Onstar Phone

Does anyone know how to program the Onstar phone in a 2003 Saab 9-3? I want to put my current cellular phone number into it: Saab is no help, the dealer is no help and Onstar, well let's just say, they are simply rude.

Reply to
Bryan Roma
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I am not very well versed in OnStar, so this answer might just be wasting bandwidth. But since nobody else has answered yet, here goes:

It is my understanding that the OnStar phone is supposed to be an alternative to any currant cellular phone service you might have, in case your cell phone doesn't work. Why might your cell phone not work when OnStar's would? (OnStar marketing guys went into full spin on this one).

- Your battery might be dead and you don't have a cigar lighter cord to charge it.

- You are in an area where your cell provider doesn't provide service. This last point is where the spin comes in. OnStar is based on "obsolete" analog cell phone technology. It is cheaper because no worthwhile cell phone company uses analog as their primary transmission method anymore - everybody has gone digital. The analog towers are still out there to support the customers with old phones or for the phones that switch to analog when there is no digital service (Those phones are now obsolete I believe). The secondary benefit is that because analog cell technology has been around so long, towers have been put up everywhere, so pretty much the entire country is covered (except really hard to reach parts with mountains, etc. and even many of them have coverage).

The bottom line is that OnStar probably thinks of themselves as competition with your current cell provider (which may explain the rudeness), and there is no way to associate your current cell phone service/number with the OnStar server - they are incompatible. BTW, even among the various cell phone providers, there is very little compatibility. Even though there is now phone number portability, you most likely have to throw out your old phone and get a new one if you switch to a different cell phone company.

One way you can come close to what you want is to sign up for OnStar's voice service, and have the calls from your cell phone forwarded there when you don't answer. Most cell phones use this already to forward unanswered calls to voice mail. Another alternative would be to use the number portability provision to switch your cell phone service to OnStar -- probably not a good alternative since it is difficult to clip a 9-3 to your belt and carry it around in case you get a call.

Walt Kienzle

Reply to
Walt Kienzle

Other than unlocking your doors or being a monthly cost lo-jack service, I see no benefit in having onstar.

I have it in my car and my service expires in May. I won't be renewing. And I definetly won't be buying stock in the company.

Reply to
Wiseman

"Mr. Wiseman, we see that your on-Star account has not been renewed. Would you like us to renew it now while you are driving ? Please be aware that your door locks might accidentally lock you out repeatedly if you do not renew before expiration".

Oh, yeah, I want onStar... I'll get it right after I have the government tracking chip implanted in my brain.

:-)

Reply to
Bob

Actually I don't believe Onstar is able to unlock the Saab locks.....The locking system is too sophisticated. If you're on the road a lot, in strange areas, the system is very handy. The only time they track you is when you push the onstar button..........Don't be so paronoid!!!

Reply to
Kevin Brewer

One of the advertised features. Call onstar from a phone, give them your code, they unlock it.

Still dr>Actually I don't believe Onstar is able to unlock the Saab locks.....The

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Reply to
User

There was some discussion a while back in the news about them tracking and storing the information. They claimed that it wasn't available to anyone but them, but that's just a court order away. I'd be surprised if they weren't tracking you for marketing purposes.

FWIW, under the Patriot Act, they could go to On-$tar central, get your tracking information and/or start tracking you full time with no evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever on your part. On-$tar would be prevented by law from disclosing the fact that you were being tracked and/or your information reported to you.

Not that I'm that paranoid, just making the point. I honestly can't see one single reason to justify On-Star.

Reply to
Bob

That's it with the free and the brave.....

------- MH

Reply to
MH

And what exactly are the odds of locking your keys _in_ your car these days ? A little difficult to do, since we most always lock the car with the remote these days.

Good choice. :-)

Reply to
Bob

Well, I never try to digress on the USEnet :-)

but since you mentioned it... I'm amazed at how easily people in a panic can give up their liberty and freedom. I used to wonder how some horrible leaders of some countries managed to have such a loyal following - well, give the people someone to hate and give them a good scare and they'll give up just about anything in the name of (not fact) "security". We're lucky that the true liberals and true conservatives banded together to defeat (at least for now) the "Patriot Act II". We're just a step away from Fascism.

Reply to
Bob

FWIW; I agree.

------- MH

Reply to
MH

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User

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