How to Choose the Right Smart Radio

Communication is everything on the frontline. How important is it really? Well, large companies with 100,000 employees or more can lose up to $62.4 million annually due to poor communication. Yeah, that’s a lot in anyone's book. So anything you can do to boost connection on the frontline will pay dividends to your bottom line. 

We’re talking more than just a connection from one worker to another. Proper communication leads to so much more, like greater productivity and safer workdays across every single aspect of the enterprise. 

But traditional communication tools like walkie-talkies don’t even come close to providing the simplicity and capabilities of modern alternatives. Their limited range, clunky functionality, and outdated user interface don’t come close to matching the full potential of a modern device. The good news is, there’s a solution — it’s called the smart radio. 

What Is a Smart Radio? 

A smart radio is a next-generation communication tool that takes frontline connection to an entirely new level by leveraging an easy-to-use platform to enhance productivity, connectivity, and worker safety through cloud-based simplicity and AI-powered innovation. 

These devices go beyond simple voice communication. The best smart radios: 

• Incorporate a blend of AI technology, broadband data capabilities, and multimedia usability for a more dynamic way to manage communication in complex, loud, rugged environments. 
• Utilize LTE, Wi-Fi, and CBRS to offer global connectivity, meaning workers can stay in touch regardless of distance, environmental obstacles or network availability.

Benefits of Smart Radios for Businesses

A commercial smart radio like the walt Smart Radio on the weavix platform ensures seamless, instant communication, removing the need for multiple devices and tools. It acts as the nerve center for teams, empowering frontline workers to stay connected, efficient, and safe in even the most challenging environments.

Key benefits include:

• Global Connectivity: LTE and Wi-Fi integration enables smooth, uninterrupted communication from anywhere around the world.
  
  
• Voice and Multimedia Communication: Smart radios support a blend of voice communication, images, and videos, making it easier for teams to exchange information in real time.
  
  
• AI-Powered Language Translation: One of the most innovative features of these devices is their AI-powered translation, which allows for seamless communication between workers who speak different languages.
  
  
•  Cloud-Based Storage: All communications, including audio and multimedia messages, can be stored securely, meaning important information is easily retrievable and safe.
  
  
• Real-Time Notifications: Users can receive real-time updates and notifications, improving decision-making speed and operational efficiency.
  
  
• Real-Time Device Monitoring: This allows organizations to deploy and maintain their equipment with minimal downtime. It enables effective management of device fleets, ensuring they are always updated and operational for greater productivity and a reduced workload on IT teams.

When you pull all of this together, smart radios are designed to enhance safety, making them especially valuable in industries like construction, food and beverage, and manufacturing, where safety is everything.

Keep reading: Why Every Worker Needs an Industrial Radio 

Smart vs Traditional Radios: Key Differences 

Unlike traditional legacy radios that operate on short-range frequencies, the best smart radios use broadband data, cloud computing, and private networks to extend their range and capabilities. This means users can communicate globally, far surpassing the limitations of conventional radios and making their usability for nationwide and global businesses that much more impressive. 

Smart radios for the frontline are growing in popularity for their ability to streamline communications and improve operational efficiency.

Comparison of Key Smart Radio Features

How Does a Smart Radio Work?

A smart radio uses advanced technology to allow teams to communicate over vast distances with real-time transmission of not just voice, but also text, images, video, and location data. This means communication between workers is no longer limited by range or proximity to one another, so multiple tools or forms of communication are no longer required. 

With that data transmission also comes the ability of commercial smart radios to update software on their own, so they’re consistently up to date. 

In addition to unlimited range, the integration of AI plays a significant role, particularly in facilitating real-time language translation. This is especially useful in environments where workers come from different regions and speak different languages. AI essentially supercharges language translation capabilities, ensuring communication happens without misunderstandings or delays caused by language barriers.

Smart radios also allow for data streaming in real-time, which is invaluable in situations where critical information needs to be shared immediately — like time-sensitive tasks, safety alerts, and company-wide communication. For example, field workers can capture and transmit images or videos of an issue, enabling experts at another location to assess the situation without needing to be physically present.

