Cellular technology is amazing but its one major limitation is the fact that it doesn’t stretch over the earth’s entire surface. You can only really get cellular services when there’s a cell tower relatively close by. If you find yourself in the absolute wilderness, you’re going to have to rely on other means to stay connected.
When it comes to “other means”, the solution that most people will come up with is satellites. As long as you have a clear view of the open sky, satellites can reach you anywhere you are. The only problem is that you need hardware that can actually communicate with those satellites, and that’s what the HMD OffGrid is all about.
HMD Unveils the OffGrid, a Satellite Tag to Keep You Connected All the Time, at CES 2025
You probably know about the newer Apple iPhones, Google Pixel 9, and a myriad of Chinese phones that share one thing—the ability to communicate with satellites. Regular phones can only communicate with cellular towers, but the aforementioned phones bring satellite connectivity to ensure that you can stay connected to the world in case of any emergencies, even if you’re trudging through the Amazon.
The thing is, even if you have a device as high-end as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, you won’t get satellite connectivity. Normally, that would mean buying a dedicated satellite phone or one of these other smartphones with satellite support, but that can prove to be rather costly. HMD, the company that bought up the Nokia brand name, has decided to give you the perfect solution to that.
Introducing the HMD OffGrid. With this little satellite tag and its companion app, you can stay connected to the rest of the world, regardless of how far you are from the nearest cell tower. Are your wife and kids worried about your next Arctic expedition? They can keep track of you no matter what. The OffGrid costs $199.99, though you’ll also require a subscription.
What Are Some of the Features of the HMD OffGrid and Its App?
The HMD OffGrid’s value proposition is that it lets you remain trackable in real time, no matter where you are in the world. However, that’s far from the only thing that it can do.
Using HMD OffGrid, once you link the companion app to your smartphone, you’ll be able to use satellites to send and receive text messages, which means you can always stay in touch with loved ones and emergency services, in most spots on the globe. The OffGrid also has an SOS button to immediately contact emergency services. And of course, the kind of lifestyles that’d benefit from satellite tracking are the kinds that tend to be harsh.
That’s why IP68 and MIL-STD-810H certifications are great touches. Plus, a three-day battery life doesn’t hurt either.
What Are the Subscription Plans Available for the HMD OffGrid?
HMD offers two subscription plans for the OffGrid. You can choose between HMD Freedom and HMD Unlimited. Regardless of the plan you choose, you’ll get Premium SOS and the option of unlimited live tracking for an extra $4.99 each month.
If you choose the Freedom plan, you get up to 350 text messages per month and you’ll need to pay a one-time $19.99 activation fee. After that though, you’ll only need to worry about $79.99 each year.
For HMD Unlimited, as the name suggests, you get unlimited text messages and the activation fee is half the price, at just $9.99. However, the actual subscription cost is higher, at $139.99 each year.
