I think one of the factors at play here is that many of us in the hiking community really want this to work. The concept is great but apparently the implantation is not so great. If some rather minor changes were made it appears that it could be a much better unit. The cost is relatively high and the subscription fee is quite high for most of us who would only use the unit a few times a year. If I thought that it were a good value I would probably still pay just for my own and my families peace of mind.

Another disturbing fact here is the the parent company Globalstar looks a little shaky. They have been sued for misrepresenting the condition of their satellites. Their financial statements do not inspire confidence either. The response is via human interaction and I would hate to be lost in the boonies when they went chapter 7. Also I would hate to be dependent on a satellite which may fail.