On Friday, May 11, 2018 at 6:31:45 AM UTC-7, JS wrote:
Reliable coverage is a feature of InReach which SPOT will unlikely equal, unless they change satellite systems.
After switching to InReach, I went to a less expensive yet more internationally useful mobile phone carrier, knowing that texts can always be sent and received from the middle of nowhere. Savings were greater than the InReach subscription.
Jim

Global star has invested about $1billion in upgrading their satellites to gen 2. Their data rates are faster than Iridium and their coverage has much expanded. A recent Sat Phone review noted that Globalstar phones were less likely to drop calls than Iridium in North America. The reviewer thought it was because Globalstar satellites orbit about twice as high as Iridium, so more coverage per satellite.

With the new Spot X I renewed my plan at $214 for the year, 5 minute tracking, 300 txt per year. What sold me was the 5 minute trace, over the ten minute trace from InReach plans. Also the keyboard looks easy to use without reading glasses.