5Star Urgent Response (Silver)

I got this for a relative. I set it up and tested it and in the process became familiar with its capabilities. My relative was at home alone, fell and could not get up. It may sound trite and melodramatic, but if you're the person who has fallen, if is frightening - as it is to a relative many miles away. The first thing I checked about 5Star is which cellular network they use.I asked on their Facebook page and had an answer within two hours. Verizon. Had they used Sprint, I would have moved on.Sprint currently has the worst network of all the carriers - and I'm a 12 year customer of Sprint. Sprint is awful. I ordered the unit and tried it out. It works flawlessly. Follow the graphic instructions and you are up and running within a few minutes. The online registration is simple and gives you the opportunity to provide special instructions, such as the location of keys so emergency service responders don't have to break down doors and such. 5Star technical support which I called primarily to test it was readily available and well schooled, not only on the product, but network operation as well. 5Star customer support was quick to answer as well. Fortunately we have not had to use the 5Star in an emergency situation - and I frankly hope that remains the case. The GPS is phenomenally accurate right down to the street address. I suspect they use nt only GPS but cell tower triangulation as well. 5Star recommends that the battery be charged every night and I agree. You never want to have a dead battery on this kind of device. By the way, you can use this unit not only for summoning emergency help, but for less critical situations as well. Overall, I am please with unit and am very glad my relative has it. Makes me feel that he can summon help when he needs it, no matter where he is. Well worth the modest purchase price and monthly service fee.Jerry

PURCHASED THIS FROM AMAZON ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. JUST YESTERDAY I WAS IN A US POST OFFICE WHEN SUDDENLY MY DEVICE ENGAGED AND INDICATED DIALING 911. I HAD TO STEP OUT OF LINE AND APOLOGIZED TO THE 911 PERSON THAT I MAY HAVE HELD MY PACKAGES TO CLOSE TO MY CHEST THEREBY ACTIVATING THE DEVICE. IN MY HEART I KNEW I DID NOT ACTIVATE THE DEVICE.MY PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO CLOSE IT OFF IN THE EVENING AND CHARGE IT. DID SO LAST EVENING AS USUAL AND FROM WHAT I REMEMBER I HEARD VOICES AT AROUND 1:00 AM. SAT UP IN BED THINKING I NEGLECTED TO SET THE TIMER TO TURN OFF THE TV, BUT NO THAT WAS NOT THE SITUATION AS THE VOICES COULD STILL BE HEARD; "DO YOU NEED HELP". I THEN REALIZED IT WAS THE DEVICE FROM HELL. BUT I SHUT IT DOWN HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? GAVE MY EXPLANTION TO THE 911 PERSON AND OFFERED MY APOLOGY. SHUT THE SUCKER OFF AND HEAD BACK TO BED AND NO SOONER THAN MY HEAD HITS THE PILLOW I HEAR IT GO ON AND INFORMING ME CALLING 911. I WILL NOT GO INTO DETAIL BUT THIS PATTERN WENT ON FOR 3 MORE TIMES. COULD NOT SHUT IT OFF. SO I HOPED THEY HAD AN AROUND THE CLOCK TROUBLE SHOOTING GROUP AND THEY DID. SHORT STORY YOU PROBABLY GOT IT WET AND THAT RENDERS THE DEVICE USULESS. I WAS TOLD TO PLACE THE DEVICE IN A CUP WITH WATER WHICH OF COURSE STOPS THE DEVICE FROM CALLING AS WELL AS STRIKING IT A DEATH BLOW. WHY ISN'T IT STATED IN YOUR ADVERTISEMENT WHICH I STILL HAD? DISCONTINUED SERVICE AND ASKED FOR A REFUND. TOLD I DID NOT BUY FROM THEM MUST GO TO RETAILER I PURCHASED IT FROM. HE TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE NOT GOTTEN IT WET. SONNY, I SAID I AM OLD ENOUGH TO BE YOUR GRANDFATHER AND OLD THOUGH I AM OLD I AM INTELLIGENT AND KNOW BETTER THAN TO INTRODUCE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE TO WATER.I AM NOT SUGGESTING YOU DO NOT PURCHASE BUT JUST PROVIDING MY EXPERIENCE.

Unlike other reviewers, I have had absolutely NO problems with this unit. The battery charge lasts for a week -10 days which was a pleasant surprise, since I was told I needed to re-charge it for 4 hours every few days. Not so --at least with my unit and if others are recharging that often it may be affecting, over the long term, the battery's ability to hold a charge (if it has that kind of battery).Every time I tested it -- or inadvertently pressed the button, I got an immediate response with the operator being able to give me my exact location. I tested it at my neurologist's office far within a medical facility (ie. many solid walls to penetrate + electrical interference from medical equipment) and it worked perfectly.My only wish is that a one button & mobile unit like this -- with the top notch Verizon network -- would be combined with the fall detection capability other companies offer. Then it would be the perfect monitoring device.Update: 5/31/16: I have subsequently upgraded this device to 5 Stars new fall detection device (I guess they heeded my previous review!). While I don't wear this all the time, I do make sure I put it on to do any strenuous tasks especially anything involving ladders. I have taken some inconsequential tumbles while wearing the fall detection device, but they did not trigger a response from 5 Star. It was explained to me that since I started moving very shortly after the 'fall', the device recognized that I was not incapacitated enough to not be able to push the call button if I needed help. I was told that sophisticated analytics were used to assess need and to avoid false alarms. While I appreciate that, I pointed out that someone having a seizure would move after a fall but still be incapacitated. So I'm not altogether convinced the fall detection version of this device is worth the extra monthly monitoring charges and the significantly lower battery life between charges. I suggest anyone purchasing this version to do rigorous 'real life' testing (appropriate for the wearer's health issues) to ensure it will do what it needs to do in a true emergency.