Chicomm Blog

Bi-directional amplifiers (or BDAs), boosters, extenders, repeaters — there's no shortage of options when you’re looking to broaden the reach and enhance the effectiveness of your cell and two-way radio coverage to combat dreaded “dead zones.”

In this blog, we'll describe how a BDA system works, and how it relates to the overall distributed antenna system, or DAS, and how it differs from a two-way radio repeater. Looking at the two side-by-side can help you decide which will be the best fit for you.

Wireless networks’ ability to instantly connect us to the internet has made us more dependent than ever on this ever-changing and constantly growing technology. Nowadays, it seems as if it would be nearly impossible to function at the same capacity and speed without it.

But that leaves us with an important question: How to access and ensure secure public WiFi when we’re working remotely or catching up on our accounts away from home?

The future of healthcare technology is an exciting landscape of better overall health, enhanced hospital safety and seamless access to information – all powered by wireless communications.

Digital two-way radios, IP phones, radio frequency identification and smartphone apps for healthcare, as well as upgrades to more traditional communications systems such as nurse call systems, are all playing a key role in shaping the industry’s growth.

With the benefits to well-being in mind, let's take a deep dive into understanding the current challenges facing healthcare technology and the ways that upgraded wireless communications, accessories and applications are fueling the industry’s future.

The reviews keep coming, and the message is clear: Guests give five stars to your hotel’s ample amenities and friendly staff, but they have much less love for your unreliable WiFi.

When everyone from business travelers to high school marching band members have multiple connected devices per person – including laptops, phones and tablets – the system your property acquired years ago just isn’t keeping up.

A few savvy strategies can put your hotel wireless on the fast track, and the reasons to upgrade are clear: higher guest satisfaction, competitive advantage and access to hospitality-related innovations. If you’re considering it, research shows you’re not alone.

It’s hard to imagine now, but manufacturing technology used to refer to the handmade tools people used in their homes to produce their own food, clothing, furniture and everything else they needed for daily life.

At a time in history when we can have almost everything we need delivered to our doorsteps in less than two hours, that seems like a million years ago. Thanks to increasingly rapid advances in manufacturing engineering technology being driven by innovation in wireless communications, the world has changed more quickly than our ancestors could have dreamed.

For you history buffs, let’s take a look at how wireless communication is tied to the evolution of manufacturing technology.

Chicago Communications is proud to be a unified workgroup communications provider, and we’re so sure your team is going to love the new Wave OnCloud solution, we’re offering a free 30 day trial.

Wave OnCloud instantly breaks down communications barriers across frontline and field workers, across distance and, most importantly, across devices. Your team can say goodbye to juggling multiple radios, phones and tablets and hello to one easy-to-use, push-to-talk application for everything.

Let’s take a quick look at Wave OnCloud’s benefits as well as how to sign up for your free 30 day trial.

In the not too distant past, administrators and educators didn't have to worry about things like connecting students and teachers to school WiFi – school supplies came in boxes and filmstrips were considered high-tech. 

When computers and other technology did initially become available, they were shared by students, teachers and administrators alike in group computer labs, and getting time on a computer was a challenge.

Today, of course, it’s hard to imagine educational settings without individual access to computers, tablets, laptops and lightning fast school WiFi. It’s worth taking a closer look at the critical role technology in schools plays, from school safety to campus communication, and how your campus can stay connected.

Now that you’ve drastically improved your in-building connectivity and you’re feeling confident about the strength of your wireless network, it’s time to tackle the next frontier: how to extend WiFi range outdoors.

Hotel and resort guests, students, mobile workers and anyone else on the go is increasingly looking for opportunities to stay connected, even near the pool, on the campus commons or out on the dock.

With your constantly connected users in mind, here’s a quick overview of how to extend WiFi range outdoors.

Connectivity problems, from cell phone dead zones, unreliable two-way radio coverage, spotty WiFi coverage – or a combination of all three – aren’t just bad for business and productivity, for public safety users, they can be downright dangerous.

If you’re facing communications challenges, it can feel as if you’re fighting a losing battle, but there are some secret – and not-so-secret – weapons you can use to improve performance, even in the most stubborn spots.

Here’s an overview of why poor in-building connectivity happens and how to fix it.

Motorola Solutions periodically conducts surveys to gather insights and feedback as part of its effort to continuously improve wireless communications for users and teams. The 2016 Commercial Survey collected input from 1,200 business and industry participants, “the largest single group of whom currently use two-way radios,” according to the company.

Respondents identified six wireless communications priorities they said would improve team efficiency, productivity and safety: Performance, Ruggedness, Voice & Data, Instant Work Group Communications, Application Integration and Interoperability.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the top six priorities for team wireless communications.