Last Updated on September 23, 2021
The Philips Lifeline GoSafe 2 mobile medical alert is a GPS necklace pendant device with an emergency help button. It works both in and out of the home through an AT&T Wireless network connection.
Philips Lifeline is a leader in the medical alert systems industry. If you are looking for a quality mobile medical alert device, GoSafe 2 is well worth a closer look.
This Philips Lifeline GoSafe 2 review will go over factors such as the product’s exterior design and appearance, features, performance, pricing, and more.
Pros
- Small and lightweight (3 inches in length and 2 oz)
- Waterproof (IPX7) – OK for shower use (avoid submersion in water)
- Reliable monitoring services from Philips Lifeline response center
- Audio beacon – optional siren-like sound to determine the device location (supplements GPS location tracking)
- Auto fall alert included (cannot be turned off, though)
- Month-to-month subscription without no long-term commitment
Cons
- No location data retrieval tool (for family and caregivers)
- Not to be used by pacemaker and defibrillator wearers (official Lifeline warning)
- A little pricey – button and self-installation costs $120
Lifeline GoSafe 2 Design
Philips Lifeline GoSafe 2 (7150MHB) is a white oblong-shaped medical alert button pendant worn around the neck. You can push the help button to initiate a call to the Lifeline monitoring center when you have an emergency.
GoSafe 2 has an all-in-one design that includes a working cellular connection (SIM card inside), speaker, microphone, and GPS location tracking. The pendant device is the main piece of equipment. A wall charger is also included in the box.
Look and Build
The GoSafe 2 is a well-made, water-resistant (IPX7 rated) medical alert pendant device worn with a lanyard. It comes in a white, functional design.
The pendant size is approximately 3 inches in length, 1.4 inches across, and 0.8 inch in thickness. It weighs about 2 oz.
Compared to other similar on-the-go medical alert devices, the size and weight are about average.
We find that it looks pleasant. Would you feel comfortable wearing this pendant? Consider both the design and weight.
Many potential senior customers resist using a medical alert system because of the button design. Perhaps they find it too bulky, do not like how it looks, or prefer something they can clip to a bag instead.
Some people will feel good about how the GoSafe 2 looks on them. In contrast, others may prefer something a little snazzier, lighter, more contemporary (see more options).
Or perhaps you want alternative ways to wear the pendant beyond using the lanyard.
There is no right answer here. We recommend that you go with a look and button format that you will feel good about using. If you want something different, companies have help buttons fashioned into smartwatches.
Fixed Lanyard
Right out of the box, the GoSafe 2 comes attached to a lanyard. The lanyard is fixed securely to the pendant as you can see in the picture, so you will not be able to remove it.
What we like is that the pendant cannot be easily tugged away from the lanyard, so that it stays within reach for you to push the button. The lanyard itself is still designed to break away under certain conditions to reduce strangulation risk.
When it comes time to change the lanyard, you will need a special tool to put on a new lanyard. Both the tool and lanyard should be obtained through Philips Lifeline directly.
Comparison with Mini Guardian
If looks and weight are issues of concern, a good pendant to compare the GoSafe 2 with is the Mini Guardian. The Mini Guardian is similarly shaped, but it features a newer and lighter design at 1.3 oz. It also comes in multiple colors, and you can clip it to a bag if you want to vary how you carry it on you sometimes.
On the flip-side, the Mini Guardian’s lanyard attachment mechanism is not fixed like the Go Safe’s. If you don’t plan on switching the way you wear the pendant from a lanyard, then Go Safe’s fixed lanyard would offer a little more security in this regard.
Comparison with HomeSafe
GoSafe 2 is different from Lifeline HomeSafe home-based medical alert systems in two main ways.
Firstly, with HomeSafe, two-way voice communication is facilitated through a separate desktop base communicator unit. If you are not near enough to the base communicator unit when the call connects, the care agent may not be able to hear you and vice versa.
Secondly, the in-home communicator unit is not portable and is not meant to be taken out of the home. This is so even if you have the HomeSafe cellular communicator unit that connects calls through AT&T’s wireless network.
GoSafe 2 connects through AT&T’s 4G LTE network. Therefore, it works wherever it can establish a good cellular connection.
Given GoSafe’s small pendant size (3 inches) and all-in-one design, it has the advantage of providing access to emergency help whether we are at home or out of the house. You can always speak with the monitoring agent through the speaker and mic.
Installation and Recharging
Installation is simple. The box includes a quick start guide. Essentially, if you push on the Help button the first time, you will hear a voice message welcoming you to Lifeline and prompting you to charge the pendant. As the button is charging, you will see a green light flashing.
The initial set-up should be done at home. According to Philips Lifeline, that enables their medical alert system to calibrate your home location better. We find calibrating your home location to be a thoughtful and helpful feature. Most other systems figure out that you are at your home location through GPS and other methodologies.
