Given my usual antipathy towards customer tracking technology, many would be surprised to know that I have a vehicle with OnStar.  They would be further surprised to know that it’s actually active and subscribed!  What can I say?  I guess we’re not always rational or consistent.  However, it should also be stated that I went into this knowing the full capabilities of the equipment, and further, knowing how to disable it if I so desired (i.e. I found some simple instructions on how to disconnect the unit).  Anyhow, I decided that the features of the service were worth the privacy tradeoff, but this isn’t the primary point of this post.

I recently saw that OnStar was offering regular diagnostics via email (i.e. you get a periodic email showing the overall state of several vehicle systems).  Since it was free I went ahead and enabled it to see how it would work.  Along the way I was looking at their FAQ and noticed some interesting things about the equipment.  In 2008 the FCC will allow cellphone carriers to discontinue service for analog cell service.  OnStar systems produced before 2004 are mostly analog, and in 2004 they introduced digital-ready systems.  The latest OnStar systems are analog/digital.  This means that there are three possible outcomes for the OnStar user in 2008:

1. Analog only system.

   Cannot be upgraded.  Service will end in 2008.

2. Digital-ready

   System will require an upgrade to the equipment to continue working

3. Analog/Digital

   System will work without interruption and no upgrade is needed

Since my truck is a 2004 model, it is possible that it has either the digital-ready or the digital system, depending on exactly when it was built.  The FAQ states that I should contact OnStar to find out exactly which it has.

Q2. What kind of hardware does my OnStar-equipped vehicle have?

A2. To determine the equipment type in an OnStar-equipped vehicle, you may:

1. Press the blue OnStar button in the vehicle and ask the OnStar Advisor to identify which equipment type was factory-installed in the vehicle.
2. Call OnStar toll-free at 1.888.206.0031, or to contact us online, click here. (Please have your OnStar account number or your vehicle identification number (VIN) available.)

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:

In November 2002, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled that wireless carriers will no longer be required to support the analog wireless network as of early 2008. As a result, beginning January 1, 2008, OnStar service in the U.S. and Canada will be available only through dual-mode (analog/digital) equipment.

For more information about the analog to digital transition, click here.

I actually like the idea of online support forms, since it allow an asynchronous communications method for answers to questions that aren’t high priority for me.  It means I don’t have to sit there on the phone and take up a lot of time waiting.  Unfortunately, I’ve noticed a trend for companies to answer online request forms with a message to call them.  I find this infuriating, since the whole point of online support forms is to get questions answered without calling.

I guess you can see where this is going now.  I followed their FAQ and submitted a question online to find out what kind of equipment I have.  The answer was less than helpful (I removed the rep’s name to be nice).

Dear Mr. Turner,

Thank you for taking the time to contact OnStar. Our goal is always to provide the safety, security and peace of mind that OnStar offers.

In order to properly identify your vehicle’s hardware and eligibility for the analog to digital hardware upgrade program, please press the blue OnStar button or contact us at 1.888.4.ONSTAR (1.888.466.7827).

Sincerely,

<name>
OnStar Information Specialist

I’ve heard this kind of excuse before from some companies.  They claim that in order to verify my identity I should call.  However, this problem is easily correctable by putting a contact form behind the member login.  I’ve seen companies that do this so that they know they’re dealing with the right person.  Still, though, if I have the account number and VIN, it wouldn’t have been a national security breach to tell me what kind of equipment was in the truck.

Needless to say, I was less than pleased, and wrote back to him that if OnStar isn’t going to accept online inquiries, then they should at least remove the instructions from their FAQ.  Amazingly enough, he replied to my email with the information I was seeking! 

Dear Mr. Turner,

Your vehicle was built with Analog/Digital-Ready hardware. This hardware is currently eligible for an upgrade to digital hardware. This upgrade will be required for your vehicle to be eligble for service beyond OnSatr’s analog sunset date of December 31, 2007.

A non refundable three year subscription purchase is required.

Payment for the three-year subscrioption is due to the dealership at the time the dealer performs the digital upgrade.

The pre paid subscription is tranferreable.

Please contact your dealer for an appointment.

If you have any other concerns, please feel free to contact the OnStar Customer Care Department at 1-888-4ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827), prompt 4, between the hours of 6am and 1am EST.

Sincerely,

<Name>
OnStar Information Specialist

(Interesting.  Anyone else notice the hours for calling?  Is this a mistake or a subtle hint to call at some time when he’s not there?  )

Hmm….  being peeved gets results for a change.  And no, I wasn’t rude to the rep, although I was a bit miffed and allowed the tone to come through.  My email is in the extended entry, though, just to show I’m not hiding anything in the exchange.

My response to the initial OnStar response:

From: <My email address />
Date: 10/19/05
To: <OnStar Email Address />
Subject: Re: Question [#<CaseNum />]

I hate to say this, but I was kind of expecting this answer,
because I have noticed a trend of companies giving this
response to online questions.

Frankly, I find this answer infuriating. Why?  Because your
own customer FAQ says that the online inquiry form is a
proper way to ask this question.  What’s the point of
having it if you can’t use it?

Specifically, let me quote from your own technical equipment
FAQ, Question 2, Answer 2, Section 2:
http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/explore/onstar_basics/helpful_info.jsp?info-view=tech_equip

“2.  Call OnStar toll-free at 1.888.206.0031, or to contact us online, click here. (Please have your OnStar account number or your vehicle identification number (VIN) available.)”

Notice the “click here” link.  I followed the instruction by clicking
the link and providing my account number (on the form) and the VIN (in
the text of the inquiry).

If you are not able to answer questions online, then please remove this
from the FAQ.

However, I will admit that the priority of the answer to this question
has dropped after I read other sections of the FAQ that stated that
the only way to get an upgrade for a digital-ready system in 2008
would be to purchase a three-year prepaid subscription.  If that’s
the only option, and if my system isn’t digital, I will end my OnStar
subscription at that time, as I will NOT pay for three years up front.