Satellite Communication Devices

We (and Kananaskis Mountain Rescue) keep encouraging you to get and carry a satellite communications device for your back country adventures. If we’re going to tell you that, it would be good if we actually gave you some information about them, and helped you make your choice about which one to get.

Why get one

We’ll keep this bit short: bad stuff happens, and a lot of K-Country has no cell service. Sat communicators always work if you can see the sky, and will always bring help when needed. Often, Mountain Rescue can just text you back and forth, and help you without needing to come get you. The reason everyone doesn’t have one already? They’re not cheap, either to buy or to operate.

Fundamentals

There are now four basic kinds:

• One-way beacons. On these, when you need help, you push the SOS button. A signal is sent to a global response center. They contact local help. Local help comes to you based on the location of your device when you sent the SOS. Trick is, your help has no idea what’s wrong. Don’t even consider these devices anymore. They’re not consequentially cheaper than the other kinds, and they do much less. And… every device can act as a one-way beacon if you want.
• Stand-alone devices. These have built in keyboards or other tools to type messages to send via satellite on the device itself. These are becoming rare. Some stand-alones come with phone apps that means you have a choice of using your phone or your device to type messages. Usually, your phone is better.
• Pure phone-connected devices. These devices connect to your phone via Bluetooth and an app. The devices have no display and almost no buttons, other than an SOS. The device basically enables you to use your phone to send text messages over a satellite link. The apps almost always have GPS mapping capabilities, as well as other bells and whistles. If all you do is push the SOS, these act like one-way beacons.
• Regular phones with sat com capability. With the introduction of the iPhone 14, and likely eventually coming to other hardware as well, the right phone can do much of what stand alone devices can do.

All devices work the same way: the device gets the global equivalent of phone number dedicated to them, though unless you’re doing the iPhone 14 option, you generally won’t know what that number is. Then they just send and receive texts using satellites, instead of cell service. You can even e-mail to and from that phone number. You can send a text to any number on the planet. All have an SOS button that can act like a one-way beacon, or can initiate a text conversation. They all talk to one of two satellite systems. The SOS calls go to one of two global dispatch centers.

All the dedicated devices (not an iPhone, per se) also have associated desktop, phone or cloud apps, or some combination of them. On some, you can create waypoints and plan trips on your desktop, then send them to your app or device directly. There are a LOT of differences between the apps that each company offers. It’s difficult to compare the apps without getting them all and playing with them (which we did not do). For the iPhone solution, there are dozens of apps that do this, but they are not directly associated with your sat com capability.

Our assessment: We think that in the day and age of phones with excellent GPS capabilities, paying for a separate dedicated GPS doesn’t make sense. You’re already carrying a phone for when you’re in cell range. These days, phone-connected devices make the most sense to us if you’re looking for a dedicated device. If you’re in the market for a new phone, an iPhone 14 could be compelling.

If you’re torn between two devices, look into their apps and desktop tools.

Phone-connected devices can be switched between phones, but only one phone is connected at a time. Connection is easy & doesn’t require wifi. However, if you’re like the Friends, and have one device that you share among a group of people, better to use a stand-alone device to prevent problems that could crop up changing connected devices.

Personal Locator Beacons

There’s a subset of one way beacons called Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs). Push their SOS button and they beep out on an internationally recognized radio emergency frequency. Those frequencies ARE picked up by satellites, so technically, they’re also sat communicators. But they trigger a completely different response protocol. Once triggered, they can’t be turned off, and they don’t communicate, they just beep. They don’t have any subscription fees as described below, so are a bit cheaper in the long run. Again, we don’t recommend these for the reasons noted above. For an in-depth comparison between PRBs and SatCom devices, see here.

Cost and Plan basics for dedicated devices

Dedicated satellite communication devices are a lot like cell phones. There is a cost to buy a device. Then there is a separate cost to purchase a plan to use the device. Here’s a hint: it doesn’t take long to spend much more on the plan than on the device. Focus on plan costs, not device costs.

After buying them, most devices have a cost to activate them to start with. Plans buy you a specific number of 140-character text messages you can send and receive for free each month. All providers offer multiple plan tiers and, if you want to pay for it, can include the ability to send unlimited sat messages each month (note: that gets very expensive). You can always send more beyond your plan limit, but you pay on a message-by-message basis. Note that both outgoing and incoming messages are part of your counts. Many plans offer the ability to get current weather forecasts. Some plans offer free check-in/check-out messages.

