4 ms·

I'm surprised this feature is provided by Globalstar. That network is, as the name says, global so why limit the feature to the US and Canada?

goalieca 4y ago
Well, they need relay services to integrate with the local emergency services
- GekkePrutser 4y ago
  True but that's already available in Europe too. Globalstar spot works in Europe just fine. And it's not just for emergency either, also for find my.
jacurtis 4y ago
Actually GlobalStar has some of the weakest satellite coverage in the satellite market. It covers North America and Austrailia very thoroughly. But only covers other continents partially. It covers 3/4 of South America, only western Europe, and only really covers Japan and Singapore in Asia. There is almost no ocean coverage. The Iridium network (which is what Garmin uses) covers nearly everything outside of the north and south poles. This includes all the oceans and basically all habitable land. That is why Iridium has dominated the satellite market for so many years over GlobalStar. Garmin satellite devices (like InReach) uses Iridium. But they also have non-trivial costs associated with that coverage. As someone who has used these satellite communicators for years, don't get your hopes up on using these all the time like an extension of your phone. Sending messages over satellite is painfully slow, even with devices with advanced helix antennas (which the iPhone doesn't have). It can take minutes to send a single text message. Phone communicators sometimes have 20-30+ second lag in them.
- GekkePrutser 4y ago
  I have InReach and yeah I know it's not fast. It's fine for what it is though. I'm not going to have deep conversations on it. I didn't realize Globalstar was that bad though. I knew it wasn't great due to the bent pipe network which precludes signals far out at sea etc. I've seen several hikers with Spot devices and they didn't seem unhappy with them. Mostly Americans though. But yeah then I can imagine.
- fuster 4y ago
  Actually Iridium has really great coverage of the poles due to the planes running north/south.
alwillis 4y ago
global so why limit the feature to the US and Canada Nearly all Apple services are available only in the US and Canada to start; this is nothing new. I’m sure Europe and Asia are next.

goalieca 4y ago

Well, they need relay services to integrate with the local emergency services

GekkePrutser 4y ago
True but that's already available in Europe too. Globalstar spot works in Europe just fine. And it's not just for emergency either, also for find my.

jacurtis 4y ago

Actually GlobalStar has some of the weakest satellite coverage in the satellite market. It covers North America and Austrailia very thoroughly. But only covers other continents partially. It covers 3/4 of South America, only western Europe, and only really covers Japan and Singapore in Asia. There is almost no ocean coverage. The Iridium network (which is what Garmin uses) covers nearly everything outside of the north and south poles. This includes all the oceans and basically all habitable land. That is why Iridium has dominated the satellite market for so many years over GlobalStar. Garmin satellite devices (like InReach) uses Iridium. But they also have non-trivial costs associated with that coverage. As someone who has used these satellite communicators for years, don't get your hopes up on using these all the time like an extension of your phone. Sending messages over satellite is painfully slow, even with devices with advanced helix antennas (which the iPhone doesn't have). It can take minutes to send a single text message. Phone communicators sometimes have 20-30+ second lag in them.

GekkePrutser 4y ago
I have InReach and yeah I know it's not fast. It's fine for what it is though. I'm not going to have deep conversations on it. I didn't realize Globalstar was that bad though. I knew it wasn't great due to the bent pipe network which precludes signals far out at sea etc. I've seen several hikers with Spot devices and they didn't seem unhappy with them. Mostly Americans though. But yeah then I can imagine.
fuster 4y ago
Actually Iridium has really great coverage of the poles due to the planes running north/south.

alwillis 4y ago

global so why limit the feature to the US and Canada Nearly all Apple services are available only in the US and Canada to start; this is nothing new. I’m sure Europe and Asia are next.