What is Push-to-Talk(PTT)
Push to Talk:
A Comprehensive Guide.
Does your mobile workforce still rely on tedious phone calls? Time
to switch to modern-day push-to-talk. Here's everything you
need to know.
Introduction
From construction workers, mine workers and drivers, to retail store executives, hotel staff and airport authorities, the ability to quickly communicate with their team members is critical to operational success. Unlike traditional office employees, these deskless workers cannot be expected to communicate using traditional methods such as emails and phone calls. They need a mode of communication that can cater to time-critical situations and streamline communication across diverse verticals. This is where the Push to Talk technology steps in. What is Push to Talk? How does it work? How does it benefit various industries? let's find out.
This article talks about everything you need to know about Push to Talk and allied solutions.
Points Covered in This PTT Guide
-
What is Push to Talk?
-
How does Push to Talk work?
-
Who uses Push to Talk?
-
What are PTT apps?
-
Who is a PTT service provider?
-
What are the key benefits of Push to talk?
-
What is the NuovoTeam PTT app?
What is PTT?
Push to Talk is a mode of voice communication that uses a press-to-talk button to switch the mode from voice reception to voice transmission enabling a two-way connection, but only one person to talk at a time. This is known as the half-duplex mode of communication.
What is Push to Talk technology?
The push to talk technology allows two or more devices to connect with each other with just the push of a button. It works on the half-duplex model and allows users to leverage one-touch communication and skip lengthy direct dialing procedures used in full-duplex communication making it an excellent choice where fast communication is critical.
What are Push to Talk devices?
Push to Talk devices are dedicated communication devices that operate on the radio or cellular networks. These devices have a single functionality and often have a simple design with a PTT button or a PTT key. Most popularly used in two-way push to talk devices are walkie-talkies and land mobile radios.
How Does Push to Talk Work?
Unlike phone calls that work on a full-duplex communication in which both the users can talk simultaneously, the push-to-talk mechanism works on a half-duplex communication which means that only one person can transmit voice messages at a time.
What is a Push to Talk Radio?
Devices that allow users to leverage press-to-talk connectivity over radio networks are called push to talk radios. Several industries including construction, mining, facility management, security services, etc. have previously relied on push-to-talk radios such as walkie-talkies for several years.
What is Push to Talk over cellular (POC)?
Push to talk over cellular, also referred to as PTToC or PoC, allows users to leverage the same push-button connectivity, but over cellular networks. It means that users can make PTT calls over WiFi, 3G, 4G and soon-to-be-out 5G networks. Devices that use radio networks are gradually turning obsolete due to the poor quality and several limitations that it offers. Push to talk over cellular provides enhanced communication to users in comparison to push to talk radios.
What is Push to Talk on PC?
The modern-day business world has realized the value of push to talk technology which is why we now have push to talk solutions that help users connect with their remote colleagues such as field employees over multiple devices including the PC. Web-based PTT or desktop PTT is the feature that enables users to make PTT calls from their desktops and PCs.
Who Uses Push To Talk?
A majority of businesses have a field workforce that needs to stay connected with the headquarters and several other teams daily to ensure a smooth workflow. Most of these businesses that have a mobile workforce prefer implementing push to talk systems for their daily communications.
Let’s have a look at the diverse PTT industry use-cases.
Construction & Mining:
Construction and mining sites are accident-prone environments. Employees working in these sectors have a constant threat to their lives and every communication is critical. Push to talk technology helps these workers leverage simple and fast communication with their managers and team members.
Logistics & Transportation:
Fleet drivers work for long hours to ensure timely delivery of their shipments. Dialing long phone numbers or experiencing coverage restrictions can create hindrances in their operations. Push to talk helps fleet drivers connect with diverse verticals quickly without taking their eyes off the road for long.
Manufacturing & Warehousing:
Production units, manufacturing lines, as well as warehouse operations are labor intensive. Employees working at these sites are required to sport bulky protective gear and engage in heavy-duty tasks. Push to talk technology enables barge calls that announce themselves as and when they are received. Employees need not leave the tasks at hand or remove their protective gloves just to receive a call.
Retail & Hospitality:
Retail stores, hotels, restaurants, airports, etc. are business sectors that are driven by customer success. A slight dip in customer satisfaction can create a large dent in the brand's reputation. Employees working in these sectors are engaged in direct interactions with customers. Their daily communication with their crew members has to be very quick and discrete, which is enabled by the PTT technology.
Security & Emergency Services:
You must have observed security agents, police officers, firefighters, etc. communicate using walkie-talkie push to talk radios. It is because security and emergency service workers operate in time-critical environments. Time-consuming dialing and typing protocols are not an option when quick actions are required. This is where push to talk technology saves the day.
What Are Push to Talk Apps?
Push to talk apps are software that allow users to turn their smartphones into walkie-talkies. These apps can be simply installed on the user’s smartphone like any other app, no special permissions or licenses are required. With this, users can leverage push to talk over Android or iOS smartphones. Push to talk apps lay the foundation for push-to-talk over cellular communication.
