Today, radios are known to everybody. Radio communication has evolved with time and we now see radios not only in homes but also integrated into cars and smartphones. The radio was invented in the late 1800s and has managed to stay in trend for a long time. However, technologies advance with time and today’s mobile-first world is dominated by cellular networks. This brings us to the question – are radios relevant today? Radio communication largely revolutionized various industries back in the day. But failing to adapt to changing times, means failing to move forward. If your business still relies on radio communication, it is time to upgrade. In this article, we will shed light on why radios may be holding your company back. But before we do, let’s take a look at its days of glory.

Radio Communication: Champion of the Past

Radios have a long and interesting history since the time they came into commercial use in the early 1900s. Radio communications were earlier restricted to maritime, to transmit messages from the shore to the ship and vice versa. However, the role of radio communication was vitalized during World War 1 when the military began using the radio exclusively to relay messages to their forces in real-time. Meanwhile, radios also became mainstream in common households.

AT&T was the first to ever release a radio advertisement in 1923. Soon after, radio and BBC became the prime source of news for the public. Then again with the onset of World War 2, radios played a crucial role in communicating the news of the war to the civilians.

Post-war radios still remained in trend and were used as a means of delivering diverse news and entertainment in the form of radio-based talk shows, music hours and much more. On the business front, companies began using two-way radios to simplify their field communication. Cut to today, walkie-talkies and two-way radios are still used by many businesses to stay connected with their field employees. But times have changed and we have progressed into the world of cellular networks where smartphones are mainstream. Clinging on to radio communication may be slowing down your business’s growth. Let’s understand how.

7 Major Pitfalls of Radio Communication: Factors Businesses Must Consider

1. Limited Coverage & Low Audio Quality

If you have ever compared the audio quality of the radio broadcast to that of a cellular broadcast, you must already agree that the call quality over radio frequencies is not the best. Combine the low audio quality with low coverage and you end up wasting minutes in figuring out who is calling or what they are speaking. Radio communication has a very limited reception area. This is a big problem for businesses that have a distributed workforce. With two-way radios, your employees can only communicate with their team members who are in close proximity.

2. Requires a License

Different countries have different regulations about the use of two-way radios and walkie-talkies. While in some countries, it is legal to use unlicensed walkie-talkies, others like the USA require an FCC license to make use of two-way radios. Businesses need to be aware of these regulations and need to go the extra mile to purchase licenses to operate two-way radios in various parts of the world.

3. No Value for Money

Radios have limited offerings, but a whole lot of costs are included. First off, purchasing dedicated two-way radio devices such as walkie-talkies for your entire crew. Maintaining and repairing these dedicated devices is an additional cost. Moreover, every time you modify your processes or add new members to the team, the licenses too need to be modified. This makes implementing two-way radios an overall costly affair.

4. No Visibility of the Field Workforce

An efficient operational control is difficult to achieve with radio communication. Line managers and supervisors need to be constantly aware of the whereabouts of their deskless workforce. With two-way radios, managers find themselves checking in on their employees way too often. You cannot have definite information on your field employees’ locations, working hours or activities.

5. Demand the Use of Separate Devices

Today, smartphones are easily accessible and affordable. Everyone owns a smartphone. But if your business relies on radio connectivity, your deskless workers have to carry multiple devices on-site. Two-way radios are bulky and cumbersome to carry around, especially in dynamic frontline and field environments. Your field workforce deserves a single device that has a powerful feature set and simplifies communication.

6. Non Scalable

Radios have very few offerings compared to the dynamic communication requirements of the present-day world. We live in times where cellular and WiFi connectivity over smartphones enables us to share instant images, make real-time video calls, exchange documents and files over the air and so much more. You cannot integrate two-way radios with your corporate platforms or a variety of business applications for task management, location tracking, etc. Neither can you seamlessly capture employee usage data and combine it with intelligence to analyze employee performance. In comparison to the lightning speed at which modern-day communication is evolving, radios just do not offer enough scalability.

7. Do Not Offer Enterprise-Grade Security

All businesses value their corporate data and are aware of the implications of losing out on sensitive customer information or business data. With the ever-evolving cyber threats, radios may not be the best way to communicate business-critical information to your deskless workforce. Several other users may be using the same radio frequency as your organization. In a competitive corporate environment that has several stringent data protection laws, it is best to opt for a communication method that enables end-to-end encryption.

