OnStar requires update due to 3G end of life

joebedford wrote:
I was wondering if anybody has had the update to their TV to handle 4G? My Silverado required a hardware change from 2G to 3G but apparently the change to 4G is "over the air". Haven't driven the truck in the last two years but I'm thinking about it now.

I was sent a free dongle from Ram to plug into my 2015 Ram's OBD II port which enabled 4g and also changed cellular networks.

joebedford wrote:
OP: I put my truck into storage shortly after I got home from Florida in March 2020. I cancelled Onstar because they would only put it on suspension for 6 months. I knew it would be off the road for a year (HAH! - TWO YEARS). The truck's Onstar hardware module was upgraded from 2G to 3G some time ago. I called them twice in the last few days (using the Onstar button) and got a completely different answer each time. First one said it's an over the air upgrade and the second said it's a hardware upgrade but that a plan has not been formulated by GM. The second time I called was to ask if there's a deadline and they said No, we haven't figured out how to do it. The dealer had never heard of the problem.

I don't know where I stand now.

If your in the U.S. (doesn't necessarily apply to Canadian vehicles)

one of two cases:
a) your already updated to 4g with an OTA upgrade
b) your onstar system uses Verizon 3G

It's likely based on the vehicle age etc. that onstar in your vehicle uses Verizon 3G network which goes away in Dec 2022 so it's likely it will continue to work at least till then. sometime between 2005 and 2015 or so Onstar switched to GSM and ATT. At least my 2015.5 Denali came with ATT 4G, but earlier were 3G ATT. So it's those models immediately affected.

if your onstar button worked to call onstar after Feb 22, 2022 your NOT on ATT since if that was so the call wouldn't have gone through. You would have gotten a message that the call couldn't have been completed. so you have till December to get it updated to 4G

joebedford wrote:
My Silverado is 2011 - built before 4G went into service here - it came from the factory with 2G. The truck is old in years but it only has 110,000km (~65,000 miles) after 11 years - it's just broken in.

Mine is old too, but also rarely driven. 2009 with 73,280 miles.

OP: I put my truck into storage shortly after I got home from Florida in March 2020. I cancelled Onstar because they would only put it on suspension for 6 months. I knew it would be off the road for a year (HAH! - TWO YEARS). The truck's Onstar hardware module was upgraded from 2G to 3G some time ago. I called them twice in the last few days (using the Onstar button) and got a completely different answer each time. First one said it's an over the air upgrade and the second said it's a hardware upgrade but that a plan has not been formulated by GM. The second time I called was to ask if there's a deadline and they said No, we haven't figured out how to do it. The dealer had never heard of the problem.

I don't know where I stand now.

Just call Onstar and ask. They can tell you what you need to do, if anything.

Joe, is your OnStar operating and active? If so, what did the status page show when you entered your VIN on the website? The 2 to 3G will require a dealer visit to install the module but if already 3G, it's just a matter of when your account comes up for upgrade. OTA upgrades are being done in waves, not all at once.

OP here: I called Onstar again today to ask them if there was a deadline for getting an over-the-air upgrade to 4G. TODAY I was told that they're still working on a solution for Canada and that it's a hardware upgrade!!!! They say I'll get a notification when there is a solution but until then, all my services will work including wifi.

I told them that that information is inconsistent with what I was told yesterday but the agent said "I can assure you I'm giving you the most up-to-date information".

So now I'm at a loss what to do. I think I'll phone my local dealer to find out if they know anything. EDIT: the dealer knows nothing about the issue.

When analog service shut down, GM told me that OnStar in my '01 Suburban was not upgradable, they offered me a $1000 discount to buy a new GM that had digital OnStar. I put in a Pioneer touch screen radio with nav and bluetooth and said goodbye to OnStar.

OnStar finally ceased sending me daily mailings and spam phone calls to subscribe to their service. I listen to only music on standard radio and plugged in smartphone. All is good.

pianotuna wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:
It went away in Canada a few years ago. Last of Verizon will be shut down by end of December 2022

And for the last few years there were lots of places that 3G transmitters were shut down, coverage is sporatic.

Hi ktmrfs,

3g for data disappeared--but for voice, it is alive and well in Canada.

Ah... that explains why car mfg for Canadian vehicles upgraded from 3G to 4G several years ago. They needed the data as well.