Question 1

Monitoring cost is reasonable. What is the actual cost of monitoring per device and what are the best companies to approach for this service?

Accepted Answer

From a recent email-

Dear Valued SPOT Customer,

Thank you for your continued loyalty to SPOT. We hope that SPOT Trace's satellite technology and proven reliability has helped you to keep track of your important assets located beyond the reach of cellular coverage and provided you with additional peace of mind.

As we continue to upgrade our network to ensure you the best possible and most reliable service in the industry, this email is to inform you of upcoming changes to the cost of your SPOT service plan(s):

A Network Maintenance Fee of $24.99 will be charged to your account upon service renewal.
The Trace Basic Service plan fee is increasing to $199.99 per year per device. As such, you will be billed at this new rate at the time of your renewal.
The Trace Extreme Tracking fee will be $49.99 per year per device. If you hold this service on your account, you will be billed at this rate at the time of your renewal.
If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact Customer Relations at 866-651-7768.

Question 2

I didn’t read anything about being able to make phone calls is that not included with this device?

Accepted Answer

No, this device does NOT make or receive any type of phone calls, it is strictly used for two-way texting and short SMS messages.  If you require actual phone calls, contact any local authorized Globalstar dealer and ask them about their stocking levels of the GSP-1700 satellite phone.  I got my sat phone at Off Grid Gear 2 Go in AZ.

Question 3

Why can’t you post the costs associated with the subscriptions?  The question has been asked; it’s reasonable and simple?

Accepted Answer

I own one. The costs are variable because you can go per text, month by month, annually, and there are a la carte options (i.e. remote automobile recovery).  I pay about $300 annually.

Question 4

how long does it hold a charge ?

Accepted Answer

Mine holds a charge for roughly 5 months with energiser lithium's but I set it to ping ever 30 min. Some guys will have theirs ping every 5 min, but that's an absolutely horrible idea because the more often any tracker talks to a satellite the easier it is for thieves to locate it with a cheap bug detector which can be bought just about anywhere online for a few bucks these days. Even though the batteries can last forever I recommend changing the batteries every 2 months, because think about it, your asset could go missing for a while and you don't want the battery to die in that moment.

ASIN	B08F998MFH
Additional Features	Motion Activated, SOS
Best Sellers Rank	#20,632 in Electronics ( See Top 100 in Electronics ) #16 in Handheld GPS Units
Brand	saved by Spot
Built-In Media	Spot Gen4 Device, Strap & Carabiner, USB Cable, Batteries, Quick Start Guide
Compatible Devices	Personal Computer
Connectivity Technology	USB
Customer Reviews	4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (386)
Enclosure Material	Plastic
Item Dimensions	11.42 x 1.97 x 5.51 inches
Item Type Name	Gen 4 Satellite Messenger
Item Weight	142 Grams
Manufacturer	SPOT LLC
Mfr Part Number	9020-0235-01
Model Number	Gen 4
Specific Uses For Product	Hiking, Camping, Outdoor Activities, Emergency Situations
Supported Application	GPS
UPC	893049001776
Unit Count	1.0 Count
Warranty Description	Limited

Spot Gen 4 Satellite GPS Messenger

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