Time to Switch to PTT Over Cellular

The reason why radio communication in the form of two-way radios or walkie-talkies has been alive for so long is because of the immense benefits that it offers to field employees. But, at the same time, is it worth suffering the above-mentioned challenges? What if there is a way to combine the push-to-talk capabilities of the two-way radios with cell phones? Push-to-Talk over cellular or PoC or PTToC offers businesses the best of both worlds. You can experience hassle-free push-button connectivity by simply downloading PTT software on your cellphones. 

NuovoTeam is a PTT software that can be easily installed on Android & iOS smartphones to deliver ultrafast push-button field communication. Your deskless workers need not switch between multiple devices on-site, they can turn their smartphones into walkie-talkies effortlessly. NuovoTeam not only offers the PTT functionality but a plethora of other powerful communication features including video messaging, file sharing, location sharing, SOS alerts and much more, which makes it a perfect choice for business communications.

Closing Lines

Remote communication is a vital factor, especially for businesses that have a field workforce. Prevent your company from using outdated radio connectivity and switch to a faster and simpler means of communication with NuovoTeam.

Although we have seen a sharp increase in remote working over the last few years, some industries have always had a remote or field workforce. Construction workers, mine workers, warehouse agents, as well as security guards, firefighters, hotel staff, etc. have always been a part of the deskless workforce. The concept of Push-to-Talk technology is not new to the field workforce. Walkie-talkies, two-way radios, and Land Mobile Radios (LMRs) have been used for ages to keep the field workforce connected. However, due to the big list of shortcomings that these radio communication tools present, the PTT technology has upgraded itself and is now capable of being integrated into smartphones which can be leveraged over cellular networks  – PTT over cellular (PoC). 

These PoC systems are created by installing PTT software on the field employees’ smartphones, which helps the device mimic the functionality of a walkie-talkie. Most businesses that have a field workforce are investing in PTT software to enable instant connectivity to their field employees from anywhere in the world. A report suggests that the global Push-to-Talk market size is expected to grow from USD 29.2 billion in 2021 to USD 45.2 billion by 2026.

Benefits of Modern-Day Push-to-Talk for Businesses

Integrating Push-to-Talk functionality in smartphones allows businesses to experience the best of both worlds. You can have PTT connectivity straight from your smartphones, without carrying around extra dedicated devices that pose coverage restrictions. You can use your slick smartphone to leverage ultra-fast PTT connectivity over cellular networks.

Here’s a list of benefits your business can experience with the modern-day PTT:

• You can manage your field workforce across geographies. Distance and coverage need not be a barrier to seamless communication.
• You can establish reliable and to-the-point communication in time-critical field operations.
• You can create and execute group calls. This helps reduce time on individual phone calls and also reduces call costs for businesses.
• You can enable hands-free and eyes-free communication for your field workforce.
• You can skip lengthy dialing and typing procedures, simply press the button and talk.
• You can keep your field workforce well-engaged by broadcasting critical information and company-wide updates.
• You can discuss critical matters in real-time for better decision-making.

Also read: How Does the NuovoTeam Push-to-Talk App Solve Field Service Communication Challenges?

How Can Various Industries Make the Most of the PTT Technology?

Diverse industrial sectors have a large field workforce that keeps their company’s processes running smoothly beyond office perimeters. The modern-day PTT technology can streamline communication for all these on-field teams.

Let’s understand how various businesses can use the PTT technology to their advantage:

1. Construction

PTT allows multiple teams across diverse construction sites to coordinate. Site managers can broadcast important operational updates or convey emergencies across their field workforce speedily.

2. Logistics & Transportation

Line managers, warehouse employees, dispatchers and delivery agents can connect instantly with the fleet drivers using PTT. Drivers can conveniently share real-time locations to keep the other units of the supply chain informed about their arrival and departure.

3. Retail

PTT allows your sales executives to amp up their customer service by communicating with various teams from anywhere. You can create multiple channels to conduct group PTT calls to offer speedy resolutions to your customers. Whether you want to get in touch with your warehouse employees to find out the stock availability or share instant images and videos of the in-house products, modern-day PTT software enables all of it with a single platform.

4. Security Services

Security services are required by almost all businesses today. You see professional security guards present at stores and restaurants, event security managers at various functions, and surveillance operators monitoring tonnes of CCTVs with a common goal of offering protection. When it comes to the safety of personnel or property, security guards need to be constantly aware of their surroundings and stay in touch with their crew. What better than push-button connectivity to coordinate with your team? PTT apps serve the purpose of rapid communication, along with other useful features such as location sharing, over-the-air image & file sharing and SOS alerts.

