Reviving an old thread here...

My SPOT GEN3 contract is about to renew, and it has gotten more expensive as time has gone by. I'm now paying $225/yr. New activations cost ~$150/yr. I'm going to call them today to see if I can get the current pricing, but my best alternative to a negotiated agreement is to cancel the service. That would put me in the market for a new PLB/satellite communicator - activating a new SPOT to get the better pricing, or switching to inReach.

The Spot X service costs the same as the GEN3 and gets you two-way messaging, which would be great, but reviews indicate the SPOT X is buggy. It also has a much weaker transmitter, and uses an inferior satellite network. There are a few anecdotes out there of people being left high and dry by their SPOT service. InReach seems to be a decidedly superior product, but it's priced accordingly. The devices are much more expensive, and the plans are pricier as well. The Flex plans (also available with SPOT) could mitigate the cost somewhat, but most months of the year, I'll be flying at least one trip where I would like the peace of mind of a PLB, and knowing my luck, the one time I really need it, I'll have forgotten to un-suspend the service.

What are you all doing these days for PLB/Sat communications?