Effectively useless when it mattered, with an unacceptable cancellation process
I bought ZOLEO for one core reason: so two friends and I could communicate at Burning Man. It failed at that basic job.
Reception was effectively unusable. Texts failed. Location sharing failed. Messages that eventually arrived were heavily delayed. A communication device that cannot reliably send messages or share locations when you need it is not merely disappointing - it is effectively useless for its core purpose.
Trying to cancel has been unacceptable too. The portal blocks deactivation with the message, "Device cannot be deactivated before contract end date," while refusing to show the contract end date. I followed the cancellation steps, tried live support, and submitted a written support request. The live chat never connected me to a human. The contract end date was only disclosed after days of chasing support, and I still have no cancellation confirmation.
Based on my firsthand experience, ZOLEO failed both as a communication product and as a service. I would not trust it for an event where staying in contact matters, and I would not recommend it.