Which one do I need?
Proper radios, or an app on a tough phone?
We offer two ways to give your team push-to-talk. Both are supplied, set up and looked after by us. The only real question is what you want people carrying.
Short answer
Which one should I choose?
Choose radios if your team wants something that looks and feels like a walkie-talkie. A big button, a speaker you can hear across a yard, and nothing else to get distracted by. Choose the app if your team already carries phones and you would rather add push-to-talk to a device they have in their hand. If you are unsure, tell us how the team works and we will say which one we would put in.
Side by side
Where they differ
A starting point, not a rigid specification. We confirm the detail against your operation before quoting.
Requirement
Radios
Managed Zello
Radio-first experience
Excellent fit
Excellent with Sonim XP5plus
Rugged handheld radios
IR-series
Sonim XP5plus
Rugged Android smartphone
Limited, configuration dependent
Sonim XP10
Central dispatch
Yes
Yes
GPS and location
Yes
Yes
Advanced Zello ecosystem
No
Yes
Radio-style terminal controls
Strong
Device dependent
Safe around fuel and gas
Available with approved IR-series configuration
Device and configuration dependent
Traditional LMR interoperability
Available for selected systems
Available through supported bridge or gateway solutions
Integrated Radio managed SIMs
Yes, plan dependent
Yes
Integrated Radio management
Yes
Yes
Remote phone management
Device and configuration dependent
Core part of the managed-device offering
This comparison is indicative. It is not a rigid technical specification and is confirmed against the current commercial service packages before a quotation is issued.
Choose radios when
Your crews want a radio, not a phone
Purpose-built hardware, radio-style fleet management and the option to bridge an existing LMR system.
Workers want a one-button radio, not a touchscreen
You need vehicle or mobile terminals
Central dispatch with GPS history matters
Operational safety tooling such as SOS and lone worker
You may bridge an existing analog or DMR system
You need radios safe around fuel and gas
Choose Managed Zello when
Push-to-talk is one app among several
The Zello Work platform, delivered with rugged Sonim hardware, MDM and connectivity managed for you.
Your team already knows or prefers Zello
Users need Android apps alongside push-to-talk
Proof-of-delivery or inspection workflows matter
You want message archival, mapping or transcription add-ons
A mix of rugged radios and smartphones suits the fleet
Office staff should join from their own phones
Questions
Choosing between the two
The questions that usually decide it.
Can we run both platforms?
Yes. Some customers deploy Managed PTToC for field crews and Managed Zello for supervisors or office staff. We design the talk-group structure so the two groups can still reach each other where that is required.
Is one cheaper than the other?
Pricing depends on user count, hardware and the service plan rather than the platform alone. We quote both where either would work so you can compare the real numbers.
Can we switch later?
Yes. Because Integrated Radio administers the deployment, migrating users between platforms is a managed change rather than a rebuild. Hardware may need to change depending on the direction.
Which one has better coverage?
Neither has an inherent advantage. Both carry voice over supported cellular and Wi-Fi networks. Coverage depends on the carrier and the sites you operate in, which we assess before quoting.
Get started
Not sure which one fits?
Tell us how your team communicates today. We will tell you which platform we would deploy and why.