Short answer: for single-site teams, a traditional UHF/VHF fleet is usually cheaper over three years. For multi-site or citywide teams, PoC wins decisively — because the alternative is not just radios, it is repeaters, licensing and network engineering. Here is the math with real SKUs from our catalog.
The cost items people forget
Radio price tags are only the entry ticket. Traditional fleets add: frequency licensing (a few hundred dollars per site per term, plus coordination fees), repeaters and antennas for coverage beyond line-of-sight, installation labor, and battery replacement every 18-24 months. PoC fleets add: a data SIM per radio (a consumer plan often suffices), an optional platform fee per device, and chargers. Neither side has hidden hardware — but the infrastructure line differs enormously.
Worked example: 30 radios, three years
| Cost item | PoC fleet (LTE) | DMR fleet, one site |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware | 30 × $86 Zello DG6300 = $2,580 | 30 × $93 TYT MD-680 = $2,790 |
| License | $0 | ~$500 / 10 years, prorated |
| Repeaters | $0 | $0-$3,000 depending on site |
| Connectivity | 30 SIMs × ~$5/mo = $5,400 | $0 |
| Battery spares | ~$300 | ~$300 |
| 3-year total | ~$8,280 | ~$3,600-6,600 |
Single site: DMR wins. Add a second site 40 km away and the DMR column gains a second license, a second repeater set and backhaul links — while the PoC column does not move. From two sites onward, PoC usually pulls ahead.
The hardware on our shelf
The Zello DG6300 PoC radio ($86) covers the typical fleet case: 4G LTE, GPS, IP67 waterproofing and Zello platform compatibility. For a more premium build, the Clarigo KYX-998 4G PoC radio ($120) adds long-standby battery tuning aimed at hospitality and site fleets.
How to decide in one meeting
Ask three questions: how many sites (one → traditional; two or more → PoC), is cellular coverage reliable where teams work (no → traditional), and do you already hold usable licensed frequencies (yes → traditional gets cheaper). Send us your fleet profile and we will run both cost models for your actual numbers, free, with wholesale pricing from 2 units.
Do PoC radios work without a SIM plan?
No — PoC requires cellular data. Over WiFi some models still work indoors, but for vehicle and field use an active data SIM is mandatory.
Can I use one SIM plan for all my PoC radios?
Fleets typically use pooled M2M data plans — one contract, shared data across all radios, which keeps the per-device cost well below a phone plan.
Which is more durable, PoC or traditional?
Build quality depends on the model, not the technology — our PoC and DMR shortlists both include IP67-sealed units rated for industrial abuse.