POC Radios ... sulit ba?

**Walter** · October 30th, 2024 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by 111prez

could be very useful especially if the person with the other radio is in another province or even country.
I read that this won't get you charged for any roaming services either. Totoo ba ito?

You need data service or WiFi signal in the country you are in ... All POC devices need local or roaming SIM ... POC actually makes little sense when Telcos started offering unlimited calls and SMS ... If you can Viber or SMS the person, why not just call using the mobile phone? ... This is really more useful for groups ... Also, you can only use POC device of the same brand and model ... Cignus ver 1 can't talk to ver 2 ...

**Dr.Kamiya** · October 30th, 2024 11:30 PM

It's a VOIP radio that uses cellular data.

You'll still get charged for roaming data.

There's still a "base station" somewhere, just not under your control. The Cignus models will be calling home to a Cignus server.

IMO just call from your favorite messaging service (Whatsapp, Viber, Line, Discord etc).

Or if you really want PTT, just use the Zello app. If it's for use on an overseas trip there's a free 14-day trial. Monthly cost of $8/month and activate only when you need it will probably be cheaper than buying separate Cignus units for everyone in your group then leave the device unused for months.

**111prez** · October 31st, 2024 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Walter

You need data service or WiFi signal in the country you are in ... All POC devices need local or roaming SIM ... POC actually makes little sense when Telcos started offering unlimited calls and SMS ... If you can Viber or SMS the person, why not just call using the mobile phone? ... This is really more useful for groups ... Also, you can only use POC device of the same brand and model ... Cignus ver 1 can't talk to ver 2 ...

Case in point: at the mall yesterday, I was calling my wife on the cell phone. Kept ringing but no answer. very frustrating.

Kung may radio at naka on (pero hindi silent mode), isang "hoy" lang kaagad at marinig na ang boses

**Motortrend** · October 31st, 2024 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by 111prez

Case in point: at the mall yesterday, I was calling my wife on the cell phone. Kept ringing but no answer. very frustrating.

Kung may radio at naka on (pero hindi silent mode), isang "hoy" lang kaagad at marinig na ang boses

That's assuming the volume is loud enough for her to hear the "hoy". Ha ha!

For me the advantage is the near instant communication. Take a Viber call, it takes a few seconds to ring. Then once the other side picks up, there is a 1 to 2 seconds of chirping before the Viber call actually connects and the parties are able to talk. Very frustrating.

**Yatta** · October 31st, 2024 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Motortrend

That's assuming the volume is loud enough for her to hear the "hoy". Ha ha!

For me the advantage is the near instant communication. Take a Viber call, it takes a few seconds to ring. Then once the other side picks up, there is a 1 to 2 seconds of chirping before the Viber call actually connects and the parties are able to talk. Very frustrating.

Not sure kung same experience, but from what I can tell, when you call someone via Viber, it appears from the caller's end that the receivers phone is ringing, even if either the phone is off or no internet connection. Makita mo na lang kapag nag-connect na sa internet ang Viber, you got missed calls.

**cityfolk** · October 31st, 2024 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by 111prez

Case in point: at the mall yesterday, I was calling my wife on the cell phone. Kept ringing but no answer. very frustrating.

Kung may radio at naka on (pero hindi silent mode), isang "hoy" lang kaagad at marinig na ang boses

I used GMRS radios way back when cellular service was expensive. Calls are very easy to miss specially inside a noisy mall. Moreso if the wife will keep the radio in her bag. So no advantage over a regular celfone. I ditched the radio when cell service got cheap. Best solution was to get the wife a smartwatch that will vibrate when a call comes in.

**oj88** · October 31st, 2024 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by 111prez

Case in point: at the mall yesterday, I was calling my wife on the cell phone. Kept ringing but no answer. very frustrating.

Kung may radio at naka on (pero hindi silent mode), isang "hoy" lang kaagad at marinig na ang boses

Sakit din ng Mrs ko yan. But as you've said, it still depends whether or not the POC is on silent because you'll run into the same issue if the power or volume control was inadvertently or deliberately turned down. You can have her wear an earpiece (good luck with that!) so she can hear your call discretely, but the same can be said with a phone using a BT earpiece.

Anyway, in my case this only happens maybe 2 out of 5 times I call her. Most of the time, it takes her a while to hear the ringtone. It's really a problem when her phone is buried inside her bag or purse.

This thread has reminded me of this problem and I'm now thinking of automating her phone to set the ringtone and vibration level to the highest whenever she leaves the house. I think the MacroDroid app (Android) should be able to do it.

**Motortrend** · October 31st, 2024 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Yatta

Not sure kung same experience, but from what I can tell, when you call someone via Viber, it appears from the caller's end that the receivers phone is ringing, even if either the phone is off or no internet connection. Makita mo na lang kapag nag-connect na sa internet ang Viber, you got missed calls.

Same experience. Another frustration.

**Dr.Kamiya** · October 31st, 2024 10:04 AM

Natawa ako dun sa 'HOY!'

Anyway if always-on voice is the goal, using Discord then having your active group join a Voice Channel should do the trick without the need for any new devices.

Usually Discord is used for voice chat during gaming so it has same functionality as a basic feature, with added options for text and/or video.