Fi has released the Fi Ultra, a dog tracker that automatically switches to satellite connectivity when cellular coverage isn't available. The device taps into T-Satellite, a new T-Mobile service powered by Starlink's satellite network, allowing owners to locate their dogs anywhere in the continental US — including backcountry and rural areas where cell towers don't reach.

The tracker works by switching between two forms of connection. When LTE signal exists, it behaves like Fi's existing trackers, sending location data over cellular. Once that signal drops, the device automatically connects to T-Satellite without requiring any action from the owner. The result is continuous location reporting even when a dog wanders beyond cell range, a meaningful expansion for a product category historically limited by tower density.

That coverage comes with a tradeoff in battery life. The Fi Ultra lasts roughly two days on a charge, compared to two weeks to three months for the current Series 3+ model Engadget. Satellite radios consume more power than LTE modems because they must maintain a link to satellites orbiting low in space. Owners planning extended off-grid trips will need to charge more frequently — a real constraint for hunters and backcountry hikers, less so for suburban owners whose dogs rarely leave cell range.

Beyond location tracking, the Fi Ultra includes several layered features. A "callback" system uses sound and vibration to prompt a dog to return on command, functioning as a remote recall tool. "Lost Mode" increases location reporting frequency when a dog goes missing and activates "Search Party," a crowdsourced detection system similar to Apple Find My or Tile. Nearby Fi devices passively detect a lost dog's signal and relay it back. Fi plans to add geofence alerts — vibrations when a dog crosses a boundary — though the company hasn't announced a specific launch date.

The hardware works with most standard dog collars and harnesses rather than requiring Fi's proprietary collar band, which sets it apart from the Series 3 Plus, where the tracker is built directly into the collar fabric tryfi.com.

Pricing follows Fi's subscription model. New buyers pay $199 for the tracker, a $20 setup fee, and $189 per year for connectivity and app features Engadget. Existing Fi subscribers can add the Ultra for $299 instead of paying the full new-member price. The company also offers a one-month free trial tryfi.com.

Fi's platform already serves millions of dogs worldwide, and the Series 3 Plus collects behavioral data — scratching, licking, barking, eating, drinking — to flag health and hydration patterns. Fi Intelligence, an AI system, generates breed-specific health guidance from accumulated data. The Ultra extends the same tracking pipeline into territory the Series 3 Plus never reached.

The broader pattern worth noting is that direct-to-device satellite connectivity, once exclusive to flagship smartphones for emergency messaging, is beginning to move into narrower product categories. T-Satellite's appearance in pet tracking suggests telecom carriers now view satellite connectivity as a wholesale infrastructure capability they can license to other companies and IoT devices, not just a premium feature for their own phones. Whether other trackers — for outdoor enthusiasts, cargo, livestock — adopt the same approach remains an open question.

Fi's marketing campaign for the Ultra won an award at the 2026 Creative Circle Awards Shots, though that recognition reflects the campaign's creative quality rather than the product's technical performance.

The tradeoff the Fi Ultra offers is straightforward: broader coverage in exchange for more frequent charging. For owners of dogs that roam widely — hunting breeds, herding dogs on open land, dogs prone to bolting on trails — daily charging instead of weekly may be a reasonable exchange. For households where a dog rarely leaves cellular range, the added complexity may not be worth the capability.