You can buy an annual plan. Or, you can pay a little more for the ability to suspend your plan, and basically turn it on for any period where you need it, then suspend it again. For some plans, these must be 30-day periods. If you’re a summer only adventurer, you could have the plan active for 5 months, and off the other 7 months.

All plans offer a tracking feature, though turning it on uses a bunch of batteries, and it often costs extra. Turn it on and your location is sent via satellite at a specified time interval to a specified party. Great for soloists. If you want to track where you go like that, check the specific tracking costs for each device.

Most of these devices price their plans in US dollars. All prices below are converted to Canadian dollars for you, so all values you see on this page are in Canadian dollars.

Our assessment: Between 2021 and 2022, there have been substantive changes in plan and device costs. In 2021, there were major differences in prices between devices. But in 2022, most devices will cost you about the same to own and operate, with two exceptions. Knowing your use case, you can select a device that will be consequentially cheaper to operate.

Also: as noted between 2021 & 2022, plans change. Costs change. We’ll try to keep this page up to date, but you should recheck this data at your purchase time. All data here is valid as of mid-2022 (and was been updated 2 weeks after we published this page, as one company changed their plans).

Satellite Clusters

There are only 2 sat clusters that offer consumer sat communication signals: Iridium and GlobalStar. Iridium has 66 satellites, GlobalStar has 25. SPOT is a subsidiary of GlobalStar.

Communications devices operating on the Iridium cluster get better coverage and are less likely to have dropouts simply because there are far more satellites. Apple chose GlobalStar for the iPhone sat communications. Most other devices operate on Iridium.

There are those who say that Iridium is more reliable, and offers better coverage at extreme latitudes. This could be true, and may cause you to pick one device over another. For K-Country, we’re not convinced that matters. Kananaskis Emergency Services does not report issues dealing any particular device or other. When they have been used in K-Country – and all devices described on this page have been used for emergency communication – all have worked. But it may matter to you.

Our Comparison basis

We think it’s reasonable to assume that, to save money on these expensive devices, most folks will sign up for a minimal number of messages. In this scenario, they won’t send a lot of extraneous texts. But if they are in trouble, they won’t care about overage charges. Accordingly, for the costs below, we assume the costs of the minimal plan for each device.

The first case we’ll look at is the 5-month, mid-May to mid-October, summer-only adventurer. Then we’ll look at the person who is active all year, on an annual plan. We’ll also note the “crossover” – the number of months where it makes more sense to have an annual plan than pay the monthly fee.

For the purposes of this page, we’ll quote 3 costs, always in Canadian dollars, assuming a $1.28 exchange rate:

• Device cost;
• First year costs (including device purchase & activation), and cumulative cost over 5 years, assuming 5 months of use and 7 months of deactivation, on the most basic plan;
• First year costs (including device purchase & activtion), and cumulative cost over 5 years, assuming annual use, on the most basic plan

If you intend to send a LOT of messages, pictures and social media updates while you’re in the back country, the cost info on this page will not help you decide between devices. You’ll have to go to every device link below, and look at the costs and features for all the higher-end plans. The rest of the info will be of value.

Garmin

Garmin offers 6 different devices, 4 of which are of interest to most recreationalists. All use the same plans described below.

• GPSMAP 66: A handheld GPS with a built-in stand-alone sat communicator. $530
• inReach Explorer+: GPSMAP 66 without the GPS functionality, though it can lay waypoints and enable tracking to them. Stand-alone, but MUCH better connected to phone. Full sized display. $499
• inReach Mini: Small. Some stand-alone functionality, but MUCH better connected to phone. No mapping display. $350
• inReach Mini 2: Same as inReach Mini, but with MUCH longer battery life. $530.

Summary:

• All are Stand-alone devices, but all can act as phone-connected.
• Built in display and controls make it possible to type. But you won’t want to on any of the devices listed above. Typing is “easiest” (though not easy) on the GPSMAP and inReach Explorer+, difficult on the Minis.
• Widely available
• Often on sale
• Priced in Canadian dollars
• 6 different subscription plans available

Fees:

• Device Cost: InReach Mini $350
• Activation: $30
• Monthly fee: $15 for a full year contract (“Recreation Plan”). $20 if you want to the ability to deactivate and be month-to-month (“Freedom Plan”).
• Annual fee to enable activation/deactivation: $35
• Included messages per month: 10
• Tracking: 15¢/point

inReach Mini Ownership Costs:

5 months on, 7 months off (“Freedom Plan)”:

• Year 1: $515
• Cum cost over 5 years: $1,055

All year plan (“Recreation Plan”)

• Year 1: $560
• Cum costs over 5 years: $1,280

Crossover: Go to an annual plan if you use the device more than 7 months a year.

