Satellite messengers and phones: what you get (UK)
For rural homes, walkers and boats. For most homes in a town, a radio and PMR446 walkie-talkies do more for less.
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| Option | What it does | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin inReach Messenger Plus | Texts and SOS by satellite; needs a plan (plans from £12.99 a month, search summary) | £273–£430 read 1 Nov 2026 | GTC Shop |
| Satellite internet kit (Starlink) | Home internet by satellite; needs mains or battery power | Kit about £299 plus £40 to £80 a month (search summary, read 1 Nov 2026) | Not linked |
| Phone satellite SOS | Some newer phones can send an SOS by satellite | Depends on your phone | Check your phone maker's page; we didn't check models |
| PMR446 walkie-talkies | Licence-free radios for short range, e.g. to a neighbour | From £26.94 a pair (read 1 Nov 2026) | See the cyber outage checklist |
Who it's for
Satellite messenger: people who walk, sail or live where there's no phone signal.
Most homes: a battery or wind-up radio for news, and a pair of PMR446 radios to reach next door.
How we judged
What each one does and what it costs each month. Prices marked 'search summary' were not read on the seller's page, so check them.
No star ratings: we haven't collected reviews, and we don't show anyone else's. No product can promise to keep you safe.
Next
Sources
- GTC: Garmin inReach Messenger Plus (search summary, read 1 Nov 2026)
- Starlink support: referrals (search summary, read 1 Nov 2026)
How we review: we read each source on the date shown, say what we did not check, and never show made-up ratings. Found a mistake? We fix it and log it in our corrections log.