5. Hospitality

Customer experience is critical to improving market presence in the hospitality industry. Hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, and airports have a large on-site staff for seamless operational efficiency and enhancing customer experience. Implementing PTT software can help your front desk employees coordinate easily with housekeeping, ground staff or on-site support staff.

6. Emergency Services

When public safety is involved, traditional modes of communication fall short in terms of speed and reliability. PTT enables emergency communication which is vital for first responders. Be it firefighters, ambulance drivers or policemen, PTT helps these everyday heroes with what matters most – speedy connectivity.

NuovoTeam Push-to-Talk (PTT): A Game-Changer for Businesses

NuovoTeam is a PTT app that allows users to leverage PTT over cellular networks. This helps businesses overcome the restrictions of traditional radio-based PTT devices, and helps diverse industries leverage instant press-button connectivity for their field workforce.

NuovoTeam can be easily installed on Android and iOS smartphones using the Google PlayStore or the Apple App Store and has a simple interface. It does not need the user to be highly tech-savvy.

With NuovoTeam, the employees can;

• Experience seamless collaboration not just with PTT, but with several other features such as video and multimedia messaging.
• Find contacts of anyone in the organization using the corporate directory.
• Use a wide range of smartphones (Android Phones or iPhones), rugged devices or custom/purpose-built devices.
• Leverage PTT connectivity from any machine that supports a Chrome browser with NuovoTeam’s Desktop PTT.
• Act quickly and gain instant help in crisis situations with SOS alerts.
• Line managers can gain insights into their field employees’ locations, attendance and working hours.

Closing Lines

Push-to-Talk technology allows you to enjoy rapid connectivity with your field employees from anywhere in the world. PTT helps businesses streamline their communication across their field workforce, a factor neglected by many. You can get the best of PTT connectivity and many more features that collectively help you to improve your bottom-line communication simply by implementing NuovoTeam PTT software.

When it comes to remote working, smartphones are the most common mode of communication for businesses. You cannot imagine a day without checking your emails, connecting with your colleagues and attending meetings using your smartphone. But, do smartphones always ensure reliable information exchange? Are missed calls and unread messages commonplace, especially when trying to reach your field workforce?

Your field employees are almost always engaged in physical and heavy-duty operations that may not allow them to receive phone calls on time. Push-to-Talk is an ideal way to stay efficiently connected with your field workforce.

What is Push-to-Talk?

Push-to-Talk (PTT) is a mode of communication that allows users to leverage voice communication at the press of a button. This method has been traditionally used by devices such as walkie-talkies and two-way radios that function on a half-duplex mode allowing one person to talk at a time over radio frequencies.

The modern-day PTT technology allows smartphones to mimic walkie-talkies and enables users to leverage the same half-duplex mode of communication over the cellular networks. Users can install PTT apps on their smartphones and obtain instant PTT connectivity devoid of complex dialing and typing procedures.

Industries That Benefit the Most From Push-to-Talk

All businesses that have a field workforce can benefit by implementing Push-to-Talk technology to stay connected with their on-field employees. Emails, phone calls and text messages may not be as efficient to communicate with the field workforce. Providing smartphones to your on-field employees with PTT apps installed on them can allow your employees to leverage instant PTT connectivity, without having to carry extra devices.

Some of the key industries that benefit from the modern-day PTT technology are:

• Construction
• Mining
• Warehousing
• Manufacturing
• Oil and gas industries
• Logistics & transportation
• Retail
• Healthcare
• Security services
• Hospitality

7 Reasons Why You Must Pick Modern-Day Push-to-Talk (PTT) for Field Communication

1. Instantaneous Communication

The best advantage of using smartphones integrated with PTT apps is that you can leverage instant connectivity with your field workforce. Employees need not search and dial phone numbers, establish a connection or wait for the receiver to answer the phone, exchange pleasantries and then ultimately convey their message. PTT requires a simple push-button action that saves ample time and offers easy connectivity to your field workforce.

2. Worldwide Coverage

Several businesses have a distributed workforce making streamlined communication a top priority. Modern-day PTT apps can be integrated easily with smartphones allowing instant connectivity over cellular networks. This breaks the geographical barriers presented by two-way radios or walkie-talkie devices. Your field employees can connect with their colleagues or line managers from anywhere in the world.

