"AnyTone Tech" Arlington SD? NOT

[MTS2000des]

Not to derail another thread, but there has been a lot of confusion over the new AnyTone radios being marketed by a company calling themselves "AnyTone Tech" that is supposedly based out of Arlington, SD.

Aside from the questionable FCC certifications, the company has on their website that they are "based in Arlington, SD".

This is not true, according to the city of Arlington, SD says there is no "AnyTone Tech" in their town, nor are there any two way radio distributors or manufacturers. Furthermore, the address that I have found their website domain registered to (110 S. Main St Arlington, SD) is in fact, the United States Post Office in Arlington.

Contact Arlington, South Dakota

Feel free to call the city yourself and inquire about "AnyTone Tech", call 605-983-5251 and ask for Sue, the director of finance. She was very helpful but very adamant there was no such business in her city. This is a small town of less than 1000 people.

So we have these imported radios of questionable origin, with questionable FCC certification, and a questionable US distributor that may or may not even exist.

I'm just trying to be helpful and call attention to some facts that I find a little questionable. If a USA distributor for these products actually exists, why do they go through so much trouble to hide their address? They have no phone number and no record of actually existing other than a website.

I am sorry but I find it rather suspicious that this supposed distributor does not exist where they claim they do. They have a map showing the city of Arlington, which is there to give the consumer the impression they are actually doing business with a US based company.

https://anytonetech.com/contact

At least according to the officials in Arlington, SD I spoke to, they do not exist there. I have not been able to confirm if they even have a post office box at that post office.

Caveat emptor.

 

[prcguy]

They could be doing business and have not obtained any city permits or resale licenses.
prcguy

 

[nd5y]

Somebody on the Baofeng yahoo group bought a defective radio from them and provided the street address that they were instructed to send the radio to.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/baofeng_uv5r/conversations/messages/48808

 

[toastycookies]

Their phone # is 605-983-1060 if you would like to call them.

They do exist, I am pretty sure they are just operating a business illegally.


BaoFeng Tech
Arlington, South Dakota
Proud to be in the USA
Toll Free (USA): 1-800-735-9498
Phone: 1-605-983-1060
E-mail: email@baofengtech.com

 

[gesucks]

does anyone have the FCC ID number for any of their radios?

 

[toastycookies]

ANILE-8R: T4K3208PLUS

NSTIG-8R: T4K43208UV

OBLTR-8R and TERMN-8R: TK4-QZQX3318; T4K-8RSERIES

from:

https://hamgear.wordpress.com/2015/03/05/nice/

 

[gesucks]

So what part of these FCC type acceptance is questionable? They went through a TCB like everyone else. How is this any different than a Moto or Harris etc? Moto and others go to a TCB that 95+% of the business come from only them. The whole TCB process is screwed.

 

[rapidcharger]

So what part of these FCC type acceptance is questionable? They went through a TCB like everyone else. How is this any different than a Moto or Harris etc? Moto and others go to a TCB that 95+% of the business come from only them. The whole TCB process is screwed.

This will be answered in a separate but more thorough post a little bit later. I don't want to derail this one.

 

[rapidcharger]

Somebody on the Baofeng yahoo group bought a defective radio from them and provided the street address that they were instructed to send the radio to.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/baofeng_uv5r/conversations/messages/48808

The address shown in that thread is not a valid address.
I just saw a list of all parcels on that street and their corresponding street numbers and 45651 isn't one of them.

I have a better idea.

If someone wants to know if they're really in the US or if they're in China, contact them for a "one time packet of literature" as you are instructed to do in the operators manual. Then we can see where it's is postmarked.

 

[nd5y]

The address shown in that thread is not a valid address.
I just saw a list of all parcels on that street and their corresponding street numbers and 45651 isn't one of them

I bet that really is a valid address. It is probably the house and mailbox that is blurred out on Google street view. Do you have a link to whatever page shows the parcels?

 

[rapidcharger]

Do you have a link to whatever page shows the parcels?

Here you go.

 

[AnyToneTech]

Well... This is awkward?

I am sorry to confirm but we are indeed in Arlington, South Dakota. As you all are aware margins do not allow for a retail store front.

We are State Tax registered and our city (Arlington) does recognize our presence and employment opportunities.

Not sure why the conspiracy - but most conspiracies have been linked to competition. Competition is good and why we all are improving what is available on the market. So let's continue innovating without having to spend time on needless conspiracies.

https://hamgear.wordpress.com, Miklor Information Site, VHF UHF Handheld Radios, Home - CHIRP, and Brick O'Lore - can all be contacted to confirm our existence and presence.

Greg Wilson
Sales Director
AnyTone Tech

 

[MTS2000des]

Well... This is awkward?
I am sorry to confirm but we are indeed in Arlington, South Dakota. As you all are aware margins do not allow for a retail store front.

Never implied that you had a store front. But your website is registered at the US Post office?

We are State Tax registered and our city (Arlington) does recognize our presence and employment opportunities.

I called and your city officials say they've never heard of your business, and have no business license on file. So either they are incompetent, lying or you are. Feel free to call yourself. You should know the number. As you claim to be there, in a town of less than 1,000 people, everyone truly knows everyone. They don't know you. Hmmm...

Not sure why the conspiracy - but most conspiracies have been linked to competition. Competition is good and why we all are improving what is available on the market. So let's continue innovating without having to spend time on needless conspiracies.