According to Lifeline’s documentation, each full charge will last up to 2 to 3 days. When it’s time to recharge, the front light indicator will flash orange. It takes about 45 minutes to fully recharge if you recharge it when the orange lights start flashing. If you wait until the battery has been fully drained, it will more than an hour to fully recharge. The length of time relatively short compared to the average of 2 to 3 to reach full charge.
The device will issue a voice prompt and shut off when there is no more battery power left. At that point, the orange light will no longer flash. There will be no visible light indicators to tell what state the GoSafe GPS device is in, whether it’s on and ready to be used, or has been turned off.
How can you tell if the pendant device is on or turned off due to a lack of power? With the GoSafe 2, you can shake the pendant anytime, and if it flashes green, it has sufficient power.
This “shake and tell” is a great feature. What could make the product even better is to include an indicator for cellular wireless network signal strength. That lets subscribers easily know when they are in places with poor signal strength (emergency calls have difficulty getting through).
Response Time
The average response times from a button push to someone answering the call is about 30 seconds to a minute. This is based on reports from different reviewers (example, example). The Philips Lifeline GoSafe 2 QuickStart guide indicates that connecting on the first call will take around a minute.
We rate this response time as fair. As a comparison, we find it usually takes between 30 and 60 seconds from a medical alert button push to an agent answering a call. With the Lifeline HomeSafe standard landline system, our test result was 30 seconds on average.
GPS and Location Technologies
Lifeline’s GoSafe 2 pendant uses assisted GPS (AGPS) and wifi location technologies to ascertain your location. AGPS technology pulls GPS data through a cell phone network, similar to GPS information employed in smartphones. This can provide a faster read on the location.
Wifi location tracking works independently from any home wifi network, you do not need to have wifi enabled at your home. This technology complements GPS to provide greater accuracy.
As far as location tracking technology is concerned, it’s very similar to what competitor mobile medical alert systems have. It does have an extra audio beacon feature, which we will explain below.
Location Sharing Absent
What would make this even more helpful is for them to include location information sharing within the Philips Cares framework. Philips Cares is an app or online portal where subscribers can manage their account, communicate and share GoSafe 2 GPS device information with caregivers and family.
Competitor products like the Bay Alarm Medical or LifeStation GPS mobile pendants have ways of sharing location data with caregivers and family. There are times when we worry about where our parents or elderly loved ones could be. This feature provides critical clues on where to look for them if we cannot get in contact with them.
Audio Beacon Signals Where You Are
While Philips Lifeline’s GoSafe 2 cannot share its location, it has an excellent feature that competitor mobile systems lack. It’s the Audio Beacon feature. During an emergency help call, an agent will be able to activate a loud 120 decibels siren-like alarm on the GoSafe 2 device.
This audio alarm will quickly draw attention from passersby or first responders. GPS gives an approximate location, and there are no markings associated with each specific spot. You could be stuck in a nook or cranny that people tend to overlook.
The audio alarm lasts for 5 minutes each time. The subscriber retains the option of silencing it by pushing the Help button (no new help call will be activated).
Automatic Fall Detection Included
Automatic fall detection alert or AutoAlert is included within the pendant.
Fall detection provides an additional layer of protection for a medical alert system. If a person has fallen and is unable to push on their button manually, this feature will come in handy.
One potential drawback is that the automatic fall detection cannot be turned off at will.
Some subscribers may not have a strong need for this feature. It may not provide sufficient incremental benefit to them to warrant the hassles; such as a comparatively higher monthly cost ($50/mo vs. $40/mo with competitor devices), and dealing with the occasional false alarm along the way.
Cost
The Philips Lifeline GoSafe pendant costs $99.95, $19.95 to activate, and $49.95 per month ongoing.
GoSafe’s pricing can be termed as moderately high for a mobile system – a wee bit high but not unreasonable. Some companies like LifeStation will send out their mobile device without an upfront purchase fee. Instead, it’s loaned out to subscribers free, as part of their $38 to $48 monthly fee.
Other companies like Medical Guardian offer multiple options. You can buy their newer models for an upfront fee of $124.99, or else lease an older model without paying an upfront device cost. You can see a comparison here.
GoSafe Product Evolution
The Philips GoSafe system was launched at the end of Oct 2014 as an in-home and on-the-go medical alert system. At that time, it came with a GoSafe button and a desktop in-home base communicator unit.
That design was a little confusing as you communicated through two separate pieces of equipment. There was a separate base communicator unit for home use, and a GoSafe pendant you wore. Customers communicated through the in-home base communicator while at home and into the pendant directly when they are out of their home.
GoSafe was later pared down to a single all-in-one pendant system with GoSafe 2.
That was an improvement in design. One single button housing the alarm button, speaker, and microphone is easy to understand. It also provides a direct way for subscribers to speak with the monitoring agent without a separate communicator unit.
Adding an In-Home Base Communicator?
Currently, the majority of mobile medical alert devices offered are all-in-one single pendant devices like GoSafe 2. They work both in and out of the home.
Despite that, there is still an argument to be made for having both an in-home base communicator unit and a mobile button device. This set-up provides additional convenience and reliability based on having two communicator devices. One system can act as a backup for the other.