3. Cost Control

We have already established that making business phone calls may be very time-consuming for your field workforce. But time is not the only thing that is excessively spent on telephone calls, businesses end up spending a lot of money on telephone bills too. Phone calls are longer compared to short and precise PTT calls. PTT helps businesses save costs on excessive cellular and roaming charges. Besides, modern-day PTT apps can be easily installed on your employees’ smartphones which negates the need for businesses to invest in purchasing special PTT devices.

4. Hands-free Communication

Your field workforce operates in harsh environments, with their daily activities involving heavy machinery and labor-intensive processes. On-site employees have a hectic schedule that may not allow them to receive and relay messages on time. But, on the other hand, answering your line manager’s calls is equally crucial. The PTT technology offers the ideal solution to this problem. PTT enables barge calls that can be heard by the employee and everyone in his surroundings as and when received. With this, field employees can receive business-critical information in a hands-free and eyes-free manner.

5. Improved Safety

The field workforce generally operates in high-risk zones with protective gear and gloves. One misstep can lead to an accident or a hazard. Having a hands-free mode of communication goes a long way in ensuring the safety of your field employees. Moreover, since PTT enables instant connectivity, it is the most ideal tool for crisis communication. Your employees can send out SOS alerts, convey crisis updates and obtain help faster compared to the other business communication methods.

6. Group Connectivity

Making a phone call may serve the purpose when you want to convey information to a particular employee. However, when business-critical updates need to be conveyed to an entire on-site crew, phone calls are tedious and inconvenient. Modern-day PTT allows you to address a specific group of people and ensure efficient information transfer to your entire crew.

7. Multi-Media Messaging

Modern-day PTT apps not only enable your field workforce to leverage instant PTT connection but also share files of diverse formats such as images, documents, video editing, videos, etc. You can share business-critical documents, receipts and certificates with your field workforce. Field employees can also share their current location with their fellow colleagues or line managers.

NuovoTeam Push-to-Talk App: Simplifying Field Communications

NuovoTeam is a Push-to-Talk (PTT) app that can be easily integrated with Android and iOS smartphones to keep your field workforce effortlessly connected. With NuovoTeam, businesses can leverage anywhere connectivity with PTT and a line of effective communication features that prevents the information from being siloed.

Why is NuovoTeam the best choice for your business?

• Desktop PTT: NuovoTeam not only simplifies communication for your field workforce but also helps your office staff connect instantly with your on-field employees using Desktop PTT. Line managers and supervisors can make PTT calls from any machine that has the Chrome browser, be it PCs, macOS or Linux machines. With this, your office staff need not constantly switch between PCs and smartphones to make PTT calls.
  
• SOS Communication: NuovoTeam allows users to create diverse channels for group-specific communication such as public, limited-public, closed and SOS channels. The SOS channel is ideal for crisis communications. Your employees can share a 10-second PTT message followed by the location of the user using the SOS channel.
  
• Better Call Management: Your employees need not memorize dozens of phone numbers. NuovoTeam consolidates a contact list of all the members of your organization for your employees’ convenience.

• Live Voice Playback: NuovoTeam also ensures that no business-critical message is missed. Employees can replay PTT messages any number of times.

Closing Lines

Your field workforce is a unit of your business that requires constant and stable communication. Modern-day PTT can revolutionize field communication for your business. You can reap the benefits of modern-day PTT by implementing a PTT software that offers simple and powerful enterprise-grade communication.

We live in a mobile-first world where connectivity is the key to operational efficiency. Today, there are innumerable ways to stay connected with people from anywhere in the world using cellular and Wi-Fi networks. Although the present-day modes of communication including phone calls, emails and text messages do a great job of keeping the world connected, the age-old PTT technology outruns these present-day modes of communication in terms of speed and ease of use. This is why Push-to-Talk over Cellular and Wi-Fi networks is gaining rapid popularity amongst field industries. 

Field workforce such as construction workers, mine workers and security personnel operate in a time-critical manner which makes quick conversations and instant responses their top priority. Although the traditional PTT devices have become outdated, Push to Talk over Cellular (PoC) presents a ray of hope to enhance modern-day field communications.

Also read: Various Modes of Field Communication: Why PTT Stands Out?

Let’s Understand What Push to Talk Over Cellular (PoC) Means

Push-to-Talk Over Cellular (PoC) combines the basic PTT concept and smartphone technology into a single device. With PoC, users can leverage the half-duplex communication mode for 2-way connectivity over 3G, 4G or WiFi networks to overcome the limited coverage issues presented by traditional PTT. 

