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Letter to the Editor
Wednesday February 19
OnStar to Increase Product Availability of Safety, Security and Information Services
Through its seventh year of operation, OnStar's safety, security and information service continues to grow throughout the U.S. and Canada. OnStar will be available on 11 additional vehicles in the 2003 calendar year and will offer its industry-leading in- vehicle communications services on more than 60 models from seven different automotive manufacturers including Acura, Audi, Isuzu, Subaru, Volkswagen and GM. OnStar services are also available in select Lexus models under the Lexus Link name."OnStar was founded with a focus to deliver safety, security and added peace of mind for our subscribers when driving," said Chet Huber, OnStar President. "Every day, OnStar is having a positive affect on the millions of lives of our subscribers and their families."
Since launching in fall 1996, OnStar has had more than 20 million interactions with subscribers and is touching customers in every county in the United States and all provinces of Canada. In a typical month, OnStar advisors:
- Answer more than 220,000 routing calls
- Answer about 13,000 roadside assistance requests
- Perform about 27,000 door unlocks
- Respond to about 700 air bag deployments
- Respond to about 500 stolen vehicle location requests
- Respond to about 5,000 emergency requests.
With more than two million subscribers, OnStar offers its valuable safety and security services to all vehicle-buying demographics, from small cars to minivans, sport utilities to luxury sedans.
OnStar has signed a distribution agreement with RiverPark Inc. of Elkhart, Ind., to work with RV manufacturers (OEMs) in providing its safety and security services in motor homes. American Coach, Fleetwood, Monaco, and Newmar are the first RV OEMs to sign purchase orders with RiverPark Inc. for OnStar hardware.
Depending on the model, OnStar is standard, part of a preferred equipment group or convenience package, or an individual option, and includes a year of "Safe & Sound" or "Directions & Connections" service. After the first year, all subscribers can renew the "Safe & Sound" service for $16.95 a month, or the "Directions & Connections" package for $34.95 a month. For those who also want a personal concierge, a luxury service package is available.
Every new OnStar-equipped vehicle has OnStar Personal Calling allowing drivers to make and receive hands-free, voice-activated cellular phone calls through a nationwide network utilizing an embedded 3-watt phone and external antenna. OnStar Personal Calling is there "just in case" -- the solution if a cell phone battery has run out; a driver forgets to bring along a cell phone, it isn't safe to reach for one in a vehicle, or when the driver is in an area with poor or no hand-held cell phone coverage.
OnStar Personal Calling services are prepaid and there are no additional long distance or roaming charges, no long-term contracts or recurring monthly fees, and no extra equipment to purchase. All OnStar subscribers have a choice of minute packages that offer maximum flexibility and meet various budget needs. For example, a subscriber can purchase a 30-minute package for as little as $13.99 or choose the 1,000-minute package for $299. Both minute packages are good for 12 months.
OnStar Personal Calling also gives subscribers access to personalized Web-based information features such as location-based traffic and weather reports, delivered through the OnStar Virtual Advisor platform.
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