No conspiracy. I deal in facts. Fact is your company is selling radios with questionable at best FCC certifications http://forums.radioreference.com/bu...erately-misleading-consumers.html#post2354670

And then when you were asked on social media, you blocked the poster asking simple, basic and reasonable questions.

Fact is your website is registered at the US Post Office in Arlington, SD at 110 S. Main St, not a PO BOX, but the post office.

https://hamgear.wordpress.com, Miklor Information Site, VHF UHF Handheld Radios, Home - CHIRP, and Brick O'Lore - can all be contacted to confirm our existence and presence.

Greg Wilson
Sales Director
AnyTone Tech

There is no disputing the radios exist. We all know that. What is in dispute is the legitimacy of your products being multi-part FCC certified.

 

[mikepdx]

I called and your city officials say they've never heard of your business, and have no business license on file. So either they are incompetent, lying or you are. Feel free to call yourself. You should know the number. As you claim to be there, in a town of less than 1,000 people, everyone truly knows everyone. They don't know you. Hmmm...

Fact is your website is registered at the US Post Office in Arlington, SD at 110 S. Main St, not a PO BOX, but the post office.

I can't say I've ever heard of a requirement to obtain a business license
in the town which you pick up your mail.

If you did business in an unincorporated area, and picked up your mail
in town, why would you need a city business license, and why would
the city have any idea of your existence?

 

[coolderb]

When I wrote and sold shareware in the 90's I had a PO Box and had the option of using the PO address with a Suite XYZ added to the mailing address, no big deal.

 

[MTS2000des]

If you did business in an unincorporated area, and picked up your mail
in town, why would you need a city business license, and why would
the city have any idea of your existence?

I guess you missed this part where "AnytTone Tech" claims they ARE in the city of Arlington and the city is "aware" of them:

I am sorry to confirm but we are indeed in Arlington, South Dakota. As you all are aware margins do not allow for a retail store front.

We are State Tax registered and our city (Arlington) does recognize our presence and employment opportunities.


Greg Wilson
Sales Director
AnyTone Tech

I called the city yesterday, and spoke to the city finance director who handles business licenses. She has never heard of AnyTone Tech, or anyone selling or importing of two way radios.

If she is mistaken, take it up with her. Feel free to call yourself and ask for Sue.

 

[Voyager]

I can't speak for AnytoneTech, but I can tell you that many companies do business under several names and not all are required to be individually registered. The parent company is, and the DBA might be, but that does not mean a given city is aware of the DBA.

 

[MTS2000des]

Now that the truth has been revealed

Now that the truth has been revealed, or should I say, the lie that is the supposed part 90/95/95a certifications which have been tossed out by the FCC, where is Mr. Wilson now?

Is AnyTone Tech going to offer refunds to consumers who, in good faith, believed the lie that was advertised as being "the one radio that does it all"?

Gee, I'll bet the postmaster in Arlington has a ton of mail showing up at his post office that is "undeliverable as addressed", I'll bet some of it came from Gettysburg, PA too.

Folks, this is what happens when you mislead consumers on the Internet. If you bought one of these radios and think you have a valid FCC certified product, well, sorry to break it to you, just like the misleading Google map reference, you were told more whoppers.

It's one thing to make a "mistake". It's something else to try to pull a fast one, or two, or three on the FCC and consumers.

We aren't as dumb as you think we are Mr. Wilson. Thanks for playing. The radio community is a very small world.

 

[KD6RTG]

NewTone Tech / BaoFeng Tech

I was going to order a radio from BaoFeng today but wanted to talk to a live person. I couldn't even find their phone number.

Like a lot of people I'm afraid to do business with companies that make it hard to find their phone number and only give an address. .

I just called the city of Arlington and asked about NewTone Tech and Baofeng Tech. The person in city hall that I spoke with told me that the city does not give business licenses. All they require is a tax permit from the state.

I called the South Dakota Department of Revenue. A nice lady there looked up both BaoFeng Tech and NewTone Tech. BaoFeng Tech is registered with the state, with their place of business in Arlington. It looks like NewTone Tech may be a DBA under BaoFeng. As far as the state is concerned BaoFeng Tech is a real company in good standing with the state.

When I called government offices I told them that I was calling to see if a business was legit. Knowing that I may not have called the right office I asked to be transferred to the correct person to help me and I was transferred each time. The numbers that I called are:
Baofeng Tech Phone: 1-605-983-1060 I got an answering machine
City of Arlington: 605-983-5251
South Dakota Department of Revenue: 605-773-3311

When I started my business almost 20 years ago it was based in my garage. I also run my business from a small town. All mail goes to the post office.There is no home delivery in the county. As I grew I finally needed a larger building and all mail still goes to the post office. UPS and FedEx the only ones that will deliver to my office.

My business is listed with the state department of commerce and I use several BDA's to differentiate different branches of my business.

To sum it all up. after my research and business experience I tend to think BaoFeng is a real business working out of his house or garage. The man has jumped through the hoops the lady at the city hall told me was necessary to do business in their town.

Customer reviews on Amazon are good.

 

[billy1962]

So this thread was complete bogus

I concur - I did a search and the city website even lists them as a legitimate business: Business Directory for Arlington - Arlington, South Dakota