{"id":769,"date":"2025-01-11T03:58:29","date_gmt":"2025-01-11T03:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/?p=769"},"modified":"2025-01-11T03:58:29","modified_gmt":"2025-01-11T03:58:29","slug":"hmd-is-challenging-motorola-with-its-own-offgrid-satellite-gadget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/2025\/01\/11\/hmd-is-challenging-motorola-with-its-own-offgrid-satellite-gadget\/","title":{"rendered":"HMD is challenging Motorola with its own OffGrid satellite gadget"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The HMD OffGrid, like Motorola Defy, is a rugged, phone-connected satellite tool for SOS and messaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/T62zwEUj2CGSkXhBqygLUP-1200-80.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of the HMD OffGrid satellite tool sitting on grass with a laser grid below it\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>(Image credit: HMD)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-you-need-to-know-3\">What you need to know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The HMD OffGrid satellite accessory supports 2-way SMS messaging, live tracking, check-in messages, and SOS requests through an Android or iOS phone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It supports coverage in North America, Europe, and Austalia\/ New Zealand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It costs $199 for the device, plus either $79\/year or $15\/month for satellite depending on the level of service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has three-day battery life, MIL-STD-810H durability, and a companion app for messaging.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>HMD Global, the brand behind recent Nokia smartphones, is branching out to satellite messaging. It announced the HMD OffGrid at CES 2025, a satellite accessory for smartphones that looks and performs similar to theMotorola Defy satellite linkreleased in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The HMD OffGrid uses L Band satellite via Viasat and Skylo (the Defy uses the latter service). It sends messages, voice notes, and check-ins to friends and family from the OffGrid app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your SMS messages will be sent from your phone number, so no one else needs to download an app to communicate with you. And real-time tracking will let you share your GPS-based location with up to 5 contacts \u2014 via a shared link \u2014 by pressing a button on the OffGrid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the HMD OffGrid is rated to last three or four days per charge, that&#8217;s only with messages and check-ins at regular 30-minute intervals. While it has 10-day standby battery, it will last only a day or two if you&#8217;re continuously using GPS and satellite for automatic 3-minute check-ins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/detail-Nokia-1745684-HE378\">HE378 Battery for Nokia 5 HMD Heart TA-1044<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/BVc5DG7SuUeYpVCF8athKP-970-80.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>(Image credit: HMD)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most importantly for anyone using this satellite dongle in signal-free areas, it supports SOS signals via the device&#8217;s dedicated SOS button. Pressing it triggers a series of questions via Focus Point International, the 24\/7 emergency service, such as &#8220;Are you alone?&#8221;, &#8220;Where are you?&#8221;, and &#8220;What happened?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If necessary, Focus Point will send Overwatch x Rescue services to render aid as needed and foot the bill to rescue you \u2014 though you&#8217;ll have to pay your own medical bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The satellite service covers the mainland and up to 70 miles away from the coast in participating areas like the Americas, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand &#8212; with more territories coming &#8220;throughout 2025,&#8221; HMD says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;HMD OffGrid is a new, affordable, portable and easy-to-use offering that&#8217;s both empoweing and reliable \u2014 especially when it matters the most,&#8221; says HMD Chairman and CEO Jean-Francis Baril. &#8220;Whether you\u2019re hiking in the mountains or skiing off-piste, HMD OffGrid ensures you\u2019re never truly off grid.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dUXLNEs8tyWuqz4sbVESuN-320-80.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of the HMD OffGrid satellite tool sitting on a deck with a sea in the background\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>(Image credit: HMD)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The HMD OffGrid is IP68 dust- and water-resistant, as well as rated for MIL-STD-810H ruggedness. It weighs 60g (2.1oz) and has a dedicated spot for a carabiner, if you want to hang it off of a backpack. It seems very convenient to bring on an overland trip, though we have the same design concern as we did with the Defy: the exposed SOS button seems a bit too easy to press without a cover. Other satellite devices we&#8217;ve tested like theGarmin GPSMAP 67imake you remove a protective cover from the SOS button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from the $199 upfront cost for the OffGrid, you&#8217;ll need to pay for HMD Unlimited or HMD Freedom to make this more than a paperweight. Unlimited costs $14.99\/month for limitless texts and check-ins, while Freedom costs $79.99\/year with a 350-character limit for texts, $0.10 per location check-in, and a $20 activation fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HMD also mentioned that it would offer some sort of enterprise program for the OffGrid with unique features, though it didn&#8217;t go into too much detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While more phones and carriers are adding satellite messaging or SOS services, from the iPhone 14 andPixel 9 ProtoVerizon phones, something like the HMD OffGrid or Motorola Defy gives you satellite access without tying it to a specific device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/detail-Apple-1745309-A2866\">A2866 Battery for Apple iPhone 14 Pro<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Given that the Defy has generally received middling reviews and had to weather the bankrupcy of Bullitt Satellite Messaging \u2014 which was acquired by another company in 2024 \u2014 I&#8217;m sure outdoorsy folk will appreciate the HMD OffGrid as a potential alternative. The main question will be whether the satellite coverage and messaging works as intended.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The HMD OffGrid, like Motorola Defy, is a rugged, phone-connected satellite tool for SOS and messaging. (Image credit: HMD) What you need to know HMD Global, the brand behind recent Nokia smartphones, is branching out to satellite messaging. It announced the HMD OffGrid at CES 2025, a satellite accessory for smartphones that looks and performs &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/2025\/01\/11\/hmd-is-challenging-motorola-with-its-own-offgrid-satellite-gadget\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">HMD is challenging Motorola with its own OffGrid satellite gadget<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-motorola"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=769"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":770,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/769\/revisions\/770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}