expired Posted by phoinix | Staff • Nov 15, 2024
Nov 15, 2024 8:10 AM
Item 1 of 1
expired Posted by phoinix | Staff • Nov 15, 2024
Nov 15, 2024 8:10 AM
Garmin inReach Mini 2 Compact Satellite Communicator (Orange or Black)
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Apple is using the globalstar sat network which is the same as spotx. Garmin uses the iridium sat network which is slightly better.
I pay for the annual subscription. SpotX allows you to have 14 predefined messages that do not count agaist you. You can use the cheapest plan with that. Just saying this because, I use garmin everything, but the inreach is not one of them. I find the spotx to better and I can use it WITHOUT a cellphone and get full functionality.
Garmin bought up the rescue service under spotx, raised prices, and more. Their plans were always more than spotx. I have been using these since 2018. I pay for the service, rescue plan and replacement plan. I lost my spotx and just got a new one sent to me. Again, I use Garmin Pilot, numerous fish finders and livescopes, mapping devices, etc.
Good luck out there.
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They didn't add a monthly "suspend" option to make less money. They want to make it a pain to reactivate, so they can earn money doing nothing most of the year.
But let's do the math on the casual users that you mentioned. Currently for 2 months they'll pay $15+tax / month and $35/year. Total is $65+tax. For me and also the casual users to stay with Garmin on the "enabled plan" would cost $96 / year. So there's an increase for the casual user of roughly $31 per year.
Since I was responding to chocomog08's statement "I'd rather risk death than pay the new subscription.", my question would be: is $31 worth risking death for?
It would definitely be reasonable to shop around for a different device or plan and I hope that's what he's doing and if the money was a huge issue that's what I would do.
But to have no plan, no device and no option other than risking death when it's only a matter of $31 strikes me as being either foolish at the least or even insane at the most.
Under the new plan, if I remain on the cheapest "enabled plan" for $8 per month all year with no yearly fee, the total is $96+tax.
I don't see the $8/mo option on their website...
That being said, while I like the hardware I think the support side of things kind of sucks. I had to try three times with different emails to get mine to activate with their website, the subscription pricing seems predatory, their website bugs out and will conveniently have issues with you changing plans if you do it the day before, and unlike every other company they did not warn me that the card on file was a card that was expiring. I thought that was fine when the site glitched up since I was suspending service in the off season but then got reading that they will still bill you and just send it to collections.
So again, actual use of the device and the device itself has been super convenient, battery is great, sends messages reliably, etc. but the customer service side of things seems dated and bad.
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But let's do the math on the casual users that you mentioned. Currently for 2 months they'll pay $15+tax / month and $35/year. Total is $65+tax. For me and also the casual users to stay with Garmin on the "enabled plan" would cost $96 / year. So there's an increase for the casual user of roughly $31 per year.
Since I was responding to chocomog08's statement "I'd rather risk death than pay the new subscription.", my question would be: is $31 worth risking death for?
It would definitely be reasonable to shop around for a different device or plan and I hope that's what he's doing and if the money was a huge issue that's what I would do.
But to have no plan, no device and no option other than risking death when it's only a matter of $31 strikes me as being either foolish at the least or even insane at the most.
Yeah there are now satellite enabled cellphones but those use different satellites that do not reach pole to pole like the ones used by inreach. Most of Canada is not covered. Also inreach satellites have a higher orbit so they tend to be higher overhead and less likely to be blocked by mountains. Inreach also has a dedicated emergency response system that will most likely respond quicker than you texting a friend or 911. Finally, their plans include insurace for the device owner. So if you have to take a $20k helicopter ride, you dont pay. Good luck if you rely on a cellphone.
I am all for finding a deal, but I would rather not skimp out when it comes to potential life and death situations.
I could see how this could be beneficial if you are out of range for cell connectivity.
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