Who Is a Push to Talk Service Provider?
A Push to Talk service provider is a third-party vendor that offers PTT software over diverse devices and networks. Modern-day businesses seek push to talk service providers to save costs on purchasing expensive push to talk devices like walkie-talkie radios. Since radio communication is slowly turning obsolete, implementing a solution that allows your employees to use their smartphones as walkie-talkies make much more sense.
What are the Key Benefits of Push to Talk?
Push to Talk technology has been favored by almost every industrial sector that has a deskless workforce. Let’s understand the advantages of PTT over other modes of communication.
What are the benefits of PTT over other modes of voice communication?
Businesses prefer voice communication as it adds clarity to the message, as well as a human element that improves engagement. However, based on your business needs, it is critical to choose the right mode of voice communication.
Let’s understand why Push to talk is better than other modes of communication for deskless workers.
-
Push to talk devices and apps have a simple user interface that does not require much training.
-
Push-to-talk enables instant connectivity at the press of a button, rather than engaging in tedious dialing and typing procedures.
-
Phone calls, VoIP calls or other forms of voice communications such as audio messages do not cater to urgent situations.
What are the benefits of PTT cellphones over walkie-talkie radios?
Walkie-talkie radios are dedicated handheld devices that allow users to connect using half-duplex communication just by the push of a PTT button. However, these two-way radios present a set of challenges that are curtailed by the modern-day Push to-talk apps that enable instant push-button connectivity using smartphones.
-
Push to talk apps can be easily installed on the users’ smartphones, which means deskless employees need not carry multiple devices to work.
-
Push to talk apps use Wifi or 3G and 4G networks to provide crystal clear audio quality in comparison to two-way radios which produce unstable audio and considerable static noise.
-
Push to talk apps work on cellular networks which offer global connectivity in comparison to two-way radios which function over a limited coverage area.
-
PTT apps can be easily installed on iPhones or Android phones and do not require costly licenses or permits.
The Nuovoteam Push to Talk App
NuovoTeam is a powerful Push to Talk solution that caters to the instant communication needs of the deskless workforce. Let’s look at the comprehensive capabilities offered by NuovoTeam to help businesses streamline their remote communication.
Instant Push to Talk Functionality:
NuovoTeam empowers users to leverage half-duplex high-quality communication over cellular networks with just the push of a button, straight from their smartphones. No special devices required, no additional licenses and no barriers to instant communication. Your employees can instantly connect with their team members anytime, anywhere.
Multi-media Sharing:
In a business world where all things are digital, voice communications is barely enough. NuovoTeam lets your employees share text messages, images, videos and documents of diverse formats over the air, in addition to PTT and VoIP calls.
Location Tracking:
The biggest challenge that managers and supervisors face, is to gain constant visibility of their deskless employees. Managers can cut back on frequent calls just to know their team members’ whereabouts, NuovoTeam enables GPS-based location tracking.
Channel Management:
When working in time-critical situations, sometimes 1-1 calls are not enough. NuovoTeam lets you create diverse public and private channels through which PTT calls can be made to multiple users.
Multi-device Support:
NuovoTeam can be easily installed on Android, iOS smartphones, rugged smartphones and custom-built devices. Your office employees can make PTT calls from their desktops, PCs, or any device that have a Chrome browser.
Comprehensive Dashboard:
NuovoTeam not only simplifies communication but also helps to streamline remote management. Supervisors can leverage a comprehensive dashboard and configure a plethora of PTT settings that suit your business needs. You can track your employees, configure geofence-based clock ins and clock outs, monitor working hours, etc. to manage your teams better.
MDM Integration:
NuovoTeam allows businesses to integrate the MDM solution of their choice to help their IT teams distribute the NuovoTeam software faster and more efficiently to their employees.
Conclusion:
The NuovoTeam PTT app is designed to cater to modern-day instant communication needs. A powerful solution that helps you to streamline your communication and bridge the gap between the field and your offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Push-to-Talk apps offer walkie-talkie like connectivity using cellular networks. This means you can leverage push-button connectivity over 3G, 4G or WiFi networks.
Unlike traditional walkie-talkie radios that offer line-of-sight connectivity, the Push-to-Talk apps can be used to connect with anyone, anywhere nationwide or globally using cellular networks.
Yes, it does. Powerful Push-to-Talk apps like NuovoTeam are compatible with Android and iOS smartphones. Users can easily install the NuovoTeam app on their Android and iOS smartphones and leverage instant push-button connectivity.
Yes. NuovoTeam is designed keeping in mind the communication challenges of the field services. To ensure the security and privacy of business conversations, NuovoTeam offers 128-bit encryption on all the communication that takes place using the platform. Moreover, unlike radio networks that are easily intercepted, the NuovoTeam PTT app offers push-to-talk connectivity over secure and encrypted cellular networks.
from Pune, India
