I'm surprised nobody else has posted about these.
First, these are NOT scannable radios. The IP501H portable (and soon to be available IP501M mobile) are basically trunking PTT cell phones, purpose built in a land mobile two-way case without cell phone functionality. Size and function are identical to IP100 WLAN devices and similar to a F52/F62 compact land-mobile radio. The portable is bluetooth compatible, and Icom offers a portable drop in charger/mobile-mount with external PTT microphone. With an external PTT microphone they should be exempt from cell phone while driving restrictions.
Target market is fleets with a wide area of operation and users with aging or un-reliable infrastructure. Transportation, utility, service companies, metro groups where RF is unavailable or saturated, and similar users come to mind. Overkill for housekeeping, but ideal for physical plant where someone is off-campus at the lumber yard or home store. Icom has interconnection equipment (VE-PG4) that will locally bridge any IP501 talkgroup to ANY other system for legacy or interoperability (including SIP phones, IP100 WLAN systems, and any existing RF system- digital, analog, trunking, duplex or simplex). Communications can be one-on-one. one-to-many or one-to-all.
On power-up they connect with Icom's secure server for affiliation, OTAR, SMS, data and voice. Coverage is North America where there is AT&T LTE network signal. No roaming in Canada/Mexico, and world-wide is probably coming. Since all traffic is secure data over the cellular network, as long as there is useable AT&T data signal they work, and trunking saturation or connect fail 'bonks' are unlikely. While portables do have an external radio-top antenna, without AT&T coverage (or inside a building with poor AT&T signal) they are a brick. Mobiles will use a remote roof-mount LTE antenna for better coverage. No info on if all affiliated talkgroup subscriber units must respond for a talkgroup conversation to take place.
Multiple talkgroups can be set up for any subscriber group, with OTAR push to subscriber radios. My icom rep demo'd a pair: across the office the voice was very good (but with a lot of latency). The latency was not noticeable talking on a 2nd talkgroup with his boss three states away, or on a 3rd talkgroup with the Home Company in Osaka.
Like a cell phone there is a flat monthly per-unit charge (with unlimited PTT airtime). If a company leases the devices and pays a flat monthly charge they are an annual expense tax deduction instead of assets depreciated over X years, with no infrastructure costs. Because these are cellular devices there are no frequency search or licensing requirements. Single event week-by-week rental arrangements are possible. Device purchase cost is under $500/unit.
Like the IP100H portables the IP501H is fairly robust and IP67 waterproof but not a high end public-safety grade device. Other than the volume knob controls are face mounted and menu driven. If the network or any of the back end server infrastructure is down, it becomes a brick with no local or simplex option. Although physically identical they are not directly compatible with existing WLAN Icom IP100 systems. Right now they do not operate on Band-14, so they are not FirstNet capable. If a local incident saturates the AT&T system (or damages it off the air) the device is a brick. In my opinion that makes them a B&I fleet or public safety convenience / administrative device. In my opinion, while they may be useful in some applications they are not a replacement for purpose-built public safety systems.
These may be major nails in the infrastructure and monitoring coffins.
www.icomamerica.com
First, these are NOT scannable radios. The IP501H portable (and soon to be available IP501M mobile) are basically trunking PTT cell phones, purpose built in a land mobile two-way case without cell phone functionality. Size and function are identical to IP100 WLAN devices and similar to a F52/F62 compact land-mobile radio. The portable is bluetooth compatible, and Icom offers a portable drop in charger/mobile-mount with external PTT microphone. With an external PTT microphone they should be exempt from cell phone while driving restrictions.
Target market is fleets with a wide area of operation and users with aging or un-reliable infrastructure. Transportation, utility, service companies, metro groups where RF is unavailable or saturated, and similar users come to mind. Overkill for housekeeping, but ideal for physical plant where someone is off-campus at the lumber yard or home store. Icom has interconnection equipment (VE-PG4) that will locally bridge any IP501 talkgroup to ANY other system for legacy or interoperability (including SIP phones, IP100 WLAN systems, and any existing RF system- digital, analog, trunking, duplex or simplex). Communications can be one-on-one. one-to-many or one-to-all.
On power-up they connect with Icom's secure server for affiliation, OTAR, SMS, data and voice. Coverage is North America where there is AT&T LTE network signal. No roaming in Canada/Mexico, and world-wide is probably coming. Since all traffic is secure data over the cellular network, as long as there is useable AT&T data signal they work, and trunking saturation or connect fail 'bonks' are unlikely. While portables do have an external radio-top antenna, without AT&T coverage (or inside a building with poor AT&T signal) they are a brick. Mobiles will use a remote roof-mount LTE antenna for better coverage. No info on if all affiliated talkgroup subscriber units must respond for a talkgroup conversation to take place.
Multiple talkgroups can be set up for any subscriber group, with OTAR push to subscriber radios. My icom rep demo'd a pair: across the office the voice was very good (but with a lot of latency). The latency was not noticeable talking on a 2nd talkgroup with his boss three states away, or on a 3rd talkgroup with the Home Company in Osaka.
Like a cell phone there is a flat monthly per-unit charge (with unlimited PTT airtime). If a company leases the devices and pays a flat monthly charge they are an annual expense tax deduction instead of assets depreciated over X years, with no infrastructure costs. Because these are cellular devices there are no frequency search or licensing requirements. Single event week-by-week rental arrangements are possible. Device purchase cost is under $500/unit.
Like the IP100H portables the IP501H is fairly robust and IP67 waterproof but not a high end public-safety grade device. Other than the volume knob controls are face mounted and menu driven. If the network or any of the back end server infrastructure is down, it becomes a brick with no local or simplex option. Although physically identical they are not directly compatible with existing WLAN Icom IP100 systems. Right now they do not operate on Band-14, so they are not FirstNet capable. If a local incident saturates the AT&T system (or damages it off the air) the device is a brick. In my opinion that makes them a B&I fleet or public safety convenience / administrative device. In my opinion, while they may be useful in some applications they are not a replacement for purpose-built public safety systems.
These may be major nails in the infrastructure and monitoring coffins.
LTE Radio Solution - LTE-CONNECT - Icom America
www.icomamerica.com
