HMD Global today unveiled its latest smartphone, the HMD Fusion, an affordable device whose idea is to change functions and style with a shell. This is how the HMD Fusion will initially be distributed, but additional devices will be available later this year.
HMD OffGrid Now Available in the UK and European Markets
02. 02. 2025 Sunday / By: Robert Denes / Reviews / Exact time: BST / Print this page
F ollowing the US launch, HMD Global’s recently announced HMD OffGrid satellite accessory is now available in the UK for just £169 (EUR 202, USD 209, INR 18157) and in European markets including Austria, Finland, France, Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Spain for a flat price of €199 (GBP 166, USD 206, INR 17875) by clicking on the links below!
HMD Global, the brand behind the latest Nokia smartphones, is looking to get into satellite messaging. At CES 2025, it announced the HMD OffGrid, a satellite accessory for smartphones that looks and works similarly to the Motorola Defy satellite connection that was released in 2023.
The HMD OffGrid uses L-band satellites via Viasat and Skylo (the Defy uses the latter). You can send messages, voice notes, and check-ins to your friends and family from the OffGrid app.
SMS messages are sent from your phone number, so no one else needs to download an app to communicate with you. And real-time tracking lets you share your GPS-based location with up to 5 contacts - via a shared link - by pressing the OffGrid button.
While the HMD OffGrid lasts for three or four days on a charge, that's only with regular 30-minute message and check-ins. While it has a 10-day standby battery, it only lasts for a day or two if you're constantly using GPS and satellites for automatic 3-minute check-ins.
Most importantly for anyone using this satellite dongle in areas with no signal, it supports SOS signals via the device's dedicated SOS button. Pressing it will trigger a series of questions from Focus Point International, a 24/7 emergency service, such as "Are you alone?", "Where are you?" and "What happened?"
If necessary, Focus Point will dispatch Overwatch x Rescue services to provide assistance as needed and foot the bill for your rescue - though you'll have to pay your own medical bills.
The HMD OffGrid is IP68 dust and water resistant, and MIL-STD-810H rugged. It weighs 60g (2.1oz) and has a dedicated slot for a carabiner if you want to hang it from a backpack. It seems very convenient for overland travel, although we have the same design concern as the Defy: the freestanding SOS button is a little too easy to press without a cover. Other satellite devices we've tested, such as the Garmin GPSMAP 67i, allow you to remove the protective cover from the SOS button.
HMD also mentioned that it’s offering some kind of enterprise program for OffGrid, with unique features, though it didn’t go into too much detail. While more and more phones and carriers are adding satellite messaging or SOS services, from the iPhone 14 and Pixel 9 Pro to Verizon phones, something like the HMD OffGrid or Motorola Defy will provide satellite access without tying you to a specific device. Given that the Defy received generally mediocre reviews and had to survive the bankruptcy of Bullitt Satellite Messaging — which was acquired by another company in 2024 — I’m sure outdoorsy folks will appreciate HMD OffGrid as a potential alternative. The main question will be whether the satellite coverage and messaging work as intended.