HMD is taking on Motorola with its own OffGrid satellite device

what you need to know
- The HMD OffGrid satellite accessory supports 2-way SMS messaging, real-time tracking, check-in messages and SOS requests via Android or iOS phones.
- It supports coverage in North America, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand.
- The device sells for $199, plus $79/year or $15/month for satellite, depending on service level.
- It features three days of battery life, MIL-STD-810H durability, and a companion app for messaging.
HMD Global, the brand behind the recently launched Nokia smartphones, is expanding into satellite communications. It launched the HMD OffGrid at CES 2025, a satellite accessory for smartphones that looks and performs similarly to the Motorola Defy satellite link released in 2023.
HMD OffGrid uses L-band satellites via Viasat and Skylo (Defy uses the latter service). It sends messages, voice notes and check-ins to friends and family through the OffGrid app.
Your text messages will be sent from your phone number, so others can communicate with you without downloading an app. With Live Tracking, you can share your GPS-based location with up to 5 contacts via a share link by pressing a button on the OffGrid.
While the HMD OffGrid lasts three to four days per charge, this only applies to messaging and check-ins every 30 minutes. While it has 10 days of battery backup, it only lasts a day or two if you use GPS and satellite for 3 minutes of automatic check-in.
Best of all for those using this satellite adapter in areas with no signal, it supports SOS signals via the device’s dedicated SOS button. Pressing the button triggers a series of questions via Focus Point International, a 24/7 emergency service, such as “Are you alone?”, “Where are you?” and “What happened?”
If necessary, Focus will send Overwatch x rescue services to provide assistance as needed and pay for the rescue – although you will have to pay for medical expenses yourself.
HMD said the satellite service covers areas up to 70 miles from the coast in the continent and participating regions in the Americas, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, with more areas to be covered “by 2025”.
“HMD OffGrid is a new affordable, portable and easy-to-use product that is both powerful and reliable, especially when it matters most,” said Jean-Francis Baril, HMD Chairman and CEO. “Whether you’re hiking in the mountains Whether traveling or skiing on the cross-country slopes, HMD OffGrid ensures you’re never truly off the grid.”
HMD OffGrid is IP68 dust and water resistant and meets MIL-STD-810H durability standards. It weighs 60 grams (2.1 ounces) and has a dedicated carabiner spot if you want to attach it to a backpack. Overland travel seems very convenient, although we have the same design issue as the Defy: the exposed SOS button seems too easy to press without the cover. Other satellite units we’ve tested, such as the Garmin GPSMAP 67i, let you remove the protective cover from the SOS button.
In addition to the OffGrid’s $199 upfront cost, you’ll need to buy the HMD Unlimited or the HMD Freedom to make it more than just a paperweight. Unlimited costs $14.99/month for unlimited text messages and check-ins; Freedom costs $79.99/year with a text message length limit of 350 characters, $0.10 per location check-in, and a $20 activation fee.
HMD also mentioned that it will offer OffGrid some kind of enterprise program with unique features, but didn’t reveal too many details.
While more and more phones and carriers are adding satellite communications or SOS services, from the iPhone 14 and Pixel 9 Pro to Verizon phones, products like HMD OffGrid or Motorola Defy let you do it without tying it to a specific device. access satellite.
Given that the Defy generally received middling reviews and had to endure the bankruptcy of Bullitt Satellite Messaging (which was acquired by another company in 2024), I believe outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate the HMD OffGrid as a potential alternative. The main issue is whether satellite coverage and messaging are working as expected.
For more information or to pre-order the HMD OffGrid, you can purchase the satellite device at: HMD’s website.