Knowledge base
Zello push-to-talk questions, answered
Everything buyers ask us about Managed Zello and business two-way radio: how it works, what it covers, what it costs to run, and where the honest limits are.
Short answer
What is Managed Zello?
Managed Zello is Zello Work push-to-talk delivered as a complete service rather than a software purchase. Integrated Radio builds and runs your Zello network, enrolls devices in enterprise MDM and supplies a multi-carrier SIM and data plan. Managed Zello Core is $24.95 and Managed Zello Plus is $34.95 per user per month. Two-way radios and rugged phones are sold separately, and every one of them runs Zello.
The basics
Getting started
Are these just walkie-talkies?
Essentially, yes, that is the experience your team gets. Press the button, speak, and everyone on the channel hears you right away. The difference is range. Ordinary walkie-talkies reach a few miles at best. Ours run Zello push-to-talk over the cell network, so they work anywhere there is cell service, the next building, the next county, or the other side of the country.
How is this different from buying radios?
Buying radios leaves you to source software, SIMs, device management and support separately, then administer it all. A managed service bundles those into one accountable provider who also runs the day-to-day administration.
Do we need a license or an antenna on the roof?
No. That is the main thing we take off your plate. Traditional radio systems need a license and an antenna installed somewhere high up, which costs money and takes time. Because ours work over the cell network, there is nothing to install and nothing to license.
How quickly can we get them?
Usually within a few business days once we have checked coverage for your sites. Devices arrive charged, labeled, enrolled in MDM and already set up with your Zello channels, so there is nothing to configure when the box lands.
How small a team is worth doing this for?
There is no minimum. We supply single-digit teams and fleets in the hundreds on the same terms, and you pay per user per month either way.
Coverage and connectivity
Coverage, networks and limits
How far will the radios work?
They work wherever supported cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity is available, so the working area follows network availability rather than the range of a tower you own. We confirm coverage against your specific sites and routes before deployment.
Does it work over Wi-Fi?
Yes. Supported devices use Wi-Fi as well as cellular data, which helps inside warehouses, hotels and other buildings with strong wireless coverage.
What happens if there is no coverage?
Where there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity, a Zello device cannot pass traffic. For sites with known gaps we review options during design, including Wi-Fi coverage and connecting an existing local radio system through Zello's radio gateway.
Is coverage really nationwide?
Coverage follows the carrier network, so it is wide-area rather than universal. We do not claim it works everywhere, and we check your actual sites before quoting.
Which carrier do you use?
Every plan includes a multi-carrier SIM and data plan that can use more than one carrier network. We activate and manage it, and we check coverage at your sites before deployment.
Devices
Radios and rugged phones
Which devices run Zello?
All of ours. We sell Android two-way radios from Inrico and Telox and rugged phones from Sonim and Samsung, all running Zello. You can also bring compatible devices.
Can I see where everyone is?
Yes. Both plans include real-time location, user status and battery life. Historical breadcrumb tracking and Google Maps traffic are included with Plus. Accuracy depends on the device and conditions.
Can dispatch talk to one person?
Yes. Zello supports live 1:1 voice as well as channels, and a Zello Dispatch Hub seat lets a dispatcher do both from a PC or Mac.
Can we create groups for departments or sites?
Yes. Channels are unlimited on both plans. We design them around your departments, sites, job functions or shifts, and maintain that structure as the organization changes.
Is there a device that is safe around fuel and gas?
We do not offer an intrinsically safe device. The Sonim XP Pro and XP5plus carry Class I Division 2 non-incendive ratings, and we assess each hazardous site before recommending anything.
Can we add devices later?
Yes. Adding users and devices is a routine change request. New devices are enrolled in MDM, set up with your channels and shipped ready to use, and billing adjusts with the team.
Managed Zello
Zello Work, run for you
What is Managed Zello?
Zello Work run as a managed service. Every plan includes our managed Zello network, enterprise MDM and a multi-carrier SIM and data plan, plus the Zello features of Core or Plus.
Why not just buy Zello directly?
You can. Managed Zello adds channel design, user provisioning, MDM enrollment, PTT key mapping, SIMs and data, and ongoing administration, so one provider is accountable for the whole deployment.
