Flexible telematics system and method for providing telematics to a vehicle

A method for providing telematics to a vehicle, which comprises:

• providing a user-removable telematics component with:
• a Global Positioning System (GPS) device;
• a data pump;
• a short range wireless personal area network transceiver;
• and
• a user interface;
• communicatively connecting the telematics component to an integrated communication device of the vehicle, the integrated communication device having a short range wireless personal area network transceiver and a memory storing a list that includes at least a phone number of at least one currently paired mobile communication device;
• receiving with the user interface a request for assistance;
• in response to the request for assistance, receiving at the data pump at least the phone number of the at least one currently paired mobile communication device;
• transmitting a request for assistance out from the telematics component to an off-site telematics provider utilizing a communications path of the data pump, the request including at least the phone number of the at least one currently paired mobile communication device;
• and
• opening a communication link between the off-site telematics provider and the at least one currently paired mobile communication device.