Our assessment:

• For most people, an inReach Mini is the best of the Garmin devices, and was used in the cost comparison
• If you intend to go on multi day adventures and plan to send a lot of track points, upgrade to a Mini 2 for the better battery life
• Ignore the screen on the Mini. It’s not particularly useful, and it’s difficult to navigate.

SPOT

SPOT originated the sat communicator devices. Their original device was a one-way device, sold today as the SPOT Gen 4. A Gen 4 can send pre-programmed messages to pre-programmed contacts. However, once you push the SOS button, you can’t communicate back and forth with emergency responders. We do not recommend the Gen 4 for these reasons.

SPOT X, on the other hand, offers two-way communications. It looks like a Blackberry (remember those?) with a full built-in keyboard, so is truly a stand-alone device, and the only pure stand-alone one. However, you can still connect it with your phone over Bluetooth.

One thing that makes SPOT devices stand out is that tracking is included in all plans.

Summary:

• Stand-alone device, but can act as phone connected.
• This is the only device where the built-in display and controls are good to type on. However, if you prefer, you can use your phone
• Widely available
• Occasionally on sale
• Plans are priced in US dollars
• 6 different subscription plans available

Fees

• SPOT X Cost: $350
• Activation: $38
• Monthly fee: $15 for a full year contract (“Contract Plan”), $19 if you want to the ability to deactivate and be month to month (“Flex Plan”).
• Annual fee to enable activation/deactivation: $35
• Included messages per month: 20
• Tracking: included

SPOT X Ownership Costs:

5 months on, 7 months off (“Flex Plan”):

• Year 1: $529
• Cum cost over 5 years: $1,092

All year plan (“Contract Plan”)

• Year 1: $572
• Cum costs over 5 years: $1,310

Crossover: Go to an annual plan if you use it more than 8 months a year.

Our assessment:

• Virtually identical pricing structure to inReach Mini.
• The SPOT X device offers more functionality with its display and keyboard, though it is noticeably heavier for that reason.
• If you intend to track everything you do, SPOT X is a good choice.
• If you’re choosing between a SPOT X and an inReach device, it will come down to the apps and mapping environment, and not the device itself.
• A SPOT X would be the best device if you wanted to share it among folks, say in a hiking club.

Zoleo

A simple, small device, from a Canadian company, that allows you to send text messages by satellite via your phone. Zoleo only makes one device, but it has 3 plans. All plans are flexible and it’s easy to change between them if your needs change. You must stay on a plan for 3 months when you first get the device. After that, you can keep your plan active but suspend it any time. When your plan is suspended, the device can’t even send an SOS.

Location sharing (tracking) is offered as an add-on plan for $7.50 per month. For that price, you can share your location an unlimited amount of times with up to 5 contacts. This can be added or cancelled at any time.

Summary:

• Phone-connected device.
• Fairly widely available
• Priced in Canadian dollars
• 3 different subscription plans available

Fees:

• Cost: $350
• Activation: $25
• Monthly fee: $25
• Fee to keep plan suspended: $5 per month.
• Included messages per month: 25
• Location tracking: $7.50/month

Zoleo Ownership Costs:

5 months on, 7 months off:

• Year 1: $455
• Cum cost over 5 years: $1,095

Annual with no deactivation:

• Year 1: $595
• Cum costs over 5 years: $1,795

Crossover: Go to an annual plan if you intend to use it more than 10 months a year.

Our assessment:

• This is an expensive device to keep active 12 months of the year, but is mostly price competitive on shorter cycles like 5 month on/7 month off.
• The Location Sharing plan is more attractive than the Garmin plans if you send more than 50 locations per month. At a track rate of every 30 minutes, that’s 25 hrs of tracking. However, SPOT X plans include tracking, so if you want to do location tracking, better to look into the SPOT X.

