Motorola Defy - Satellite Link - Review

Motorola Defy - satellite link, a true ‘budget’ satellite communicator - 

Last month the Motorola Defy - satellite link, was launched, it certainly will be a ‘disrupter’ in this ever-evolving marketplace of two-way satellite communicators.

What is the Motorola Defy Satellite Link Device?

A small compact rugged device, which when paired with the simple to use app on your Mobile gives you the power of Satellite Connectivity to your phone, this ensures peace of mind when you have no mobile signal / Wi-Fi available, you can still communicate with friends and family via text to let them know all is okay, with the free app friends & family can also message you back, there is also an SOS button to summons emergency services with your location and a simple location share check-in button.

The SOS button and location share button can be both used stand-alone with no need to have your phone connected.

 

Design of the device

The Motorola Defy Satellite Link is of a rugged construction and sits nicely in the palm of your hand, weighing in at only 70g and 11mm thick your hardly know you are carrying it.

With high ingress protection rating of IP68, drop tested on steel to MIL SPEC 810H, Resistant to Vibration Cat4, Resistant to humidity & salt mist, handles temperatures between -30c to 55c, making the Motorola Defy Satellite Link a truly tough rugged water-resistant device designed for the outdoors.

There is a webbing strap with a metal loop that can be used to attach the device to a lanyard, carabiner clip etc.

The unit comes with a USB-C cable to charge the internal 600mah Lithium Polymer battery, just use a standard USB Power or a portable powerpack to charge. 

The Motorola Defy Satellite Link has LED indicators that show when you have a satellite lock, check-in message sent and power indicator.

The large orange SOS button on the side of the unit and check-in button on the opposite side of the device can be used independently of a phone connection to send either simple check-in message to friends and family with your location or use the SOS button to send your location and summons help via the international SOS Service 24/7 Monitored response centre.

 

Connectivity & Coverage

The simple to use App intelligently detects whether you have mobile connectivity or not, this determines whether your messages are sent and received via Satellites or mobile data, this is a great seamless way to keep in touch with friends and family whether you have a mobile signal or not, messages sent or received via the app using mobile data when you have it, will not come of your satellite message subscription.

When you send a location share message or using the SOS button your location is obtained using the following Satellite systems GPS, Glonass, Galileo & Beidou giving a fast accurate fix to your location.

If you have no mobile connection the messages are transmitted and received using both the Inmarsat & Echostar Satellite systems the signals are managed & distributed by the Skylo network, these Satellites are Geostationary i.e. always at the same point in the sky, this does seem to give a speedy communication time, we have seen messages been sent and received within 30 seconds.

The Motorola Defy Satellite Link is paired to your smart phone using Bluetooth 5.1 and the Defy Bullitt Satellite Messenger App (BSA), if using an Android phone you will need Operating System Android 10 or above and for an iPhone IOS14 or above.

The device is designed for land use, the coverage we have been told is approximately 30miles from coastline into the sea, at launch device coverage is Europe and North America, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America by mid-2023 and all other regions before the end of the year (2023).

The list below provides our best understanding of countries that may regulate or prohibit the use of a satellite communicator or are on a list of U.S. embargoed countries:

Afghanistan

Crimea region of the Ukraine

Cuba

Georgia (SMS)

India

Iran

North Korea

Myanmar

Sudan

Syria

Thailand

Vietnam

China

Russia

Regulations and the list above may change without notice.

 

Using the App

The Defy Bullitt Satellite Messenger App (BSA) is very simple and straightforward app to use and very similar user experience to what we are used to seeing with any standard messaging application.

 The App is intelligent and only switches to a satellite link when no cellular or Wi-Fi signal is available hence keeping your Satellite message allowance down and only using it when needed, when you have cellular connection App to App messages are sent using mobile data. Integrating into your existing phones address book it provides a seamless user experience, even when using the satellite constellation to send and receive messages.

As well as sending and receiving messages, within the app you can view your data allowance, manage your subscription, set up and manage ‘check-in’ messages and recipients. The app also allows you to initiate an SOS incident, with pre-configured or custom messages all monitored by an international response centre.

The free Motorola Defy Satellite Link messenger app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App store, if using an Android phone you will need Operating System Android 10 or above and for an iPhone IOS14 or above.
If you would like friends & family to be able to message you when you have no mobile signal or reply back to your messages sent from the app via satellites they will need to install the app to their phones.

