Garmin inReach plans- no more suspension?

[AK Granola]

Hey all – I’m on the Freedom plan for my inreach mini, and that has worked well for me. I’ve suspended it in winter after i’m no longer going to remote locations, and then reactivated in summer. It’s a bit difficult to understand their new plans, but it looks like they’re not longer allowing any suspension, but have taken off the annual reactivation fee, so it’s just a monthly fee. It will be more expensive for me, but I don’t see any other choices. Anyone else reconsidering their device and moving to something else? I do like the mini and have used the SOS and was super impressed with the service and speed.

[Jerry Adams]

soon, phones will have this capability and inreach will be obsolete

next to my Garmin stand alone GPS in the junk box

the latest apple phone offers this I believe

I use my inreach in the winter so I use the cheapest full time plan, something like $15 a month for 10 “free” messages which I neve exceed

[Jeff McWilliams]

AK Granola – essentially correct.  I share your frustration. I use the Freedom plan and only enable the “Safety Plan” on months when I’m active.

Jerry – the Essential plan for $15 is the cheapest plan they advertise.  However, there is an even cheaper one called “Enabled”   Enabled Plan Details

I plan to switch to this plan.  If I go on a big trip where I anticipate heavy usage, I’ll switch to one of the more expensive plans for the duration of the trip and then go back to “Enabled.”  It’s as close to “Freedom” as we’re gonna get.

Also note.   They’re taking away the ability for users to define the three check-in messages.  Up until about a year ago, I could define the three check-in messages to say whatever i want, and I’ve been “grandfathered in” to that capability, but I’m fully expecting that to go away when I’m forced to switch to the new plan scheme.  New customers have no choice but to use Garmin’s predefined check-in messages:  “I’m checking in – everything is okay”, “I’m starting my trip”, “I’m ending my trip”.  https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=Z0mdgyBwqaAHP4QLy78UcA under “Subscription Plan Details”

 

[Jerry Adams]

I see, enabled plan is a little cheaper but offers no “free” messages.  Id be better off with that.

Probably too lazy to change it :)

[Jeff McWilliams]

So I gave some thought to my current usage and costs:

It cost me $35.00 / year to maintain the Freedom Plan.  In addition, I typically have the device active for 4 – 5 months of the year using the “Safety Plan”, which cost $15.00 / month, and then would suspend my plan for the other months.  (A couple big backpacking trips per year plus long weekends rock climbing where cell coverage is sketchy and I want 911/SOS coverage in case of an accident.)

If I used the InReach for 4 months a year, my yearly cost was $35 + 4 * $15.00 = $95.00

If I switch to the cheapest “Enabled” plan, my yearly expenses should be 12 * $8.00 = $96.00

Okay, so long as they don’t do away with the Enabled plan in the future I can’t complain.   If I’m using my InReach less than 4 months / year, then the new pricing scheme becomes more expensive than the old one.

In another year or two I’ll probably have to upgrade my Pixel 6, and will most probably get a Pixel 9 or newer that includes Satellite SOS capability, and possibly even satellite texting.  At that point, I’ll have to seriously consider whether an InReach continues to deliver any value to me.

I’m sure Garmin sees the writing on the wall.  As Jerry said, standalone GPS receivers have already been largely relegated to the “unused” drawer and dedicated satellite messenger devices may soon follow.  I do still have a standalone GPS receiver though.  It’s great in winter.  Operating a smartphone touch screen is terrible with gloved hands.

 

[David Hartley]

Are you sure “Suspension” has gone away? I am currently in the Freedom Recreation plan, and it is active (I typically activate it April-June and Sept-Oct). I just logged into Garmin Explore and there was no suspend option on the plans and devices tab, but when you click on the Edit button or the Manage Plans button (that appears in the box that says you need to go to their subscription site) you are sent to their subscriptions website, where if you click on the “Change Plan” button it goes to a page with the old plans shown (along with links to the New Plans and the Enabled plan) – and  at the bottom of the page for the old plans there is a “suspend” button.

I have not tried it yet because I might get one more trip in – and I may also try and figure out if I might be better off with this new Enabled Plan.

[Jeff McWilliams]

According to the Garmin FAQs that I read, the old plan options will go away when your yearly contract renews.   I believe mine renews in February.  At that point, you’ll get converted to the new plan structure.

 

 

[Josh J]

I posted about plan changes awhile ago and no one read it.

 

My best suggestion is start complaining to Garmin, probably won’t help but the more who complain the better.

 

I’m an android user which is behind the game.

 

I won’t rely 100% on my phone for sos in back country. Why? Touch screen! I got stuck in a rain storm (unexpected) and was trying to get in reach for a pickup after my hike was done and guess what my phone was useless.

