... but without data there will be no realtime traffic data.

Just looking to see if they'll offer a better deal for the minimum data plan which is listed at $10/month on the website......

 

[martinknutson]

Thanks Bro... I saw that.

But for just Android Auto... and only using that maybe just once/month "unlimited data" is way overkill.

I Know I can cache the google maps on my phone... but without data there will be no realtime traffic data.

Just looking to see if they'll offer a better deal for the minimum data plan which is listed at $10/month on the website......

I'm not sure I understand the above. When you use AA, you can use either the data plan on your phone, or the data plan for the Bolt's 4G hotspot. Unless your phone carrier has pretty weak data coverage, if you can't get data it will be true for both. There are very few places in California (I'm not saying none) where ATT has coverage and Verizon doesn't, or vice versa. FWIW, my experience in rural California, is that Verizon is almost always better (with the exception of the Big Sur coastline).

 

[NY-Rob]

^ I don't currently have and don't want to get a data plan for my Pay As You Go ATT "Go Phone"... so I'll get a minimal data plan for the Bolt for when I want to use AA from my phone.

 

[Cehjun]

without data there will be no real time traffic data

I haven’t found real time traffic data all that beneficial. For the app’s navigation route selection that is. Around here traffic is so unpredictable that the “best” recommended route you follow often turns out to be no good / stuffed with traffic by the time you get well into it. On a couple of occasions I’ve managed to avoid a traffic clog just by glancing at the map on the 10” screen and seeing a long red line ahead. Being practical that’s not worth paying monthly for 4G LTE WIFI. (Can often get traffic clog info on local AM radio. ) If I often carted around a bunch of people who wanted to surf, chat and check emails with their smartphones it might be a different matter.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Around here traffic is so unpredictable that the “best” recommended route you follow often turns out to be no good / stuffed with traffic by the time you get well into it.

I can well imagine thousands of Google Maps users' phones directing them to a currently uncongested route and thus creating congestion. I wonder if they'll ever make navigation smart and cooperative enough to route everyone based on where they're all going to be rather than just on current conditions. Sounds like a job for the AI technology that Google is developing.

 

[NY-Rob]

Circling back to this thread now that my 3-month trail OnStar data plan has officially expired two weeks ago...

They aren't offering any discounts on the published rates of $10/mo for 1GB or $150/yr for 20GB data plan.

 

[Cehjun]

After my free WIFI expired a few days ago. I found Siri somewhat cranky using cellular data. And Apple Maps w/carplay seems to chew up a lot of data. And when I load a route from my home wifi or from someone elses free wifi and then try to navigate offline. Apple maps chokes if you deviate at all from the prescribed route.

I really enjoyed the trial period goofing around with it. But if my spouse was in the car she’d whack me and tell me to concentrate on the road.

Google navigation seems to use a lot less cellular data. I’ll probably get a perch to sit in the cupholder to hold my iphone. And in rare occasions when I really need nav I'll use google navigation instead. I miss Siri w/apple maps though even though she got the destination right only about ½ of the time.

 

[Cehjun]

Todays Deals !

First I phoned Onstar and started to ask about using 4G LTE WiFi to stream SiriusXM. The operator apologized for lack of service today and offered me a $100 gift coupon to wallyworld. As compensation due to Onstar’s inability to help me today. No purchase necessary. When I was giving my address in Canada he apologized. The $100 bucks isn’t available to Canadians.

Then I called SiriusXM and asked them if they could help me with Onstar 4G LTE Wifi, because I was thinking of streaming SiriusXM rather than continuing my (second) XM subscription on my new Bolt after the free trial. Given that I’d already paid the internet fee ($4 month) and the Canadian music royalty fee $2.27 per month on my other vehicle. Well, the deals started flowing hot and heavy for Sirius XM. About 2/3 of current rate for my old existing vehicle and a supercheap rate for my new vehicle.

I’ll probably go with the SiriusXM two-subscription deal. Rather than ordering 4G LTE Wifi and streaming my existing one SiriusXM subscription to the Bolt via Wifi. I’m still a little sad about the diminished Siri w/carplay though.

 

[devbolt]

Streaming SiriusXM over a cellular connection will chew up a crapload of data. Way more than what Apple Maps and Siri was doing...

I reset my cellular data stats 2 months ago. Over that 2 month period, Maps has used a total of 136 MB of data.

 

[Cehjun]

This is what I think I’m ending up with by transmission source for music and navigation:

1.) Satellite: SXM under a super cheap second subscription
2.) WIFI: Google navigation offline for the rare circumstances when I need navigation. Most of the time I’d have loaded the map from home WIFI or someone else’s free WIFI
3.) Cellular data: Google navigation realtime. If I get desperate or forget to load map from WIFI.

Advantage: very cheap SXM and navigation. No need to upgrade my existing cheap cellular data plan. Can still buy a day’s worth of 4G LTE WIFI for 5 bucks if I want to impress someone.

Disadvantage: SIRI mothballed for navigation. I miss her Brit accent. Need a perch for my iphone. Don’t have in-car internet SXM which I think has better sound quality and listening options than satellite SXM. Although its more difficult to change channels with internet SXM.

EDIT: the Google navigation voice accent 'English U.K.' is quite good. (apply viaSettings\General\Language & Region\iphone language). Excellent Queen’s English. Although it sounds a bit like American translated to Brit. Siri’s downloaded Brit is better. More Londoner and impatient “I’m listening” sounds really good.