When you first send a message to someone using the app if they do not have it installed there will be a prompt and link within your message from them to download it from, there is no cost to the person replying back to you with the app if you receive the message via Satellites it will come of your satellite message subscription allowance.

 

Costings

The costings of the device and subscription packages is good, making the Motorola Defy Satellite Link one of the most cost effective 2-way satellite communicators with SOS emergency response functions currently on the market.

There is a great choice of 12 month subscriptions available to suit different needs and budgets as follows:

 

SOS Assist	Everyday	Premium	Freedom
SOS only, no messages	Up to 80 Messages per Month	Up to 300 Messages per Month	Up to 250 Messages per Year
SOS Assist Included	SOS Assist Included	SOS Assist Included	SOS Assist Included
£4.99 per Month	£9.99 per Month	£29.99 per Month	£59.99 per Year

 

More info on plans available here

Conclusion

 Our thoughts are that the Motorola Defy Satellite Link is a great cost effective simple to use add-on device for the day walker/ climber/ cyclist / remote worker on land who are simply looking for peace of mind when travelling to areas where they may have limited Mobile connectivity, to keep in touch with friends and family and summons emergency services if needed.

Customer needing the same peace of mind but also looking at additional features such as navigation, weather reports, battery life to go over many days for long expeditions where charging is not possible, please look at our full range of Two-Way Satellite communicators from this link – Full range of Two-Way Satellite communicators

FAQ's - Motorola Defy - Satellite Link

Does the person receiving a message need to use the app?

You do use the person’s phone number when sending a message, if the person does not have the app they can read the message but if they want to reply to it or wishes to see your location, they need to download the app.

What happens if you press SOS and are unable to use your phone?

A SOS will still be sent with your location to Focuspoint International. They will look at your location/any medical history entered in the SOS settings, if you enter these details it gives the monitoring centre a better ability to work out the appropriate level of response to send to you. In the instance that you cannot communicate they will send who they deem the most suitable given your location and any medical history they have available through the application.

What coverage in the world does the Motorola Defy Satellite Link have?

The device is designed for land use, the coverage we have been told is approximately 30 miles from coastline into the sea, at launch device coverage is Europe and North America, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America by mid-2023 and all other regions before the end of the year (2023).

To check which countries are currently covered please us this link: https://bullitt.com/coverage/

The list below provides our best understanding of countries that may regulate or prohibit the use of a satellite communicator or are on a list of U.S. embargoed countries:

Afghanistan
Crimea region of the Ukraine
Cuba
Georgia (SMS)
India
Iran
North Korea
Myanmar
Sudan
Syria
Thailand
Vietnam

 
When you send & receive messages via the Defy Bullitt Satellite Messenger App (if you have a mobile signal do they come of your Satellite Message allowance?

The App is intelligent and only switches to a satellite link when no cellular or Wi-Fi signal is available hence keeping your Satellite message allowance down and only using it when needed, when you have cellular connection App to App messages are sent & received using your standard mobile data.

When you sent a message using the App & Satellites is the recipient charged for it?

No, any messages that you send using Satellites come of your Satellite message allowance, if the recipient does not have the Defy Bullitt Satellite Messenger App they will be prompted to download it for free to read your message and they can then reply back.

When you receive a message back from the recipient and you have no cellular connection are you charged for the satellite message?

Yes any messages that you either send or receive via Satellites using the Defy Bullitt Satellite Messenger App will come of your Satellite message allowance.

What phones will pair with the Motorola Defy Satellite Link?

You will need a Bluetooth Enabled Android Smart Phone with a minimum of Android 10 Operating System installed and for an iPhone a minimum of IOS14 installed.

Can you use the Motorola Defy Satellite Link Check-in Location button standalone with your phone paired?

Yes, once you have initially setup your device using the Defy Bullitt Satellite Messenger App, you can still use the Location Check-in button to let family & friends know that you are okay and your location.

Can you use the Motorola Defy Satellite Link to send & receive text messages without a phone?

No, the device has no screen or keypad you will need a paired phone to send & receive text messages.

What is the maximum number of characters that you can send in one text using the Motorola Defy Satellite link and Paired App?

The maximum number of characters that you can use in one text message is 140.

Does the Motorola Defy come with a Carabiner Clip?

No, but the device comes with a Webbing strap with metal loop that you could attach a Carabiner to, if you do require a Carabiner clip, the following accessory can be used – Carabiner Clip

 

Further Reading

 1. Review of the Motorola Defy - Satellite Link on the GPS Training Podcast (first story)

2. Motorola Defy - Satellite Link