Oct. 06 I bought a '01 E-320 4-Matic wagon, was offered one year subscription by MB for Tele Aid so I signed up on line and thought everything was OK. Last week while reading the Operators Manual I discovered you have to actually hit the button just after you sign up. Well I did and found out I don't have a subscription. Talked with the Tele Aid rep in NJ and he explained that the analog system towers are being fased out per FCC orders, and you have to convert to digital. My question is....Who out there has had to have the analog system changed to digital in order to have the system fully operational. What did you have to go through and how much did it cost? Dennis

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....just drive'em!
'89 300TE White w/Blue, 152K SOLD!
'93 300E Blue w/Tan, 154K SOLD!
'01 E-320 4-Matic wagon, 130K
'67 Vette Conv. White w/Blue, 217,421K

Tel-Aid came with a new car sale for a year, they needed your credit card The dealer usually activated it, because it needed a get acquaintance call. I did not renew and have not missed it. MB used Analog because it was more widely available, that has recently changed when the FCC approved the request by the systems operators to discontinue ANALOG in January of 08. They are converting those channels to GSM the world standard now. MB is offering a updated transmitter for $1,000 or $600 if you are a current subscriber, Canada is following the US descision

I didn't know about any of this on the newer calls. Sounds like OnStar for MBs. I've always owned Suburbans as my kid-hauler and have never activated the OnStar system - best reason to do it, I think, is if you're afraid of your car being stolen, and I am at very low risk for that incident.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

My clients tell me the two biggest reasons they like Tele-Aid are the remote door un-locking feature, and the fact that a Tele-Aid representative will call the vehicle in the case of an airbag deployment.

I have been doing some more reading and it states that the system will send an emergency signal if an accident occurs with air bag deployment and/or the emergency tensioning retractors is activated. Even thou I use the car 98% of the time, my concern is for the sake of my wife. She has NO sense of direction, I have bailed her out a couple of times already. If something mechanical should happen I know she will call me, but if I'm out of the area I can't help her.
The president of the dealership called today and we are working out an agreement between us to get the hardware and installation at a significantly reduced price and possibly a no charge one year subscription. I'll keep you posted on the results.

__________________
....just drive'em!
'89 300TE White w/Blue, 152K SOLD!
'93 300E Blue w/Tan, 154K SOLD!
'01 E-320 4-Matic wagon, 130K
'67 Vette Conv. White w/Blue, 217,421K

Update....nothing out of the ordinary. The dealership offered to upgrade the system with a discount at $800. It's not worth it for us, so we'll just rely on the old cell phone system.

__________________
....just drive'em!
'89 300TE White w/Blue, 152K SOLD!
'93 300E Blue w/Tan, 154K SOLD!
'01 E-320 4-Matic wagon, 130K
'67 Vette Conv. White w/Blue, 217,421K

Not much of a discount. The DTA control module lists for $600, and there's not much to the installation.