Also I recently saw a YouTube about a lady who needed helicopter out and everyone’s phone and battery pack in her party had died, guess what someone with an in reach came along and saved her life.

 

I’m upset bc I don’t get out enough to warrant paying a monthly fee for it, which is why I like the suspension service.

[Josh J]

Yes when you’re planning renews your old freedom plans are done. I’ve been on chat with Garmin to confirm and complain. They said many of there customers are happy with the new prices…… Umm we need to let them know it’s not true

[Jeff McWilliams]

Josh – there have been multiple threads about the InReach change in plans.  I think it was first discussed over in the Messenger Plus Review thread.

 

 

[AK Granola]

I don’t even see the Enabled plan as an option. Can someone post a link? I tried searching their website and got nothing. Do i need to be in the app instead?

[Josh J]

AK,

according to garmin you won’t see it until you either go to cancel or change plan, then you’ll have the option for enable…. i had to ask about that as well

[Josh J]

Jeff,

Fair enough but I still think people need to complain to Garmin and maybe they’ll listen

[Terran Terran]

Probably a more realistic business model. Satellites don’t take winters off.

[Ray J]

My plan was expiring about the same time they sent out the “New” plans.   I opted to switch immediately but it was a scramble to figure out what to do.  I had the Freedom plan but never bothered to “Suspend” it.  $14.95 a month and if I had a decent day for a remote day-hike, I could just go and not worry about the plan.   I’m in Texas so weather is an issue during the summer for about 3 or 4 months.

[David Thomas]

>”New customers have no choice but to use Garmin’s predefined check-in messages:  “I’m checking in – everything is okay”, “I’m starting my trip”, “I’m ending my trip”.

So you can transmit base-3 numbers.  With that, you can send any message.

In 1978, when long-distance phone calls were expensive and more so from a pay phone, a friend made a table of hundreds of expected messages on a grid, placed a person-to-person collect calls to his mother from, say, “Jack Mullins”.  She’d refuse it, look on the chart and see that he was “in Baltimore, doing fine”.

[AK Granola]

David, while that is fascinating history, aren’t we in the age of communication? And we still have to talk in code? Or pay top dollar. I guess we’re also in the age of paying top dollar.

[Bob Shuff]

We are in the age of paying top dollar and I don’t expect that to change. Many of us don’t need a Garmin most of the time. I get cell coverage in a lot of places I didn’t before. If you view the Garmin as a rescue device the minimal plan is fine. If you want to send a few messages it’s still fine. If you want to track and send more messages and pics and voice recordings and don’t want to worry about cell coverage there are several more expensive plans.  I moved over to the new InReach Essential plan for $15/month. It’s more than I will probably need. I’m saving some by still using the original Mini as long as the battery holds.

This and other threads acknowledge that Garmin will be under extreme pressure as they lose market share to iPhones and the like. They have to charge us what the market will bear. Otherwise there will be one less option for those that need it and want it in addition to their smartphone.

[David D]

It was smart that Apple supports SoS with a smashed screen:

• you can enable iPhone to start Emergency SOS when you quickly press the side button five times. Go to Settings   > Emergency SOS, then turn on Call with 5 Presses.

But I’m keeping my Garmin for now because it gives weather on the bare bones “Enabled”.  I use this feature a lot to set next day plans or even site selection when a system is rolling in.  They were smart in upping this to premium weather

I’m not sure what it will take for me to have the same faith in iphone’s SoS service as Garmin’s though.  So many times Apple and Microsoft’s SW updates have been a PITA.  Those are complex devices and problems occur

Most people won’t care and price will win out

[AK Granola]

I’ll definitely keep and use the inReach. There is no cell service whatsoever in most of the places I recreate and the inReach works. I’m bummed to pay more though, for minimal use. Monthly recurring bills eat up a lot of income, and in retirement I’ll have to cut a lot of things back. Maybe by then I’ll decide SOS isn’t worth the price! Who knows.

[David D]

My inreach plan works out to less with the new subscription rates using the enabled pay as you go, even getting weather updates, but I don’t use messaging that much.  I’m heading for retirement in a couple years (fingers crossed) so keeping costs under control too.

[talagnu]

In another year or two I’ll probably have to upgrade my Pixel 6, and will most probably get a Pixel 9 or newer that includes Satellite SOS capability, and possibly even satellite texting. At that point, I’ll have to seriously consider whether an InReach continues to deliver any value to me.

I’m currently using a pixel 9 pro and I’ve seen the satellite sos option pop up when I’m out of cellular range in the back country. have there been any rumors of satellite messaging coming soon? I’ll probably cancel my inreach plan and sell my device once that arrives

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