Wireless carrier-grade PTT systems have adapted to and adopted the smartphone platform by providing downloadable apps that support their PTT systems across many mobile platforms. Recent development in PTT communications is the appearance of apps on smartphones, some of which can function on multiple platforms.
In addition to mobile handsets, some services also work on a laptop, desktop, and tablet computers.
Push to talk headset portable#
Mobile push-to-talk services, offered by some mobile carriers directly as well as by independent companies, adds PTT functionality to smartphones and specialized mobile handsets (hand portable and mobile/base station PTT Radio Terminals). This combines the operational advantages of PTT with the interference resistance and other virtues of mobile phones. Push-to-talk cellular calls similarly provide half-duplex communications - while one person transmits, the other(s) receive. A significant advantage of PTT is the ability for a single person to reach an active talk group with a single button press users need not make several telephone calls to coordinate with a group. A typical push-to-talk connection connects almost instantly. Push-to-talk over cellular ( PoC) is a service option for a cellular phone network that enables subscribers to use their phones as walkie-talkies with unlimited range. Manufacturers now make units specifically designed for PTT over cellular ( POC or PoC). Some systems use PTT ID to identify the speaker. In situations where a user may be too busy to handle a talk switch, voice operated switches are sometimes employed. This type of switch was historically called a pressel. Less commonly, a separate hand-held PTT switch may be used. For heavy radio users, a PTT foot switch may be used, and also can be combined with either a boom-mounted microphone or a headset with integrated microphone. The PTT switch is most commonly located on the radio's handheld microphone, or for small hand-held radios, directly on the radio. Citizens Band is another example of classic push-to-talk operation. see here for those devices: Headsets for Radio Dispatch, 911 Emergency or Air traffic controller.
Similar considerations apply to police radio, the use of business band radios on construction sites, and other scenarios requiring coordination of several parties. In doing so, they are aware of each other's actions and intentions, and do not hear any background noise from the ones who are not speaking. Those under the same frequency can hear others' transmissions while using procedure words such as "break", "break break" to separate order during the conversation (ICAO doc 9432). For example, an air traffic controller usually talks on one radio frequency to all aircraft under his/her supervision.