Whoops.
Sat messaging to any phone
Sat phone hotspot

Wow. You're getting a lot more connectivity for your buck there than with iReach and other legacy satcom services.

Hopefully the increased competition with iPhone 14 and now this will force Garmin (InReach) to review their pricing model.... Love my InReach BUT hate the costs

RW

What would be the difference between this and a Zoleo? Monthly price seems similar, Zoleo basically seems to do the same...anyone got any insight?

wxce1260: "What would be the difference between this and a Zoleo? Monthly price seems similar, Zoleo basically seems to do the same...anyone got any insight?"

Well, you don't have to buy anything! (If you have Android). I think the critical thing is the comparison of coverage of the various satellite companies, and then an evaluation of whether that coverage works for you. Paddling in northern Canada/Alaska if different than paddling at BWCA. But then that's a consideration with all the currently available satellite communications devices.

MReid: "

wxce1260: "What would be the difference between this and a Zoleo? Monthly price seems similar, Zoleo basically seems to do the same...anyone got any insight?"

Well, you don't have to buy anything! (If you have Android)...."

Wouldn't you need to buy the Motorola hotspot device for $99 (when available in April, per the article)?

Tombo: "Wouldn't you need to buy the Motorola hotspot device for $99 (when available in April, per the article)?"

You're correct, my error. I brought the article up mostly to show "the shape of things to come" (pardon my Triumph reference).

Dig around and see what satellite network it uses. Iridium is preferable and what inreach uses.

I know it's a little further away to but Samsung is working on their version of cell service everywhere and has it built into recent phones. I thought I read some other manufacturers also. I'm sure in 5 years, cell service everyeherebwil be the norm. Whether it's actually 1 or 2 years, only a guess.

kenpark23: "Dig around and see what satellite network it uses. Iridium is preferable and what inreach uses. "

Looks like this new toy will use Inmarsat.

I did research on this a few years ago before I bought my 66i. My recollection is that the Iridium satellites move and the inmarsats do not. So if you are on a cruise ship moving across the ocean, inmarsat is fine because eventually you will find yourself under one. Where as with iridium if you aren't under one, you can just wait a little while in your fixed position and eventually you will get reception. I've used my 66i everywhere from Nicaragua to the Noatak and never had to wait more than 20 minutes for a message to go through. Yes, the Garmin plans are not cheap, but if I ever find myself in a situation where I really NEED it, I suspect I will be glad I paid it

"Not all satellite phones have the same coverage area, so you may be able to narrow down your choice pretty significantly by checking this out first. Inmarsat satellite phones work best between 50° North and South latitude due to their satellites being positioned over the equator. The farther from the equator you are, the more your Inmarsat phone's signal will rely on a clear line of sight to the horizon. If you're outside that range or in mountainous terrain, Iridium would be better — and Iridium is also the only satellite network that offers complete global coverage including the poles. Thuraya satellite phones can only be used in Europe, Asia, Australia, and parts of Africa, and Globalstar is mostly limited to North America."

From Outfitter Satellite Phones website.

sns: "

kenpark23: "Dig around and see what satellite network it uses. Iridium is preferable and what inreach uses. "

Looks like this new toy will use Inmarsat."

Do you have a reference?

Motorola launched Iridium back in the day.

Would be an interesting turn of events if the Motorola brand owned by Lenovo used some other satellites.

wxce1260: "What would be the difference between this and a Zoleo? Monthly price seems similar, Zoleo basically seems to do the same...anyone got any insight?"

I use the zoleo & liked it quite a bit. The plan I use while in the woods has unlimited messaging for $50/mo + $6/mo for location sharing. During the off-season, it costs $4/mo to hibernate the account & keep the same contact info (there is a $20 or so activation charge & minimum three month term, so five months inactive is the breakeven point if changing contact info doesn't matter). There are cheaper plans if one doesn't need unlimited messages. I really appreciated the Dark Sky weather forecast provided by the Zoleo as it gave me a second opinion/more detailed forecast than the weather radio. I never had any issues with service using it pretty much daily for four months. If it had provided weather radar along with the forecast, it would be just about perfect. One qualm I had with it is the contacts can only be edited using the internet.