Across the business spectrum, there is intense focus these days on mobility. Companies want to arm employees with the tools needed to do more things from more places—and to do it all faster. Smartphones are getting smarter. And
two-way radios are getting smaller and more sophisticated. In fact, cell phones and two-way radios now can be hard to tell apart. With the convergence of the two technologies, it's natural to ask: Which is right for my business, cell phones or two-way radios?
A discussion of cell phones and two-way radios naturally will explore the advantages of each technology over various points of comparison. But in most cases, the two technologies are not direct competitors. Instead, cell phones and two-way radios are wireless mobile communications devices that have specific advantages, depending on the user's requirements. So, weighing the two options is really an exercise in needs analysis. That evaluation begins with a discussion of a company's communications philosophy and the urgency of its communications.
Two-Way Radios are the Right Call for One-to-Many Communications
Here's a simple question: Who needs to talk to whom, and who else needs to be aware of that conversation? When a cable installer calls a technician to switch on new service, no one else needs to know that's happening. But when a security officer is on his way to a campus emergency, others need to be alerted—and quickly. This distinction between one-to-one and one-to-many communication is a basic but key difference between cell phones and two-way radios. And while radios have private call features to allow for one-to-one communications, phones do not have one-to-many capabilities.
One-to-many communications—simple and uncomplicated—are especially important to organizations that rely heavily on coordination. From taxi companies to fire departments, these user groups need dispatchers to make sure that everyone is doing what's needed and be able to alert others to those activities. These considerations only become more important as organizations get larger.
A final philosophical consideration is a company's sensitivity to misuse of technology by users. Company phones can be used for personal reasons and a source of distraction with their texting and web surfing capabilities. Radios are less likely to be misused.
Radios are Well Suited for Urgent Communications
Cell phones have long saved numbers for easy retrieval, but telephone calls still take time. The caller dials the number and waits for an answer. The person called gets the call, sees who it is, and decides whether to answer. The caller might leave a voicemail message that the recipient might listen to later. And while that may work in plenty of applications, it isn't good enough for a police department or a petrochemical plant.
Radio communication is instant, with simple push-to-talk configurations. The person needing information gets it quickly, and if there is not a quick response, he or she can follow up with another request. Again, requests for help are heard by everyone in a group. Radios can even be programmed to alert others when a user stops moving. These "man down" features aren't widely applicable, but where appropriate, they can save lives.
So, the first step in choosing between cell phones and two-way radios is to understand your company's communications philosophy and then evaluate the urgency of your communications.
Part Two
Locations
