Zoleo
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Zoleo
1 results
Satellite Trackers / ZOLEO
ZOLEO Satellite Communicator: One Number That Follows You Off Grid
ZOLEO gives your phone a dedicated SMS number and email address that keep working when the towers stop, by handing your messages to the Iridium network. It is the messenger for people who want to keep texting the way they already do.
What ZOLEO does
ZOLEO is a two-way satellite messenger built around the phone you already carry. You install the ZOLEO app, pair the device over Bluetooth, and get a dedicated SMS phone number and email address. Anyone can text or email that address from an ordinary phone. When you have cellular or Wi-Fi the message travels that way; when you do not, ZOLEO sends it through the Iridium satellite network, which covers the whole planet. You do not switch anything.
The unit itself has three things you need without the phone: a covered SOS button that alerts Global Rescue's 24/7 monitoring, a dedicated check-in button that sends your GPS position to your chosen contacts, and LED and audible indicators so you know a message arrived. Typing a free-form message requires the app. The device is rated IP68 (1.5 m for 30 minutes), shock-resistant to MIL-STD 810G, weighs 150 g (5.3 oz), and ZOLEO quotes over 200 hours of battery life.
ZOLEO is a good fit for travellers, remote workers and families who want a familiar texting experience and one contact detail to give out. It is not the right choice if you want to type on the device itself with a dead phone, or if you want on-device navigation: look at the Garmin inReach Mini 2 or Messenger for that.
ZOLEO at Satmodo
One model, one plan family. Belt clip, backpack and vehicle or vessel mounts are available as accessories.
ZOLEO vs Garmin inReach Messenger vs ACR Bivy Stick
The three phone-friendly Iridium messengers people shortlist together. Figures from zoleo.com, Garmin's announcement and acrartex.com.
| ZOLEO Satellite Communicator | Garmin inReach Messenger | ACR Bivy Stick | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network | Iridium, plus cellular and Wi-Fi when available | Iridium, plus cellular and Wi-Fi when available | Iridium |
| Messaging without a phone | SOS and check-in buttons only | Full two-way messaging on the device | SOS and check-in buttons only |
| Dedicated SMS number and email | Yes | Not stated | Yes, dedicated phone number and email |
| SOS monitoring | Global Rescue | Garmin IERCC | Global Rescue |
| Battery | Over 200 hours | Up to 28 days at default settings | Up to 120 hours plus 2-hour SOS reserve |
| Weight | 150 g (5.3 oz) | 4 oz | 112 g (3.95 oz) |
| Size | 9.1 x 6.6 x 2.7 cm (3.58 x 2.6 x 1.06 in) | 3.1 x 2.5 in | 4.51 x 1.86 x 0.83 in |
| Water and dust | IP68, 1.5 m for 30 min | IPX7, 1 m for 30 min | IP66 |
| Shock | MIL-STD 810G | Impact-resistant | Not stated |
| GPS accuracy | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) | Not stated | Not stated |
| Location sharing | Location Share+ add-on, every 6 minutes to 4 hours | MapShare tracking | Bivy app tracking |
| Weather | Via app (Xweather) | Weather forecast service | Via app |
| Charging port | USB-C | Not stated | USB-C |
| Subscription | Required, monthly plans | Required, monthly or annual | Required, monthly |
Sources: zoleo.com/en-us/satellite-communicator; Garmin newsroom inReach Messenger release; acrartex.com Bivy Stick page. Where a manufacturer does not publish a figure the cell says so.
Is ZOLEO the right satellite messenger for you?
Three questions decide it.
1
Do you want people to text you the normal way?
ZOLEO's dedicated SMS number and email are the reason people choose it. Your mother, your dispatcher or your charter client does not need an app or a link; they text a number and it reaches you on a glacier. If that matters more than anything else, ZOLEO wins.
2
Will your phone always be alive?
The trade for that convenience is that typed messages need the app. The device's own buttons cover the two things that must work in a crisis, SOS and check-in, but if your phone is dead, wet or broken you cannot compose a text. Carry a power bank, or choose an inReach that types on the device.
3
Do you want navigation on the device?
ZOLEO has none; it shares location and lets the app show weather and your position. If you want TracBack, a compass or maps in your hand, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 or a GPS handheld is the better tool, and ZOLEO can still be the messenger in the group.
