Traffic. It’s something you don’t want to deal with on your morning commute. And definitely not when you’re running late for a meeting.

But that’s the spot photographer Carole Rafferty found herself in when an overturned tractor-trailer had cars backed up for miles.

“There was no way I was making my 9 a.m., and my cell phone was MIA,” Rafferty says. “I absolutely had to get in touch with my co-worker to let him know to cover my photo shoot.”

Pushing the phone icon button in her 2006 Saturn VUE was the answer. “OnStar Hands-Free Calling got me through to my co-worker, who was able to cover my shoot, much to the relief of the gentleman who had driven to our office just to have his picture taken.”

Anytime, anywhere.

As Rafferty knows, Hands-Free Calling¹ can be a lifesaver when you’re in a pinch. But it’s also a great way to stay connected whenever you’re in your vehicle, no matter where you are.

Here are five reasons you should consider using Hands-Free Calling:

• 1. It’s easy to use. There’s no phone to hold, numbers to enter or ear buds to mess with. Make and receive calls at the touch of a button using simple voice commands.

• 2. It’s reliable. Hands-Free Calling is designed for better reception and fewer dropped calls in remote and weak signal areas. To see if you can take advantage of OnStar Hands-Free Calling, enter your ZIP code and view our map.

• 3. It’s convenient. Just push one button and say the name of the person or the number you want to call. That’s it.

• 4. It’s perfect for staying connected in areas that have banned the use of handheld cell phones while driving.

• 5. It’s voice activated so you can keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel when you make calls.

Get started.

Managing your minutes is easy. First-time purchaser? Hit your blue button or visit onstar.com to see if you’re eligible for our special introductory offer. Minutes running low? Press your white phone icon button and say “Minutes” and then “Add,” or go to onstar.com.

¹ Visit onstar.com for coverage map, details and system limitations.

Shh. If you listen closely, you may hear the faint sounds of cracking baseball bats in the distance. It can only mean one thing: Opening Day is upon us.

If you’re looking forward to skipping work — not that we’d endorse that — OnStar¹ can help make your ballpark outing run smoothly. So as you head out, remember these six tips designed to knock Opening Day out of the park.

1. Give yourself plenty of time. Mid-day games mean mid-day traffic, so allow plenty of time to get there before the first pitch. When you’re using Turn-by-Turn Navigation, you can ask the Advisor for an alternate route should you run into a traffic jam. Still running behind? Give your friends a call and let them know when to expect you with Hands-Free Calling. (Or go ahead and call your friends who are still stuck at work. Home plate seats are worth rubbing in.)

2. Use accurate directions. Before you leave, you can use OnStar eNav to download the destination from MapQuest.com^® directly to your vehicle. Or you can always hop in the car with the confidence that Turn-by-Turn Navigation will get you there even if you only sort of know where you are going. Simply push your blue button and tell the Advisor where you want to go. You won’t even need the address because OnStar has over 13 million points of interest in the database, including major stadiums.

3. Lock your car from afar. You’ve finally got your hot dog and are settled into your seats when a sinking feeling starts to overtake you. Did you remember to lock your car? Luckily, OnStar can lock it for you. Just call OnStar and ask the Advisor to lock your door remotely. (And while we’re on the subject: Make sure to save the OnStar number (1.888.4.ONSTAR) in your cell phone before you leave home.)

4. Follow some simple anti-theft precautions. Follow these quick tips to protect yourself from theft. But if you’ve taken every precaution and the worst still happens, Stolen Vehicle Assistance from OnStar can help recover your car.

5. Forget where you parked (on purpose). Stadium parking lots are big — and it’s easy to forget where you parked. But you don’t need to remember which letter you parked your car under — or spend hours wandering around trying to find it. Just give OnStar a call and an Advisor can flash your car horn and lights until you locate your car.

6. Refuel with food. Need a place to nosh after the game? With Information & Convenience Services, available with the Directions & Connections subscription plan, you can request the address to a local restaurant — then download the phone number directly to your vehicle. And with Hands-Free Calling, you can call ahead to reserve a table for you and your friends to relive the game highlights.

What are your plans for Opening Day? Do you have any yearly traditions?




¹ Visit onstar.com for coverage map, details and system limitations. Services vary by model and conditions.

