The apparatus and method of the present invention provide passive information access for use in a service subscription system having a service provider and at least one subscriber unit. The passive information access system includes a database, a receiver for detecting initialization signals from a subscriber unit, a host computer for identifying the subscriber unit based on the detected initialization signals, accessing from the database subscriber information specific to the identified subscriber unit, and presenting at least a portion of the accessed subscriber information to the identified subscriber unit. Thus, when the subscriber turns on the subscriber unit, a portion of the relevant subscriber information is passively displayed on a display or announced by a voice activator. Additionally, the host computer detects termination signals from the subscriber unit and updates the subscriber information following the termination. Furthermore, the subscriber can specify in advance the portion of the subscriber information to be presented.