Fi Ultra Finds Dogs Beyond LTE Dead Zones for $199, Using Starlink Fallback
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Jul 8
Fi Ultra Finds Dogs Beyond LTE Dead Zones for $199, Using Starlink Fallback
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Jul 8
Summary
$199 Fi Ultra switched from LTE to T-Mobile’s T-Satellite service in a South Carolina dead zone, locating a dog with Starlink-backed updates every 2 to 3 minutes in Lost Mode.
Those satellite updates came with gaps: the tracker sometimes spent nearly 5 minutes reconnecting as it moved between satellites and weak terrestrial signals, which Fi said can happen because LTE is prioritized when available.
Battery life was the main tradeoff. The 68g tracker is rated for 2 days, but testing required daily or every-other-day charging, and a 30-minute live satellite session consumed almost 20% of the battery.
Fi positions the device as remote-area insurance rather than an everyday tracker, charging $199 plus a $20 activation fee and a $189 annual subscription, or $299 to add it to an existing Fi plan.