ACR Artex Bivy Stick:

A simple, small device that allows you to send text messages by satellite via your phone. ACR Artex makes lots of things (including a lot of very popular PLBs if you want to go that route), but this is their only device of interest. There are 3 available plans. All plans are flexible and it’s easy to change between them if your needs change. You must join and stay on a higher-end plan for 4 months when you first get the device. This higher initial cost essentially creates an “activation fee”, though this device doesn’t technically have one. After those first 4 months, you can keep your plan active but suspend it any time, or switch to the cheaper Basic plan. Like the Zoleo, when your plan is suspended, the device can’t even send an SOS. They also offer a trade-in program, where you can turn in another sat comm device, and get a free Bivy stick. Sign up and pre-pay for 3 years on their highest end plan, and the Bivy Stick is free.

Bivy Stick plans are made of “credits”, with different things being different credits. However, for the purpose of this comparison, a message is a credit, as is a weather forecast. For most things, it’s a one-to-one comparison between a Bivy Stick’s credits and every other device’s messages.

Bivy Stick plans have big advantages over other devices:

• They can be deactivated at any time, or changed at any time, for no cost, and no re-activation fee. Your device will get a new “phone number” when you reactivate, however (we doubt you will notice).
• They’re the only device where credits (messages) roll over. Didn’t use your 20 messages this month? You have 40 next month, and 60 the next. They never expire. As a result, if you don’t use your device very much, you may never need to pay overage charges in that emergency.
• ACR makes a solar panel specifically designed to charge a Bivy Stick, and has mount kits to put it on a lot of things.

Summary:

• Phone-connected device.
• Used to be hard to find, but now carried by MEC and at least one other Calgary dealer.
• Device and plans priced in US dollars.
• 3 different subscription plans available

Fees:

• Device Cost: $256
• Activation: $0
• Monthly fee: $26 after the first year; $20 if you sign up for an annual plan. Minimum $44/month for the first 4 months of ownership.
• Fee to deactivate/suspended plan: $0.
• Included messages per month: 20 (credits)
• Tracking: 1 credit per 6 points tracked.

Bivy Stick Ownership Costs:

5 months on, 7 months off:

• Year 1: $384
• Cum cost over 5 years: $896

Annual with no deactivation:

• Year 1: $486
• Cum costs over 5 years: $1,408

Crossover: Go to an annual plan if you use it more than 9 months a year.

Our assessment:

• The least expensive device to own if you’re on any cycle less than 6 months on, such as the 5 month on/7 month off cycle example. You do pay a first year “premium”. However, a Bivy is basically cost competitive to other devices in the first year, then cheaper after that, and saves you money after 3 years.
• For an annual plan, this is more expensive than Garmin/Spot, but cheaper than Zoleo.

SomeWhere Global Hotspot:

A simple, small device that allows you to send text messages by satellite via your phone. This is the only (consumer) device SomeWhere makes. Their plan pricing structure is different than every other device; annual plans have very low monthly costs. However, they only have one annual plan, and it can’t be “upgraded” to get more messages or other “stuff”. Monthly plans have no re-activation charges. Changing between plans is restricted and more difficult than other devices.

These are VERY hard to find. As we write this in mid-2022, you can’t even buy one, and they are updating their plans. The data presented here is from the spring of 2022 when the devices were available.

Summary:

• Phone-connected device.
• Really hard to obtain. As of mid-2022, a waitlist on-line. No local dealers.
• Priced in US dollars
• 4 different subscription plans available (1 annual, 3 monthly)
• All weather requests are free

Fees:

• Device Cost: $350
• Activation: $32
• Monthly fee: $11 on an annual plan. $19 on a monthly plan.
• Fee to deactivate/suspended plan: $0.
• Included messages per month: 10 on annual plans, minimum 20 on monthly plans
• Tracking: 75 points per month included on annual plan. 150 points per month included on monthly plans.

Global Hotspot Ownership Costs:

5 months on, 7 months off:

• Year 1: $633
• Cum Costs over 5 years: $1,555

Annual with no deactivation:

• Year 1: $508
• Cum costs over 5 years: $1,020

Crossover: Go to an annual plan if you intend to use the device more than 6 months a year.

