Hello,

I have change in our enviornment and I would like some feedback from the community.

My Company has manufacturing facilities at 2 sites. We currently use 2Way Radios (ie Motorolas) for many of our plant people communicate with eachother. Our radios are getting older and we are looking at replacing them. Primarily, we are asking for solutions from the company that has traditionally provided 2way radios in the past.

However, I am wondering if there is a Cisco solution that can compete with these radios. We already have a Cisco Call Manager, Cisco wireless (g) networks at both sites, and have used the cisco wifi phones. There are a few areas that the coverage isn't great, but those can be easily fixed.

However, there are a few things that the 2way radios provide that I am not sure if Cisco phones can provide. First, because it's a frequency that we have been licensed to use by the FCC, we don't have to worry about competing signals in the area. Plus, the Motorola equipment is more industrial-grade, which is important becuase we are pretty hard on the equipment. Also, the plant personell can use it like a radio by using push-to-talk functionality. Many of the supervisors will leave the radio on to stay aware of what is happening in the plant. They can hear everyone else's chatter and keep updated on what is going on.

On other hand, this sometimes leaves people to carrying 2 or (including cell phones) 3 devices with overlapping purposes. Our facilities are large enough that I don't think a neighbor's wireless network is going to interfere (although we would have no recourse if it did). I don't know if Cisco equipment can simulate the radio-like experience.

At any rate, if anyone has any input on this, I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Ben