Did you know that radios can cost more than the price ticket says?

If you are comparing the unit price of two radios, you need to check that they really are comparable.

• What do you get for the price?
• Does the radio meet all your demands, as well as all the security requirements of your organisation and network operator?

A TETRA radio unit on its own is worthless if you don’t have all the elements that make it a working unit. So, instead of simply considering the radio’s price, you need to see the whole package.

Has it got everything you need?

The most important thing is to check the radio offered actually works in your frequency and has the correct TETRA Encryption Algorithm (TEA) activated – this will be either TEA1, TEA2 or TEA3. Because without the correct TEA in both the radio and base station, your radio can never connect to your network. You also need the proper software to operate it, a battery and a charger to get it powered and not forgetting an antenna.

Cheap can mean expensive

Your radio must be configurable to fit your specific duties. Check that the functions you need, like GPS, are actually included. If the offered price includes only the radio unit, it may seem a bargain, but you will need to buy all the other items separately. The result could be a much higher final price than a “plug & play” radio package, with all the necessary items included in the price.

Don’t fall into the trap of a low price if it doesn’t give you what you need –always check that it  gives value for money.

-- Further reading -

If you want to write your TETRA radio RFP/RFQ so you’ll get what you really need, download the eBook "How to be smarter about buying TETRA radios"

Or take a look: Complete portfolio of TETRA radios from Airbus