Any World War II movie will have at least one scene where the American troops are calling for air support or artillery via a backpacked walkie-talkie. The later handheld (barely) radio, officially known as a Handie-Talkie, was a staple both in war and in war movies, all the way through the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts. Even one of the earliest cell phones, the Motorola DynaTEC, circa 1985, took its form factor from the Motorola Handie-Talkie of the 1940s.
A walkie-talkie is a half-duplex communication device. Multiple walkie-talkies use a single radio channel, and only one radio on the channel can transmit at a time, although any number can listen. The transceiver is normally in receive mode; when the user wants to talk, they must press a PTT (push-to-talk) button that turns off the receiver and turns on the transmitter.
The modern-day version of the handheld radio of the 1940s can be used on the radio spectrum or the cell phone network. LMR or Land Mobile Radios are limited by distance, in many cases require government licenses, and can be very expensive to setup and maintain. PTT Over Cellular (PoC) leverages existing cellular data and WiFi networks and the internet, giving you instant and secure talk.
While we are most familiar with the cellular network, LMR is important because LMR systems are designed to provide quick and secure transmissions in a wide range of environments. LMR systems have received many upgrades, making their current usage more reliable and interoperable for integration into other systems. Ultimately, LMR provides mission-critical communications for personnel on the front line, empowering them in their work.
Research firm Technavio recently did a survey of the PTT market and found increasing acceptance of PoC solutions is a key trend in the global push to talk PTT market, leading to significant market growth. PoC solutions require low setup costs and are easy to maintain, increasing the popularity and adoption of PTT across industries such as construction and transportation. This is encouraging market vendors to increase R&D efforts to develop PoC solutions with improved technologies, high-quality materials, and enhanced features. All these factors are leading to a positive outlook for the push to talk (PTT) market.
About 40% of the market’s growth will originate from North America during the period 2020-2024. The increasing adoption of PTT technology in public safety applications such as firefighting and law enforcement is fueling the growth of the PTT market.
Vendors in the market are focusing on expanding their product portfolios with the launch of new products with enhanced features. For instance, in July 2020, Motorola Solutions launched WAVE PTX, a subscription-based group communication service. The product offers PTT voice communications and secure data in real-time using any IP network. It also allows users to share images, documents, maps, and messages and stay connected using their devices such as mobile phones, tablets, notebooks, and radios.
Similarly, in October 2020, Verizon Communications Inc. introduced the Push-to-Talk Responder. It is a mission-critical, interoperable-ready solution, which enables first responders to collaborate across agencies to drive several effective, interoperable responses.
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