Which phones do you support for Zello?
The Sonim XP5plus for teams that primarily need voice, the Sonim XP Pro for an ultra-rugged 5G smartphone, and the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro for a full-size Samsung.
Can Zello record or archive communications?
Users can replay recent messages in the Zello Work app on either plan. Message Vault, a cloud archive with search, playback and export, is included in Managed Zello Plus.
What does Plus add over Core?
AI Digests, the AI Assistant, transcription, translations, Message Vault, Emergency Alerts, breadcrumb history, Google Maps traffic and 24/7 Zello support. Core includes standard Zello support.
Can users run Zello on their own phones?
Yes. Zello Work runs on iOS, Android, PC and Mac, so office staff or supervisors can join the same network from their own devices. Each user is billed on Core or Plus.
Safety and emergency
Where the limits are
Can we use this for emergency communications?
It supports internal safety workflows. On Managed Zello Plus, Emergency Alerts route a panic button to designated channels with the user's location. It is not a substitute for 911 or code-required life-safety systems.
What safety features are available?
Both plans show real-time location, user status and battery life. Plus adds Emergency Alerts, which send a panic alert with location to designated channels. We do not offer man-down or lone-worker timers.
Is location accurate enough for safety use?
Location depends on device capability, GPS conditions and network availability. It is useful context for a dispatcher, but we do not claim guaranteed precision, particularly indoors.
Commercial
Pricing, terms and support
How long is the contract?
Service is month to month as standard. There is no minimum term and no line minimum, so if it stops working for your team you stop paying for it. If you would rather commit, preferred pricing and equipment discounts apply on 12, 24 and 36 month agreements. A longer term lowers what you pay rather than being a condition of getting the service.
What do we get for signing a longer agreement?
Preferred pricing on the monthly service and discounts on equipment. Agreements run for 12, 24 or 36 months. Month to month stays available at standard pricing if you would rather keep the flexibility, and plenty of customers do.
How much does it cost?
Managed Zello Core is $24.95 per user per month and Managed Zello Plus is $34.95. A Zello Dispatch Hub seat is $19.95 per dispatcher per month on either plan. On rugged smartphones, Managed Zello + Unlimited Talk, Text & Data starts at $64.95 per user per month, with everything in Core or Plus. Service is month to month with no line minimum, and devices are priced separately in our online store.
What is Managed Zello + Unlimited Talk, Text & Data?
It is Managed Zello Core or Plus with unlimited talk, text and data on the device, starting at $64.95 per user per month. It is available only on rugged smartphones, not on two-way radios, and hardware is sold separately.
Do I pay for the devices separately?
Yes, and we do that deliberately. Radios and phones are priced separately in our online store, so you can see what you pay for hardware and what you pay for service. You can also bring compatible devices.
What happens if a radio breaks?
You call us and we deal with it, rather than you filing a warranty claim with a manufacturer. Replacement is handled as part of the managed service. If being a radio down for any length of time is a problem, next-day advanced replacement is available as a subscription, so a working unit is on its way before the failed one comes back. We price that with your quote.
Is there a trial?
No, and the reason is that you should not need one. Service is month to month, so there is nothing to be locked into: if it does not suit your team, you stop. That is a better position than a fixed trial window. If you want radios for a defined period rather than an ongoing account, short-term and event rental is a separate option.
Can we keep the radios we already own?
Often, yes. Zello's radio gateway can connect a working traditional radio system to your Zello channels, so both sets of people end up talking together. We confirm what is possible against your specific system before quoting.
Related
Further reading
Two longer answers live on the blog: what nationwide coverage actually means explains why carrier maps describe population rather than geography, and what happened to Nextel covers where Direct Connect went and what replaced it.
To choose a plan, see Managed Zello Core vs Plus. For dispatchers, see Zello Dispatch Hub. For keeping the radios you already own, see radio interoperability. For hardware, start with business two-way radio or browse every product. New to the term? Start with push-to-talk over cellular, explained.
Get started
Still have a question?
Ask us directly. We would rather tell you honestly whether this fits than sell you something that does not.