Anyone know why NZ (and NZ alone??) has started blocking hyperlinks in Garmin inReach SMS messages? I can work around it, but it seems to be pretty unreasonable. Sorry about the length.

Previously if I sent a message via satellite it would include a position hyperlink to a Garmin web map e.g. “I’m currently at this position. Hyperlink”. Now all that arrives is “I’m currently at this position.”

If I forward one of the old messages with a position hyperlink it will forward correctly. Similarly I can send any other hyperlink by SMS.

Garmin have been having their share of issues lately, but this is unrelated.

Doing a web search I come up with this link from the Garmin help pages.

inReach Text Messages to New Zealand Phone Numbers Do Not Include the Location Link

The location link sent with inReach text messages is being blocked as spam to New Zealand phone numbers due to regulations in that locale. To ensure the messages to these phone numbers continue to get delivered we have turned off the location link from being sent to any New Zealand phone number. Messages sent to a phone number not in New Zealand will continue to include the location link, provided it has been setup correctly. See the content in the Related section below for more assistance on the location link for other phone numbers.

If the location link to a New Zealand contact is necessary we recommend sending the message to the contacts email address.

inReach text messages to New Zealand phone numbers may still be blocked and seen as spam if they are duplicate messages back to back. Example: Sending the quick message, "I am starting trip," twice to the same number in a row can be seen as spam.