Suspend -> Cancelled

Well, the Apple satellite messaging service is only available for a few countries (for now), at some point they will start charging for it and whether it all works smoothly remains to be tested. With an IR device you have a robust, weatherproof outdoor device with a long battery life, an iPhone is more vulnerable and doesn't have the same battery life - OK - with a robust outdoor case and a battery you can turn this off... And you also have the option of live tracking (the new Messenger Plus also sends and receives photos and voice messages via satellite - this can be very useful in emergency situations). The advantage of the enabled status is that the device remains fully functional and is available for spontaneous use. If you only use the device for 2-4 months in a row (e.g. in the period June-September), canceling the contract is probably the cheaper option (but not if you use it in February+March and then again in July+August, for example). I have an iR device with a contract and an iPhone with satellite emergency calls (but no messages via satellite yet, as I am in Europe). Everyone has to decide for themselves what is cheaper/safer etc. The prices will only be more comparable when Apple releases the prices for emergency calls + messages via satellite at some point - at the moment, with no costs for the user, this may still seem very attractive...

You may have to do some calculations with the new plans (I hope I'm not mistaken):

These new plans are far worse for people like me who don't use it consecutive months. I typically used it for two trips a year: one in the spring and one in the fall. With the old Freedom Safety plan, I paid $34.95/yr plus two months at $14.95/mo for a total of $65 a year.

Under the new plan I have the following bad options:

1. Maintain it in "enabled" year-round and just forego text messages/check-ins and have it as emergency only for $7.99/mo, or $96 per year (more money for a worse service)

2. Keep it in "enabled" year-round except for the two months I need it (10 * $7.99 + 2 * $14.99) for a total of $110 per year.

3. Deactivate it and activate it twice a year with a $39.99 activation fee each time (2 * $39.99 + 2* $14.99) for $110 per year.

4. Deactivate it once for winter and keep it in Enable the rest of the time (1 * $39.99 + 2 * $14.99 + 6 * $7.99) for $118 per year.

I do not like this at all. Not cool, Garmin.

Regarding your calculations, note that if you already have an inReach subscription (Freedom or Annual) then you do not need to pay the activation fee when changing to the new plans. So that may affect the amounts in your calculations. For new inReach subscribers the activation fee must be paid at the start though.

And note that for new subscribers the first month needs to be a regular consumer plan before you can switch to Enabled.

That doesn’t change my calculations. Since you can no longer suspend, you have two options if you don’t need it for a month: switch to Enabled for $7.99 a month or deactivate. If you do the latter then you have to pay an activation fee when you need to use it again. For people needing it during non-consecutive months that is terrible. 

Note that it could also be interesting to take your actual usage into account, ie how many check-ins, messages and tracking points you send. For Enabled and Essential tracking is basically the same cost ($0.10). If you send few messages then you may not need Essential. Check-ins in Enabled is $0.10 each, so for the difference between Enabled and Essential you can send 70 check-in messages.

But I agree the new model is much more expensive for people who use their inReach device for non-consecutive months, due to the need to cancel and pay the activation fee when re-subscribing.

This reply was to Volker's calculation, but the Garmin forum software displays replies on the bottom irregardless to what actual message you replied. See my other reply for some thoughts on your scenarios.

Yeah, I send zero texts and maybe 10 checkins a year so for me that didn’t affect much.