Our assessment:

• BY FAR the cheapest option for folks wanting 12-month coverage.
• The cost of an annual subscription is similar to the cost for other device’s 5/7 intermittent plans. The annual plan is actually CHEAPER than every other device if you’re using those plans 5 months or less. Note how the annual plan of SomeWhere compares to other devices 5/7 plans in the charts below.
• A higher cost for the device and the activation causes this device to be more expensive initially, but after 5 years starts being a better deal.
• With this device, DON’T BUY the monthly plans. Just sign up for an annual subscription.
• It’s a shame that this device is so hard to obtain.

Dedicated Device Cost Comparison Charts

Here’s a chart of cumulative costs over 7 years for these devices, assuming you have them on 5 months and off 7 months each year. Click on the chart to make it bigger.

Here’s a chart of the annual cost of running the device on a monthly plan, based on the number of months you have the device activated. Note that while the SomeWhere is cheapest, their up front costs are high.

Here’s a chart of cumulative costs over 7 years for these devices, assuming you have them on all year, every year, on the cheapest annual plan.

Here’s the cost of each device’s cheapest annual plan.

More on the iPhone Option

In September 2022, Apple introduced the iPhone 14 series. These have a built in emergency SOS via satellite capability. In November 2022, Apple announced that this capability has been activated for Canada and the USA, with more countries to follow. The service is included for free for the first 2 years, and includes the two most important features noted above: the ability to text with global rescue centres, and the ability to use the “Find My” app to broadcast a location to whomever you wish to share it with.

The service is ONLY an Emergency SOS service, and aside from location sharing via Find My, does NOT allow general texting to other people as every device above allows. It does NOT have “just a button” to push to activate it; if you want to use the SOS feature, you have to go through a series of menus and texting processes to use it. You can’t just push a button and wait for help to arrive. It does NOT have any specific mapping or trip planning support either, though will be integrated with Apple Maps. It apparently uses the same satellite cluster and communications support as the SPOT devices do.

As of this writing, there is no indication as to the cost of this service after this 2-year free period. However, for the cost-conscious folks, avoiding the cost of purchasing (and carrying) a stand-alone device could offset any monthly subscriber fee, especially when coupled with a two-year free use period. Another solid use case for a phone-based solution is if you are someone who wants to have the capability of communication but has no intention to ever use it except in emergency. Time will tell what the service will cost. We’ll update this page when we know.

Given that competition is what it is, expect to see other cell phone manufacturers introduce sat com capability on their higher-end hardware. It is unlikely that this will stay just an iPhone thing for very long.

In summary

Do you just need a device less than 6-7 months a year? Now that it’s easier to do, buy an ACR Artex Bivi Stick.

Devoted to “bigger brands”? Look very closely at the mapping and app options between the Garmin and SPOT X products. Pick the one who’s features and apps (phone and desktop) you like best. Or pick the one who’s satellite cluster you think is better. Bottom line: SPOT and Garmin are cost equivalent but more expensive than Bivy.

Do you want to send satellite track points every time you’re out? Opt for the unlimited tracking offered by SPOT X.

Do you want to use it intermittently more than 6 months a year? OR do you need a device for long-term use, all year round? Try to get a SomeWhere Global Hotspot and just buy their annual plan. If you can’t find a SomeWhere, it’s a toss-up between a SPOT X and a Garmin inReach Mini. Look very closely at the mapping and app options between the Garmin and SPOT X products. Pick the one who’s features and apps you like best.

Do you do really, really LONG adventures? Get a Garmin inReach Mini 2. No other device offers multiple week battery life while location tracking.

Want to share the device among many people, say, in a hiking club? Get a SPOT X, and don’t bother connecting it to phones.

As noted above, IF you are an outdoors enthusiast in need of a new phone, AND you’re considering acquiring one of the devices noted above, an iPhone 14 could be worth considering once service costs post the initial 2 free years are clear.

If you seriously have no intention of ever sending messages except in an emergency, iPhone solutions get very compelling very fast. Just understand their other limitations, and do consider the post-2 year cost structure.

Do you intend to try to endlessly send texts to your buds from out in the back country? This cost guide is NOT FOR YOU. You need to compare the various higher priced plans. Every device has them. Every device offers very expensive plans with unlimited texting.

And a final note:

No matter what you do: Carry a power bank and cables to recharge your phone and device. Neither device works if the batteries are dead.

Full disclosure: The Friends use inReach SEs (the predecessor device to the inReach Explorer+) for our Crew Leaders in the field. The author of this article owns a Bivi Stick.

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