How Licence Free Radios Work
Licence free radios operate across RMP446 radio frequencies rather than on mobile networks or via the internet, meaning that your operators are not reliant on signal availability or network capacity to communicate. Two way radios also offer an immediate push-to-talk function, allowing team members to speak to each other in real time at the press of a button, with no need to select a contact, dial a number or wait to be connected.
Licence free radios offer their users the choice of multiple channels with no ongoing costs, allowing businesses to allocate specific channels to user groups, improving clarity of communications, immediacy of instructions and improved coordination across functions.
Industry Sectors That Should Use Unlicensed 2 Way Radios
Licence free two way radios are suited to a range of different industry sectors, including education, healthcare, hospitality, events, retail, transport, security and construction, as they offer reliable communications without the need for licensing or ongoing financial commitment.
Education:
Equipping staff with business walkie talkies and fitting speakers in classrooms and functional areas allows personnel to coordinate activities effectively, particularly in emergency situations such as evacuations and lockdowns.
Healthcare:
Administrative staff can use licence free radios to communicate discreetly with care professionals or to summon assistance from security should an individual’s behaviour deteriorate and they need to be removed from the premises for the safety of staff and other patients.
Hospitality:
Unlicensed 2 way radios can help staff to communicate effectively with each other, particularly when they are spread across a large geographic area, such as a multi-storey building or multi-unit site. Expediting team communications can improve efficiency, allowing issues to be dealt with promptly and an improved level of customer service to be delivered.
Events:
Whether working at a permanent installation such as a theme park or at a pop-up installation such as a festival, business walkie talkies are the ideal communications solution for staff, enabling discreet and immediate communications to take place, while incurring no costs when out of use.
Retail:
Unlicensed 2 way radios are the communications device of choice for Shopwatch, a security alert system that aims to reduce retail losses through enhanced monitoring and clear communication between retail personnel and security staff.
Transport:
Business walkie talkies can have a range of up to 50 miles, making them the perfect communications device for transport businesses such as food delivery companies and taxi firms who need to remain in constant contact with their drivers, advising them of bookings, changes and emerging needs and receiving status updates and ETAs to assist with job planning.
Security:
Security staff who are visibly equipped with a two way radio and a bodyworn camera are very effective deterrents to would-be criminals who recognise that any actions they take will be met with a swift response. As well as being a powerful deterrent to crime, licence free radios allow intelligence to be shared discreetly, enabling a rapid resolution to any issues that do arise.
Construction:
The construction industry can be hazardous, with personnel working at height, the presence of heavy machinery, lots of noise and regular movements of heavy loads. Walkie talkies, particularly those with helpful features such as mandown, lone worker and background noise cancellation, can enhance safety outcomes in these demanding environments, helping staff to communicate more effectively, reporting issues promptly and enabling resolutions to be put in place, preventing near misses from becoming accidents.
Benefits of Unlicensed 2 Way Radios
Value for money:
The primary reason that many businesses opt for unlicensed 2 way radios is because they offer exceptional value for money. Unlike mobile phones and licenced devices, they attract no ongoing costs while remaining compliant with Ofcom regulations. This means that businesses can easily forecast their expenditure, factoring in only the cost of maintenance and replacement consumable components rather than monthly or annual subscriptions.
Ease of use:
Unlicensed 2 way radios are highly intuitive, often being pre-programmed with their frequency channels and featuring one simple push-to-talk button. They enable instantaneous communications with a transmit and receive function, and accessories such as harnesses and earpieces enhance their functionality by allowing hands-free operation. There is little to no training burden associated with rolling out two way radios to your team and enormous returns in terms of enhanced safety and security.
Versatile:
Two way radios are rugged and versatile, resilient to dust, drops, moisture and temperature fluctuations, making them perfectly suited to a wide range of different operating environments. Their versatility is unmatched in the communications realm, and their easily portable form ensures they are never forgotten.
Drawbacks to Licence Free Two Way Radios
Licence free radios are simple and effective for a wide range of use cases, however, there are some instances where they are not appropriate. These include long-range communication, where increased interference reduces their efficacy and high security environments where licensed features such as encryption may be necessary to comply with regulatory requirements.
In these instances, NRC Radio can recommend a more appropriate solution to satisfy your use case and budget, so please speak to us today about our licenced two way radio options and UK-wide licences.
Why Choose NRC Radio for Your Next Two Way Radio?
With over 35 years experience in the field of radio communications, NRC Radio are industry leaders. We can help you to rationalise your requirements and identify appropriate solutions to your use case, including determining whether licence free operation is suitable for your intended purpose.
In addition to offering new units, we sell reconditioned devices and all of the accessories you may need to achieve optimal performance from your communications system. Whether you have a small team or are running an extensive operation, we can help you secure an effective, compliant and value for money solution.
For those wishing to try before they buy, we offer on-site demonstrations and free trials, allowing you to test your preferred solutions and select the one that is best suited to your individual needs. We also offer hire units on a short or long term basis, complete with a full maintenance package ensuring continuous high performance.
We can part exchange your existing units for new or reconditioned models from leading brands such as Kenwood, Motorola, Hytera and DigiX, service and maintain your radios, whether or not they originated from us. Our excellent after-sales service delivers peace of mind. Why not put us to the test and speak to our team today?