In a splashy ad that aired during the Super Bowl’s first quarter on Sunday, T-Mobile said it was throwing open the doors to its satellite messaging beta test — powered by Elon Musk’s Starlink — for free until July. The twist? You don’t even need to be an existing T-Mobile customer to try it.

Want to try the new Starlink satellite connection on your phone? Sign up to the T-Mobile beta and you can, for free, until July—even if you’re with another carrier.

That's why I carry my Garmin inReach whenever I leave the house for some far-flung adventure in the woods. Yet, while Garmin's had a stranglehold on the backcountry communications industry for years,