I think it's more justifiable to require a prepaid subscription for a dedicated safety device. The difference with a phone is that you're much more likely to ha

I think it's more justifiable to require a prepaid subscription for a dedicated safety device. The difference with a phone is that you're much more likely to have it on you even when you haven't paid for the satellite feature. On the other hand, if you haven't paid your Garmin subscription, you wouldn't take your beacon with you. The iPhone would be great for situations that you don't anticipate such as a breakdown. It seems cruel not to help people in those types of situations just because of a small fee.