Q:  Will a CB (Citizens Band) radio work for my business?

A:  No.  First, it is not legal for business purposes.  Second, CB is AM (Amplitude Modulated) and prone to be noisy (Static) and unreliable.

Q:  I've seen those little radios at 'XYZ Electronics'.  They say on the package that they are "good for up to five miles" Why can't I use those for my business?

A:  The "5 mile" rating is only under the best possible conditions, in general the range on those radios is less than 1 mile.  This type of radio is also in the "FRS" (Family Radio Service) group of channels.  It is not legal to use for business purposes.

Q:  What is the advantage of a "business band" radio?

A:  Commercial or "business band" radios offer much more transmit power, programmability throughout the business band frequency, excellent durability and access to the newly available UHF (Ultra High Frequency) trunking channels 

Q:  Do I need a license to use my radios?

A:  Yes and no.  If you are operating a stand alone system the answer is "Yes."  The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) requires that you have a license to operate them.  Alternately you can choose to use one of the commercial repeater systems available in your area and be covered under their "Shared Mobile Relay" license.  These service providers charge a monthly fee to access their systems.

Q:  Why should I use a 2-Way Radio instead of say a Cellular Provider?

A:  What your business entails and the coverage area that you need will dictate the type of communications system that you need.  If you are covering a job site that is 1/2 mile square you probably do not need a system that will talk across the country and charge you a large monthly fee.  Point-to point communications via 2-Way Radio is very cost effective.  In the case of a city-wide or of coverage over several cities a 2-Way Radio system on a commercial repeater system or company owned repeater will offer excellent performance and at lower costs over the long term than any cellular provider.