There are no additional infrastructure requirements, you can leverage the cellular network to offer global connectivity to your users. Push to Talk Over Cellular (PoC) solution replicates the functionality of two-way radios on the user’s smartphones with the help of an app. This method breaks the barriers to limited coverage and negates the need for the field workforce to carry multiple devices on-site.

Benefits of Push to Talk Over Cellular (PoC) In Comparison To Traditional PTT

Global Network Coverage

Unlike traditional PTT devices that restrict their user’s connectivity to a certain geographical area, Push-to-Talk Over Cellular (PoC) or PTT over cellular enables users to have seamless global connectivity. You can connect to an individual or make group PTT calls from anywhere in the world over any cellular network.

Reduced Capital Expenditure

Push to Talk Over Cellular (PoC) can be leveraged from any device, Android, iOS and even desktop using the latest PTT software. This negates the need for businesses to invest in special walkie-talkie devices. Modern-day PTT software can be easily integrated into employees’ personal devices as well, making instant connectivity economical even in BYOD environments.

Ability to Integrate Powerful Features

High-end PoC systems such as NuovoTeam have a variety of features integrated into a single solution such as file sharing, VoIP calling and real-time location sharing in addition to PTT capabilities that make it an ideal solution for the field workforce.

Ease of Administration

Traditional walkie-talkie devices are bulky and tedious to manage in large numbers. Push-to-Talk Over Cellular (PoC) systems can be easily managed using PTT software. As most businesses implement RMM tools or MDM solutions to manage their remote operations, the PTT software can be distributed over the air on multiple remote smartphones to leverage PoC functionality.

Benefits of Push To Talk Over Cellular (PoC) Over Other Modes of Communication

Push-Button Connectivity

PTT over cellular systems allow users to leverage instant remote connectivity at the mere push of a button. Users need not engage in lengthy processes involved in direct-dialed phone calls or typing detailed emails and text messages.

Easy to Use

Writing formal emails, operating business messaging tools and other communication modes such as video conferencing require the user to be moderately tech-savvy. PTT over cellular systems work on the PTT functionality which requires the user to simply press a button and talk, making it extremely user-friendly.

Barge Calls

PTT calls allow the field workforce to hear the incoming PTT message in an eyes-free and hands-free manner as and when received. These barge calls ensure that the field workers never miss the business-critical messages even when engaged in on-field activities.

Crisis Communications

The field workforce operates in labor-intensive and hazard-prone environments including mines, highways, construction sites, etc. In times of crisis, when there are lives on the line, field employees must have the means to obtain quick help. Push to Talk Over Cellular (PoC) enables the field employees to skip the dialing procedures and gain help at the press of a button.

NuovoTeam PTT software

NuovoTeam is a Push-to-Talk solution that offers several salient features to drive seamless communication for the field workforce. There are plenty of ptt over cellular devices available in the market. However, with NuovoTeam PTT software you can turn your commercial Android or iOS smartphones, or rugged devices into walkie-talkies.

Also read: Understanding Push-to-Talk: 10 Important Questions Answered

Why is NuovoTeam PTT software ideal for your business?

PTT Connectivity

NuovoTeam offers cross-platform interoperability and works seamlessly with Android and iOS smartphones, as well as any machine with a Chrome browser be it PCs, macOS or Linux machines using its Desktop PTT feature.

Instant Team Collaboration

NuovoTeam is a PTT software that comes integrated with several instant communication capabilities including text messaging, VoIP calls, file sharing, video messaging and location sharing.

Channel Management

You can create diverse open and closed channels for focussed conversations. NuovoTeam allows you to create Public and Limited Public channels with open channels allowing users to join and leave as per their will. You can also create Closed and SOS channels that do not permit the users to leave ensuring that critical messages are delivered efficiently. The SOS channels play a vital role in crisis management since it enables the field workers to share a 10-second PTT message followed by the location of the user.

DeepDive Analytics

Managers and supervisors can leverage a comprehensive overview of their remote employees and track their locations, attendance and working hours. This helps the line managers to track their on-field employees’ performances on the go.

Closing Lines

If you are in search of a solution that streamlines your field communications, then investing in Push to Talk Over Cellular solution is the right choice for your business. PTT software like NuovoTeam helps businesses combine the capabilities of PTT walkie-talkies with mobile phones to experience the best of both worlds.