Business and Consumer >>>>>

People are still confused about the utility of two way radios in a professional environment. It is important to note that though two way radios have similar features and look almost alike, consumer radios are relatively cheaper than the ones used in the professional environment. It is difficult to differentiate between consumer and business two way radios most of the times. The main difference between these different kinds of two way radios is its frequency.

There are 22 UHF frequencies that have been set aside by the Federal communication Commission (FCC) for use by consumer two way radios. All these channels together comprise the FRS (Family Radio Service) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) channels. One requires an FCC license to use GMRS channels. This license is valid for five years and can be used by an entire family. It is not issued to professional concerns. For business two way radios, each person has to pay an individual amount to obtain the FCC license to use GMRS channels. FRS channels can be used without a license, but their transmission range will be very low (as low as half a mile). The FCC has approved a different set of frequency ranges for business two way radios. Some business radios also operate on VHF frequencies. Since these channels are less common, privacy issues, interference and cross connections are rare. The amount paid to obtain the FCC license for business two way radios is higher than what is paid for a GMRS license, and the cost of the instrument is also on the higher side. The usage patterns of the two types of radios too differs drastically.

Consumer radios are used infrequently. They are used mostly during family outings and vacations, like on weekend hunting trips, amusement parks, camping and skiing and also multiple car caravans. On the other hand, business radios are used continuously for hours everyday. Hence, in terms of physical appearance and durability, business two way radios are certainly more durable than consumer radios and are designed to be used in rough conditions as well.