Maybe, but not in a way worth relying on. The hardware might still power on, but the app and official support are gone - and Nelos is the modern, actively maintained app most people in this situation should switch to.
The goTenna Mesh radio itself can still work in some conditions: it talks directly to other goTenna devices and doesn't need goTenna's servers to send a message. The problem is the parts around it - the phone app, the ability to reinstall after a phone change, and the fact that it's no longer updated or officially supported.
If you have a set that's running fine and don't plan to change anything, it may keep working for a while. If you want an app that's actively developed and supported, or you're about to change phones, Nelos is worth switching to now - it connects your phone to a small compatible radio and gives your group messaging, offline maps, device trackers and a Need Help button, with more features than goTenna Mesh ever had. You can start using it for free.
goTenna Mesh is a radio that operates on the shared 900 MHz band. It doesn't "expire," and there's no public evidence that goTenna disables devices remotely. In principle, two goTenna Mesh devices already paired to phones can still message each other as before, because that part never went through the internet.
The old physical limits still apply: around 1 watt of power, range that depends on terrain and obstacles, a battery that degrades with the device's age. A set that's been sitting unused should be charged and tested before you rely on carrying it.
This is the real weak point. goTenna Mesh doesn't work without its companion phone app - the app handles entering messages, showing the map, and managing the device.
If the app is already installed on your current phone and still opens, you can keep using it. But when you switch to a new phone, or delete and reinstall the app, everything depends on whether that app is still downloadable from the store. As of this writing, goTenna's developer account on the App Store lists only the goTenna Pro apps; the consumer app no longer appears there. The situation on Google Play may differ - check your own app store directly. The guide What Happened to the goTenna Mesh App? covers this in more detail.
Don't download an install file for the app from unclear sources to work around this. For a communication app, that's a security risk not worth taking.
Per disclosures published in 2024, goTenna discontinued support for the consumer line including goTenna v1 and goTenna Mesh that year. In practice this means: no new firmware or app updates, no security fixes for the old devices, and the customer support channel for the consumer line is no longer maintained as it was. The former goTenna Mesh community forum is also no longer reliably reachable.
For a device you only use a few times a year, this may be acceptable. For a device you want to rely on, having no one to ask when something goes wrong is a real limitation.
Used goTenna Mesh units are still sold. For most people, buying now doesn't make sense. You'd pay for a system that's no longer updated, depends on an app that may not reinstall, and has no support. If the people you want to communicate with don't already have goTenna devices, you'd also have to buy several units for them to talk to each other.
For the same money, a modern LoRa mesh usually gets you hardware that's still made, software that's still developed, and a community to ask. The guide Best goTenna Mesh Alternatives in 2026 walks through those options.
Keep using the old hardware. Sensible if your set is running fine, the app still works on your current phone, and you accept that there's no support. Keep the installed app, avoid deleting it, and have a backup plan for the day you have to change phones.
Switch to Nelos. Sensible if you're about to change phones, want to grow the group, or simply want an app that's actively developed. Nelos covers exactly the need goTenna Mesh was aimed at, plus group chat, direct messages, offline maps, device trackers and a Need Help button. The guide Switching from goTenna Mesh to Nelos explains the process.
There's no public evidence that the devices are remotely disabled. The radio itself talks directly to other goTenna devices and doesn't depend on goTenna's servers to send messages. The real problem is the app and support, not the device being switched off.
This is the hard part. As of this writing, goTenna's developer account on the App Store lists only the goTenna Pro apps; the consumer app no longer appears there. Check your own app store directly. If you can't install the app on a new phone, the device is hard to use as before.
For most people, no. You'd be buying a system that's no longer updated or supported, with the risk of not being able to install the app when you change phones in the future. A modern LoRa mesh is usually the more sensible choice for the same money.
Nelos is an independent product, not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by goTenna. Names mentioned belong to their respective owners.
Nelos brings group messaging, location sharing, and a shared group map with location updates to LoRa mesh — with no cell service, no server, and no account.
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