Radio Dead Zones Can Be Eliminated by Your Smartphone

Here’s What You Should Know

1. Almost all law enforcement officers surveyed by Police1 are having issues with radio dead zones caused by building construction and natural landscapes.

2. Uvalde law enforcement and school officials encountered this problem.

3. Radio over Internet Protocol (RoIP) takes advantage of cellular networks and wifi to cut through dead zones.

4. Tango Tango not only leverages ROIP but connects users who you need to communicate with from outside of your network while giving everyone limitless connection, no matter where they are.

For law enforcement officers, the ability to communicate quickly and effectively can be the difference between life or death. In a recent survey by Police1, more than 80 percent of law enforcement officers reported issues with radio dead zones. These reported dead zone issues interrupt interoperability and disable communication when it matters most.

The Known Issue Preventing Clear Radio Communication

Schools and large venues are often built with thick walls. This makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for radio signals to pass through. Police1 surveyed senior law enforcement officers and SRO’s with over 20 years of experience to highlight the communication issues that occur when operating in or around schools, campuses, and large buildings. In fact, just under 90 percent of respondents said their top radio issues came down to dead zones inside buildings; a problem that recently impacted the tragedy in Uvalde.

“Forrest Anderson, an emergency-management employee for Uvalde County who oversaw installation of the local police radio system nearly 20 years ago, said the low-frequency radios that are best for the terrain in the area don’t work well in buildings with thick walls and metal roofs like Robb Elementary School, where the shooting took place. Furthermore, the more people try to use the radios at the same time, the less likely they are to work well, he said.” – Washington Post

The inability to communicate within a school, let alone not being able to sync-up with external first responders, possesses significant risk for community safety. It’s not just inside buildings either – nearly 68 percent of officers surveyed reported weak signals and dead zones outside caused by trees, hills, and other geographical features.

The Best Way to Defeat Radio Dead Zones is With Tango Tango

While radio signals can fail, Radio over Internet Protocol (RoIP) can take advantage of cellular networks and wifi to cut through these barriers. This enhances two-way radio communication, routing it through something every first responder, SRO, or administrator likely has in their pocket– a smartphone.

Cellular integration allows users to pass through dead zones and expand transmitting limits while also linking outside users & agencies to their immediate emergency comms group with an easy-to-use Push-to-Talk (PTT) app.

One of smartphones’ major advantages over traditional radios is its ability to overcome signal weakness by connecting to local WiFi networks, enabling unlimited communication within buildings. Outdoors, LTE, 4G, and 5G cellular networks bypass geographical barriers, eliminating dead zones.

The average 100-mile range of traditional radio systems can create an additional barrier on top of dead zones, interfering with communications as signals become increasingly distorted and harder to understand as users approach their range limits. RoIP, on the other hand, taps into existing cross-country cellular network infrastructure, enabling clear communications with partners regardless of location.

At Tango Tango, we break through barriers to better protect and serve by expanding secure transmission of radio communications straight to your smartphone.

“Tango Tango allows us to contact dispatch from inside schools where radios can’t reach.”

Sergeant Garner
Gurdon Police Department, Arkansas

Just like a radio, you can even attach a push button to your phone while reducing the likelihood of being trapped in a communications dead zone. Don’t just deal with dead zones, overcome them with Tango Tango.