An in-home base communicator is plugged into a power source and does not need frequent recharging. You also have the option of choosing a landline in-home base unit if cellular reception is poor at home. It complements the mobile cellular pendant. That said, you can’t order both HomeSafe and GoSafe with Lifeline, as the company wants subscribers to stick with one system at any given one time.
However, in contrast, Bay Alarm Medical offers customers a dual medical alert systems plan. You can add an in-home communicator unit and button (at a steep discount) to their all-in-one mobile GPS button or smartwatch.
The Bay Alarm in-home pendant feels weightless around the neck compared to their mobile pendant. You can use it while relaxing at home, while the mobile pendant is charging, or as a backup button. The in-home button battery lasts for numerous years.
Summary
The Philips Lifeline GoSafe 2 mobile GPS system is a well-designed medical alert product.
It offers good features such as: a pleasant style, being waterproof, automatic fall detection, and it provides access to reliable Philips Lifeline monitoring services. Its unique audio beacon feature will alert responders to the subscriber’s exact location.
On the minus side, GoSafe 2 does not offer a way for subscribers to share their device location with care contacts. This is a helpful safety feature that most current mobile medical alert systems have. At $120 between the pendant cost and self-installation fee, you would be paying a premium price.
Limitation: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this website, the information is supplied without warranties of any kind. We advise all readers to do careful due diligence before purchasing. Take time to visit the company’s website and speak with their representatives.
- Bay Alarm Medical In-Home Cellular Response Speed 46% Faster in 2023 - July 5, 2023
- Medical Alert Systems For Landlines - November 20, 2022
- The Truth About Long-Range Medical Alert Systems - May 1, 2022
In a hurry? Leave us your email, we’ll follow-up with the best tips.
I ordered the GoSafe system for my husband. Until recently, no issues with the system. However, on September 30, when we really needed the system – NOTHING. The button didn’t work on either the pendant or the console. The more we tried reaching someone, the more the console just blinked. Help was sought elsewhere as needed it immediately. The next day the system did kick in. The message was that we ‘had a phone off the hook and needed to hang it up’. No, no phone was off the hook. I called Lifeline and advised. Of course, they were most helpful. Turn the console off and turn back on. At least, while I had them on the phone I had them check their equipment and no, it did not work. I was advised a new pendant would be sent and given the name of a gentleman to come in and be sure the equipment is set up correct. I had no trouble setting it up initially. I’m old so great, send a technician, I’ll be glad to let them set it up. Seven to ten days later, still no button. A return call and the button is on backorder. In the meantime, my family and I are getting calls that we are out of reach, we need to charge the button, all kinds of messages for a button that does not work. I guess everyone failed to read their own system notes. Of course, I almost had to shot my kids for putting them through the agony of a ‘lifeline’ call. Long story short, still no button. Gentleman coming to re-install calling to find out where the button is. I advise still on backorder. Just got off the phone with C/S today (now). Buttons now in. He will be sure to have one sent. May take seven to ten days but he doesn’t think so. Whatever happened to FedEx, DHS, overnight shipping? As I told them, you could really ‘flake’ waiting on them in a true emergency. In the meantime, my bill continues. Wonder if I can pay them ten days later, have my credit card hold off a month? I do wish to thank (and I am going to use his name and area code, N. at 508) for all his help. We spoke on October 19. Initially he was calling to tell us something was wrong and we needed to possibly charge the button. N., I apologize if I was short with you. I reminded him there should be notes regarding the situation. He apologized and advised they were missed. When I advised we had no service and had not had service since September 30, he advised he would send a button we could use in home while waiting on the backorder. He did and I got it the very next day after speaking with him. His got here the next day. The backorder button may be seven to ten days. I think I need to let this go. The more I think about it, the more pissed off I get. So, we, me, all of us are entitled to make a mistake. This is Lifeline’s one mistake with us. If it remains broke, I won’t try to fix it again. I’ll return the equipment, drop the service, and expect a refund.
I tried to get the Safe Go Lifeline(have the home one). Because I have an implanted pacemaker/defibrillator, I was told that cardiac implant patients cannot have this product. My suggestion is to put this information
in the material you use to advertise the product. It would be most helpful & important to know.
Thank you. Sister Pauline
There isn’t a contract not set up or activation fees is there?
Hi Carol, you can subscribe on a month-to-month basis. I believe there’s a mobile button fee of around $150. Please contact Lifeline for details. Thanks.
The device was sold to me as a unit that can locate me if I’m out and have a medical problem. The sales people assured me the 6 different geolocation services would pinpoint my location. Once I had the unit I tested the it when I was out over the thirty day trial and the respondent couldn’t locate me with any accuracy. I was then told by customer service that I would have to be able to respond to let someone know exactly where I was. As a diabetic it’s likely I would be incoherent or passed out and coudn’t do that. The customer service people were irritated that I would be upset that the sales dept was truthful and spoke over me frequently. I returned the unit.