SOS, check-in and weather on ZOLEO
The SOS button sits under a cover so a pack strap cannot press it, and an alert can be cancelled if it was a mistake. Pressing it sends your GPS position to Global Rescue, whose 24/7 team coordinates with local search and rescue and keeps messaging you through the app while help is arranged. Because ZOLEO is two-way, you can tell them what happened and they can tell you what to expect.
The check-in button is the feature you will use every day. One press sends a preset message with your location to your check-in contacts, with no phone required. Weather forecasts come through the app from Xweather for wherever you are standing, and Location Share+ can post your position to a ShareMap at intervals from every six minutes to every four hours, so a partner at home watches the trip unfold.
Everything except SOS and check-in goes through the app, so before a trip confirm the app is installed, the device is paired, and the plan is active. A unit in a drawer with a lapsed plan sends nothing.
What you need alongside a ZOLEO
The box includes the device, a lanyard, a carabiner, a 50 cm USB-C cable and a quick start guide. Add these.
An active ZOLEO monthly plan, activated before you leave cellular coverage. Plans can be suspended between trips rather than cancelled.
A smartphone or tablet with the ZOLEO app installed and paired over Bluetooth, and a power bank to keep it alive.
Your check-in contacts and SOS emergency contacts entered in the app.
A belt clip, backpack mount, or vehicle or vessel mount so the device sits with a clear view of the sky rather than inside a pack.
A test message and a test check-in outdoors before the trip, confirmed by the recipient.
For long trips, a small solar panel or a second power bank; see the off-grid power range.
Setting up ZOLEO for a team or a family?
Satmodo activates ZOLEO plans, helps you configure check-in contacts, and can advise when an inReach or a PLB is the better fit. Rentals are available for a single trip.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
Does ZOLEO work without a phone?
Partly. The SOS button and the check-in button work on the device alone, and LEDs and an audible tone tell you a message has arrived. Reading and typing messages requires the ZOLEO app on a paired smartphone or tablet. If you need to compose messages with no phone, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 or Messenger is the better choice.
Does ZOLEO need a subscription?
Yes. An active ZOLEO monthly plan is required to send or receive messages and to use SOS. Plans can be suspended between trips. Satmodo activates the plan with you when you buy.
Where does ZOLEO work?
Anywhere on Earth with a clear view of the sky. ZOLEO uses the Iridium satellite network for messaging when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi, and Iridium coverage is truly global, including the poles and open ocean. Indoors, under heavy tree cover or in a deep canyon it will struggle like any satellite device.
How does ZOLEO SOS work?
Lift the cover and press SOS, and the device sends your GPS position to Global Rescue's 24/7 monitoring centre, which coordinates the nearest search and rescue and messages you through the app while help is arranged. An accidental alert can be cancelled. SOS works without the phone; the two-way conversation needs the app.
How long does the ZOLEO battery last?
ZOLEO quotes over 200 hours of battery life. Frequent messaging, short Location Share+ intervals and cold reduce that. It charges over USB-C, so any power bank you carry for your phone charges it too.
Is ZOLEO waterproof?
It is rated IP68, dust-tight and water-resistant to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes, and shock-resistant to MIL-STD 810G. That covers rain, a capsize and being dropped on rock. It is not a dive device.
What is the difference between ZOLEO and Garmin inReach?
ZOLEO is built around your phone and gives you a dedicated SMS number and email that anyone can message normally; typed messages need the app. Garmin inReach devices type and read messages on the unit itself and the Mini 2 adds navigation. Both use Iridium and both need a subscription; ZOLEO's SOS goes to Global Rescue, Garmin's to the Garmin IERCC.
Can people text my ZOLEO from a normal phone?
Yes. Each ZOLEO comes with a dedicated SMS number and a dedicated email address. Contacts message those from any phone or email account with no app, and the message reaches you over cellular, Wi-Fi or Iridium, whichever is available.
Can I share my location with family?
Yes. The check-in button sends your position to chosen contacts, and the Location Share+ add-on posts your position automatically to a secure ShareMap link at intervals from every 6 minutes to every 4 hours. Shorter intervals use more battery and more plan allowance.
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