Keep reading: Discover Why Phones Don't Work for the Frontline

How to Select the Best Commercial Smart Radio

Smart radios for the frontline come in a few different forms, but here’s a simple breakdown of the key features you should look for. Here’s a hint — walt has them all. 

1. PT3 (Push-To-Three) Communication

Traditional radios typically only use push-to-talk (PTT) communication, which allows one person to communicate with everyone on a single channel at the press of a button. Although reliable, a smart talk radio limits communication to one way.  

The best options should prioritize push-to-three (PT3) — push-to-talk, -picture, and -video. This lets workers use the best tool for the job when sending a message one-on-one, across multiple teams, or with an entire group simultaneously. This means workers have the option to solve each problem in the most effective way. 

2. Multimedia Messaging Capabilities

It’s 2024, so the ability to transmit multimedia messages is everything, and devices like the walt Smart Radio exemplify this with their complete communications capabilities.

What does that mean? It means walt can support voice, video, and image sharing to ensure workers have a more precise and clear understanding of the task at hand. Visual confirmation of issues, for example, can lead to faster decision-making and problem-solving.

3. Global Range

Traditional two-way radios are often limited by signal range, meaning communication is restricted to a specific, often small geographical area. On the other side, commercial smart radios like walt offer a global range using a combination of Wi-Fi and LTE coverage with a seamless transition from one network to another. This means wherever workers communicate, unlimited network options will keep them connected.  

Keep learning: How to Choose an Ideal Network Type for Your Enterprise

4. AI-Powered Language Translation

The workforce is made up of a diverse, multilingual group of individuals who come from all walks of life and different parts of the globe. This means that language barriers can be a significant challenge for communication on the frontline. Smart radios solve this issue with super-simple, easy-to-use AI-powered language translation. 

Translation devices like the walt Smart Radio let users speak in their native language, and the radio translates their message in real time for the receiver. This not only breaks down workplace communication barriers but also saves time by removing the need for third-party translation or manual interpretation, especially in loud, busy environments. Workers can simply hear or read messages in their own language, saving time and building connections. 

5. Unlimited Channels for Scalable Communication

Another huge advantage of a smart radio for business communication is the ability to provide unlimited channels. This means teams can set up an infinite number of ever-evolving communication channels for individuals, specific groups, or departments, enabling faster and more organized correspondence. This solves the concern about overcrowded frequencies or missed messages, which can be a common issue with traditional two-way radios.

Unlimited channels also mean flexibility when scaling operations. Whether running a small team or managing a global workforce, smart radios allow both users and admins to assign different channels as needed, without the technical limitations of traditional radios. On top of that, the simple setup, onboarding, and user interface of these devices enable faster deployment and maintenance, including remote updates and real-time monitoring, helping both teams and technology operate more efficiently. 

6. Built-In Safety Features

In industries like construction, food and beverage, manufacturing, and hospitality, safety is a top priority. The best smart radios offer built-in features designed to keep workers much safer than traditional radios. This includes:

• Mass notifications, which help get information to the people who need it when they need it
• An emergency man-down button that workers can activate if they’re in danger  

7. Battery Life and Power Efficiency

A commercial smart radio is only useful if the battery can keep up with the demands of long shifts. Tools like walt have shift-long battery life to reduce downtime. On top of that, smart radios will look for software updates when they're placed in mass chargers like the wrangler mass charging cradle, ensuring they're always up to date and running as efficiently as possible. 

Equip Your Frontline with walt Smart Radios

With AI-powered language translation, unlimited channels, built-in safety features, and an easy-to-understand, no-surprise cost — walt gives workers and businesses the communications solutions to keep teams connected, regardless of location, language, or technical barriers. 

When looking for and deciding on the best smart radio, the answer is simple — invest in the solution that gives your team the tools they need to succeed. Schedule a demo to learn more today.