Why is OnStar data so incredibly expensive compared to USA? USA gets unlimited data for $20/month where Canada can buy 10GB data @ $75/month for example. Not even close rates - and it seems like they're gouging Canada. If USA has limited at $20/month Canada should have it at no more than $30/month.
OnStar Canada
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Here, here. They called me yesterday as my 3 month, 3GB trial was coming to an end asking if I wanted to hear about their rates. I told the guy I'm not interested until we get near the same rates as the States.
It is truly pathetic the amount we pay for cell phone and data usage in Canada.
Kev
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595 Posts
Unfortunately OnStar is likely at the mercy of our horrible Canadian cellular carriers, in the end...so they get shafted, we get shafted down the line. Rogers just today announced that data overage fees on their plans are $70 per Gigabyte now - yes, you read that right - $70 for ONE GIGABYTE of overage on any of their data plans.
There's the problem. It's not OnStar, it's Rogers, Bell, and Telus.
Yes, the plans are ridiculous (Albeit it's probably not entirely OnStar to blame), and once our 3 month trial runs out we certainly won't be renewing either.
There's the problem. It's not OnStar, it's Rogers, Bell, and Telus.
Yes, the plans are ridiculous (Albeit it's probably not entirely OnStar to blame), and once our 3 month trial runs out we certainly won't be renewing either.
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Correct for Onstar in Canada they need to negotiate with the Canadian telecoms. So the rates will be a function of that.
But onstar also needs to negotiate better deals due volumes. I am on a share work plan with Bell where it's $50/month for 12 gb with minimum of 3 members in a share package. If Onstar can get 1000 owners on a "share plan" with one of the bid 3,, they should be able to offer something better than $75/month for 10 GB. If not unlimited they should be able to get something better due to volumes like $20/month for 10 GB, etc. The current rates are ridiculous and it's like they're really marking it up big time.
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I pay $40 per month for unlimited data from Bell, a holdover from the second smartphone they ever sold (HTC 6800) For years it was the only plan they wouldn't provision for LTE, then a couple years ago LTE magically appeared.
When I did have the 3 month demo in my Volt, everything was coming up AT&T even though it was technically connecting through the Bellus network. I suspect some funky roaming agreement is in place.
When I did have the 3 month demo in my Volt, everything was coming up AT&T even though it was technically connecting through the Bellus network. I suspect some funky roaming agreement is in place.
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If you ever decide you don't need that anymore, let me know.
This could be adding to the price for sure, the possibility that OnStar is basically just using an AT&T plan that's just roaming all the time on this side of the border.
But yes, it would seem that with their subscriber numbers they could negotiate something better..unless this is indeed just a case of crazy markups on behalf of OnStar. I suspect it's a mix of both things.
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Has anyone got the OnStar upgrade for their Volt? My 2012 doesn't connect and I want the basic app features. I was told that the upgrade module is free if I subscribe to a premium plan for $20/mo
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It was free until a few months ago as long as you subscribed for a year or something like that, but now it's a $400 hardware fee.
I just went through this a month or so ago, got into a long debate with the dealership who sold us our Volt (having been advertised with working OnStar) only to find out afterwards that it was dead because the previous owner never did the hardware update when they could have for minimal cost.
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Damn that sucks if there's a fee and a subscription cost. I may be willing to pay $400 if it goes straight into basic mode.
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595 Posts
For what it's worth the upgrade fee does include a few months of the deluxe service, as well as a year or two of the basic service if I recall correctly after it expires. The
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I'm gonna call Onstar later and see what I can get. I wanna do the upgrade before I send my radio unit away for reprogramming, I want to install a back up camera.
Their plans are AT&T roaming on Canadian networks
So you've got
real cost * robelus factor (1000x) * AT&T factor (2x) * "Canada Tax" (1.25x) = several times more expensive than it should be.
Base wholesale rates for anyone to roam is 2c/MB ($20/GB)
So Onstar's rates aren't that bad in comparison. But they're still higher because it's roaming and not a native on-network contract with Belus.
So you've got
real cost * robelus factor (1000x) * AT&T factor (2x) * "Canada Tax" (1.25x) = several times more expensive than it should be.
Base wholesale rates for anyone to roam is 2c/MB ($20/GB)
So Onstar's rates aren't that bad in comparison. But they're still higher because it's roaming and not a native on-network contract with Belus.
Onstar/chevy should make a deal with a cdn company than iif that is the cause. Its ridiculous how much they charge in Canada vs what they're offering in the US. I just moved to the Chevy brand with my volt purchase and I'm floored they have not addressed this. I find it somewhat insulting to cdn buyers since even at our exchange rate, they should have a cdn unlimited plan at $40/max and not having one I do not understand.
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There is NO $40 "unlimited" plan available on my Canadian carrier short of Wind/Freedom, and that's not an option for GM's needs due to their service footprint being miniscule.
Ironically GM may actually end up ahead relying on putting subscribers on US plans and then just roaming here. A friend of mine in Rochester just had a good laugh online a few days ago about the fact his Tmobile data plan was actually usable here in Canada (with twice the data of my own Canadian plan) for less than half the price of what I pay for far less on a native Canadian carrier. If it wasn't for the fact that the plan stipulates a limit on the number of days of roaming per month I might actually have thought about subscribing to that same plan and just using it here, whilst getting far more for less money.
You should understand how ridiculous your request is, living in ON.
We get hosed for all digital services in this country.
Onstar rates should be more realistic, but $40 unlimited is not happening any time soon, if ever with robelus ruling the land.
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