Watch the video to see what OnStar means to three generations of one family.

Click here to view the embedded video.

¹ Service varies by model and conditions. .
² Visit onstar.com for coverage map, details and system limitations.
³ Requires ABS and Directions & Connections plan. Visit onstar.com for coverage map. Services vary by model.
⁴ Not available in all states.

My daughter and me at a Hummer Happening

A wonderful OnStar rep by the name of GATHA listened to my situation and said because of the circumstances she would place a call to the vehicle where she would control the conversation without the driver having to punch the OnStar button. GATHA created a three way conversation with my daughter and me. I was very relieved to learn my child was alright and headed home.

Thank you, GATHA and OnStar for your help, so an old man could stop worrying. My fault because I never showed her how to use OnStar…now she does.

The image is of my daughter and me at a Hummer Happening…she drove the whole course and was delighted with the experience.”

Making an OnStar Hands-Free¹ call couldn’t be easier. All you do is press the white phone icon button and once you hear “OnStar ready,” you can begin. Here are a few handy tips and voice commands you can use to make your Hands-Free Calling experience effortless. For example, did you know:

• You can say “dial” or “dial number” and then the entire phone number without pausing. The system will repeat the numbers before dialing, and if they are incorrect, just say “clear” to start over.

• You can store phone numbers — giving each number a name tag — for speed dialing. Just give the command “store” and the name of the person or place after saying the number you want dialed.

• To speed dial a number you’ve stored with a name tag, just say “call (name tag).”

• To hear a list of all your stored name tags, say “directory.”

• You can delete a name tag by simply saying “delete (name tag).’

• To dial the last number called, say “redial.”

• To hear your vehicle’s phone number, just say “my number.”

• To check how many Hands-Free minutes you have left, say “minutes.”

• If you had an OnStar advisor download a phone number to your vehicle, and you want it dialed, say “Advisor playback.”

• If you’re not sure which command to use, just say “help.”

Find out how Hands-Free Calling works.
Share your OnStar story.
Talk to other OnStar enthusiasts.

¹ OnStar Hands-Free Calling requires a Hands-Free Calling enabled vehicle, existing OnStar service contract and prepaid minutes. Not available in certain markets. Calls may be made to the US and Canada only.

OnStar Hands-Free Calling¹ is voice-activated so you can keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel when you make calls. The technology is built right into your vehicle and ready to use when you need it. And, with OnStar Hands-Free Calling, you can stay connected in areas that have banned the use of handheld cell phones while driving.

You’ve got a connection wherever you go.

Forget your cell phone? Battery dead? With Hands-Free Calling, you’ve got a connection wherever you go. It was specially designed for better reception and fewer dropped calls in remote and weak signal areas. Just push one button and say the name of the person or the number you want to call. That’s it.

It’s convenient.

Getting started takes seconds. Your minutes are good for 12 months or until your subscription ends, and there are no roaming or long-distance fees. First-time purchasers can even get a discounted package — just hit your blue button or visit onstar.com. If your minutes are running low, you can order more by pushing your white phone icon button or going to onstar.com.

Find out how OnStar Hands-Free minutes helped Teresa Cardinell.
Share your OnStar story.
Talk to other OnStar enthusiasts.

¹ OnStar Hands-Free Calling requires a Hands-Free Calling enabled vehicle, existing OnStar service contract and prepaid minutes. Not available in certain markets. Calls may be made to the US and Canada only.

Teresa Cardinell’s 8-year-old son Spencer left his science project in his dad’s car when he got dropped off at school. Spencer called home in a panic, and when Teresa tried to call her husband, Grayson, on his cell phone, it rang in the kitchen where he had left it. But Teresa knew there were minutes on Grayson’s OnStar Hands-Free Calling¹ especially for times like this.

She dialed the phone number. Bingo! “Grayson turned around and delivered the science project to Spencer,” Teresa says. “Hands-Free Calling was a lifesaver!”

Especially when they found out a few days later that the project won a ribbon at the school science fair.

Find out how OnStar Hands-Free Calling works.
Share your OnStar story.
Talk to other OnStar enthusiasts.

¹ OnStar Hands-Free Calling requires a Hands-Free Calling enabled vehicle, existing OnStar service contract and prepaid minutes. Not available in certain markets. Calls may be made to the US and Canada only.