goTenna didn't shut down - its professional product line is still running. What stopped is the consumer side. If you're here because you need a personal or family replacement, Nelos is the modern app to switch to; the timeline below is for background.
goTenna shifted its focus from the consumer market to professional and government markets over several years, starting in 2017 with the goTenna Pro line. goTenna Mesh - the device aimed at consumers - is no longer sold new, and per disclosures published in 2024 the company discontinued support for the consumer line including goTenna v1 and goTenna Mesh during 2024. In October 2025, the company Forterra acquired goTenna.
In other words: the company still exists, but the consumer product and its official support do not. If you want a personal or family device that does what goTenna Mesh did - and a good deal more - Nelos is a modern app that connects your phone to a small compatible radio: group chat, direct messages, offline maps, device trackers and a Need Help button, on hardware from several makers rather than one company. You can start using it for free.
goTenna was founded in late 2012, inspired by Hurricane Sandy knocking out cellular communication across the US East Coast on a large scale. In 2014 the company released its first consumer device, simply called goTenna - a pocket-sized messaging device for people heading off the grid, working point-to-point.
In September 2016, goTenna launched goTenna Mesh, adding the ability to relay through other devices to extend range. Around the same time the company introduced goTenna Plus, a paid subscription that added features to the app.
In March 2017, goTenna announced the goTenna Pro line for professional radio communication needs. In 2019, the company raised $24M in a Series C round to finance the pivot toward the public sector. Per goTenna's own writing in 2020, the company had "very quickly sunsetted our original v1 product and went all-in on Mesh," then developed the Pro line from there.
In 2024, while working with the US cybersecurity agency (CISA) to address vulnerabilities in the goTenna Pro line, the company at the same time discontinued its entire consumer market - including goTenna v1 and goTenna Mesh. The related vulnerabilities had been reported to goTenna in 2017-2018 but were not fixed in the legacy consumer devices.
In October 2025, Forterra - a company that works on autonomous systems - announced that it had acquired goTenna.
This is the part that trips people up when they search. There are two different things sharing the "goTenna" name.
goTenna Mesh (consumer) is a small device, around 1 watt of power, no screen, sold in pairs at a list price of around $179 at launch. It was aimed at hikers, families, travelers - people who want to message and share location with no signal.
goTenna Pro (and later versions like Pro X, Pro X2) is a device for professional and government users: higher power, higher sensitivity, more rugged casing, swappable antennas, operation on authorized bands, and integration with tactical software like ATAK. This is goTenna's current product.
When someone says "goTenna is still alive," they usually mean the Pro line. When someone says "goTenna is dead," they usually mean the consumer line. Both are partly true, which is why this question is confusing.
By the company's account, some goTenna Mesh users realized the tool they enjoyed in their personal lives could make a difference in their work too, especially in disaster response. Professional customers needed things a consumer device didn't have: higher power and sensitivity, longer range, casing that survives being knocked around, and integration with the apps professionals rely on.
The public-sector market also brings more stable revenue than selling individual devices to consumers. The 2019 funding round was explicitly described as financing that direction. Over time, the resources went into the Pro line, and the consumer line stopped being updated - including for security.
If you're looking to buy a goTenna Mesh-style device for personal use, the Pro line isn't a fit - it's expensive, aimed at organizations, and not sold as a consumer product. Instead, today's LoRa mesh ecosystem has plenty of hardware and software options for that exact need. The guide Best goTenna Mesh Alternatives in 2026 walks through those directions.
If you still have a goTenna Mesh device and are wondering whether to keep using it, see Does goTenna Mesh Still Work in 2026?
No. The company still exists and the goTenna Pro professional line is still running. In October 2025, the company Forterra acquired goTenna. What stopped is the consumer side.
Yes, on the consumer side. goTenna stopped selling goTenna Mesh new, and per disclosures published in 2024 it discontinued support for the consumer line including goTenna v1 and goTenna Mesh during 2024.
The company said some users realized the tool was useful for professional work, especially disaster response. Professional customers needed higher power, longer range, more rugged casing, and integration with tactical software. goTenna put its resources into the Pro line and the government market.
The goTenna Pro line for professional and government users - higher-power mesh devices that integrate with apps like ATAK. This is not a product aimed at regular consumers.
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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