silveradogrills

Now I know you cannot tap into onstars hands free system unless you want to pay for there minutes for use with your cell phone. But could something be put into the aux jack of the radio like a bluetooth adapter? It will play though the radio ya know. There is a product called the Jabra a210. It has a bluetooth attachment with a 2.5mm end on it to fit into the radio. Will it work possibly for phone calls?

hntfshak

I think Scosche has a BT adp for the new trucks. Check out there site.

traveltunes

I have Verizon Wireless service on three phones and I have it on the handsfree calling in the truck. All you have to do is call Verizon and tell them you want to add a line to your truck with OnStar and it will only cost you $9.99 a month, like I have. It is the same as adding a line to your exsisting service if you have Verizon. I found this is a really cheap way to do it and I get to split the 2400 minutes between all 4 phones. Pretty cool. Let us know what you decide.

NHSilverado

It is actually a LOT more than $9.99 extraa month for the Verizon/Onstar package for most folks. A BUTT LOAD more really. You are seeing such a small increase probably because you have multiple lines currently and a big monthly bill anyway. If you had a single line like most folks do it is a LOT more than $10 more p/month. Also, don't forget you have to be a paid Onstar subscriber to use the hands free feature as well. Your Verizon plan does not cover that part of it.

The minimum Verizon/Onstar package fee is $69.99 a month and you get 700 minutes with it and you can share the minutes between your Verizon cell and your Onstar truck phone. My current Verizon plan only runs me $39.95( 450 minutes of which I might use half in a busy month ). So, for me to upgrade to the Verizon/Onstar plan it would run me $30.05 extra p/month or $360.60 more p/year.

On top of the higher fee for the cell/truck phone you also MUST carry the minimum Safe & Sound Onstar plan to use the hands free feature. This is required IN ADDITION TO the higher Verizon bill you will have. The current price for the Safe & Sound plan is $16.95 p/ month or $199 for a year if paid in full at one time. Again, you can't use the hands free feature of Onstar without at least subscribing to the Safe & Sound plan and then you have to either buy Onstar minutes which are crazy expensive or do the Verizon plan which is also ungodly expensive.

Now, I "MIGHT" possibly have considered upgrading my Verizon plan but I have no desire to be an Onstar subscriber in the least. Being forced into that $17 a month Onstar plan was a deal breaker. Really ticks me off as well because I paid for all this Onstar crap in my truck, whichI didn't have a choice as to whether or not it was there, and yetI have to pay a small fortune to use it. Well, screw them I refuse. Just not worth the money it costs for me to use it. I would like to use the hands free part but the rest has zero appeal to me.

For me it would be $47.00 extra every month to use the hands free feature through Onstar when you figure having to buy the Onstar plan and then upgrade to the Verizon/Onstar plan which would almost double the cost of my current plan. $564 extra p/year and that doesn't include the taxes and extra fees. NO WAY that is a deal for me.

I can go out and buy a quality Bluetooth device from Parrott, Motorola, Blue Connect, etc... for approx $250 +/- and have my cell work through it and after less than 6 months I am ahead of where I would be with the crazy Onstar fees.

Onstar = BIG RIP OFF!

JMO and no offense to anyone meant.

traveltunes

NHSilverado:

Yes I do pay a lot or a "BUTT LOAD" for my service but it is still a lot less than getting minutes from OnStar alone. If someone chooses to use Bluetooth that's there own choice. I am strictly telling (silveradogrills) this was my alternative to purchasing the OnStar minutes. I know nothing about the Bluetooth way to go, so more power to you guy's on making it work.
It seems you took my post a little too directly. I was only telling silveradogrills my situation with hands free calling and OnStar. Everyone is entitled to be cheap if they see fit. I am glad to see you saved money on your decision with Bluetooth or whatever you decided. By buying the OnStar Safe and Sound Plan you don't only get to tie your Verizoncalling with it, you also get the comfort of knowing your doors can be unlocked by satellite and emergency GPS location and response if in the event of a crash. It will also locate you vehicle if it gets stolen, but you already knew that right.. So my point is you get what you pay for.

NHSilverado

I didn't take anything personal. Sorry if it came across that way. I get pretty HOT about Onstar topics as they are such rip off artists and we are forced to have their equipment in our vehicles now. PLUS we paid for that equipment when we bought the truck and they try and make us pay to use it = BS! Maybe that caused my post to seem like a hostile reply to you? Wasn't meant that way. Any hostility is towards Onstar and how they bend people over.

I was actuallly trying to explainto the guy that your claim of only $9.99 a month was not what everyone pays and that you never mentioned you had to also subscribe to a seperate Onstar plan starting at $16.95 p/month.I certainly understood your post and the point but you left a lot of info out that IMO the guy needed is all. Clearly he is not familiarwith Onstar and the services they offer so he may have thought for just $9.99 more p/month he could have had his hands free working. That just is nothow it is.$9.99 a month will not even cover your base Onstar plan never mind buying minutes or upgrading your Verizon plan. For most folks it is going to cost $25-$30 more for their cell service at least and if they are not Onstar subscribers like me then that cost also needs factoring in.

For you maybe the extra money is worth it. As I pointed out for me the entire cost would be $47 a month and that is flat out NUTS! If $26.94 p/month( or more if you have the premium Onstar service )for the Verizon and Onstar packages works for you then great. Congrat's. I personally think it is STILL too much for what you get. But that is just me. I am stingy with who gets my hard earned moeny.

I also don't consider it being "CHEAP" as you put it. That is a little offensive to me actually. I can get the same basic "hands free" function using Bluetooth technology and it can even run through the factory radio system like Onstar does at about 1/2 the p/year cost to do it through Onstar. Less than 6 months into it I am ahead of where I would be paying for Onstar/Verizon and I stop paying. With Onstar/Verizon I keep on paying month after month, year after year.

Agreed without Onstar I don't get the services that plan provides. Not a big loss to me though at all. In all honesty I have never needed the services they provide in 20 some years of driving. If I ever did then I haveAAA roadside assistance at $45 p/year , a cell phone, and a spare key in my wallet. Nothing Onstar can do for me that justifies $200 a month IMO and as I have stated for $250 +/- Bluetooth takes care of the hands free part. I see no need to spend all that extra money when for a tiny fraction of the cost I can get the same service.

No offense taken and none meant. Best of luck to you sir.