How Suppliers Integrate PoC with Existing Radio Fleets - TSHICOM

Here’s a deep, practical explanation of how radio communication suppliers integrate PoC (Push-to-Talk over Cellular) systems with existing radio fleets (e.g., DMR, analog). This integration is key for organizations that want to extend coverage, preserve legacy investments, and enable mixed-technology communications.

The core idea is that PoC and traditional Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems (like DMR or analog VHF/UHF) speak different “languages”—cellular broadband vs. narrowband RF. To make them work together, suppliers use gateway and integration technologies, most commonly Radio over IP (RoIP) gateways.

Here’s how it’s done in detail:

🌐 1. Gateway (RoIP) Integration — The Heart of PoC + Radio Integration

RoIP (Radio over Internet Protocol) is the primary method used to bridge PoC and traditional radios.

🛠 What a RoIP Gateway Does

Translates audio and signaling between PoC and LMR protocols.
Connects PoC users (over LTE/4G/5G) with DMR or analog radios (over narrowband RF).
Lets users on different technologies communicate as if on the same network.

📦 Typical Gateway Hardware Example

One widely used product is the Hytera BRIDGE / HALO Bridge:

It contains:
- A PoC mobile radio module that connects to the cellular network.
- A DMR mobile radio module that interfaces with your existing LMR system.
- Internal logic that rebroadcasts audio between the two networks.

How it works in practice

PoC users push to talk on LTE/5G.
The gateway receives PoC audio over IP.
It sends the audio to the DMR side (to repeaters or radios).
DMR users hear and respond normally—gateway relays back to PoC.
This makes group calls and interoperability simple and cost-effective.

📡 2. Flexible Interconnect Configurations

Suppliers often support multiple network topologies:

🔁 One-to-Many Bridging

One PoC talkgroup can be bridged to multiple DMR talkgroups.
Useful for dispatch centers communicating with mixed fleets.

🌍 Remote LMR Networks Over PoC

Some gateways can connect two remote radio networks using PoC broadband to link distant sites.

🧩 Multi-Channel Support

Deploy multiple gateway units for additional talk channels between PoC and LMR systems.
This scales the integration beyond a single group.

📊 3. Unified Dispatch Platforms

Beyond basic bridging, advanced integration can include centralized dispatch systems:

🖥 Unified Dispatch Features

Single user interface for:
- PoC group calls
- DMR talkgroups
- Emergency alerts
- GPS tracking

📍 Example Functionality

Hytera’s HORIZON Dispatch platform works with integrated PoC/LDMR networks to manage:

Live voice and data
Call logs and reports
Geofencing and tracking
This gives dispatchers full situational awareness across both systems.

🧠 4. Support for Multiple PoC & LMR Technologies

Some suppliers go even further with multi-protocol integrations:

🌀 Support Across Protocols

DMR (Tier II / III)
Analog VHF/UHF
TETRA
P25 (via other gateways)
Solutions like TornadoConnect can bridge PoC with these diverse LMR systems — not just DMR — addressing broader organizational needs.

📞 Phone & Dispatch Integration

Some platforms also tie in SIP / PABX phone systems, enabling PoC and LMR users to communicate with desk phones or office staff.

📱 5. App + Gateway Integration

In addition to hardware radios, many integrations support PoC mobile apps (e.g., ESChat, Motorola, Zello, Tait TeamPTT) through RoIP gateways:

Apps connect to the gateway through cloud or on-premise systems.
The gateway maps app PTT traffic into LMR talkgroups.
Dispatch systems can manage both app and radio users in the same ecosystem.

This allows organizations to include smartphones or tablets in their communications without new hardware radio purchases.

🛠 6. Integration Planning Best Practices

When suppliers design integrated systems, they typically follow a structured process:

🧾 Survey & Inventory

Catalog existing radios and talkgroups.
Understand coverage patterns and pain points.

🔄 System Mapping

Define bridging policies between PoC and LMR talkgroups.
Decide how voice, priority, and emergency signals transfer across networks.

🔧 Configure & Test

Install RoIP gateways and dispatch platforms.
Run end-to-end tests with real users.
Validate latency and audio quality across PoC and radio fleets.

📣 User Training

Train both PoC and legacy radio users on:

Bridged operation
Group definitions
Mixed-technology call procedures

This ensures smooth daily operations and emergency responses.

📌 Key Benefits of Integration

Benefit	Description
📶 Extended Coverage	PoC brings nationwide connectivity beyond LMR range.
💸 Preserves LMR Investment	No need to scrap existing fleets.
👥 Unified Comms	Dispatch and communication work across PoC and LMR.
🔁 Scalable	Add more channels or sites by deploying additional gateways.
📱 Modern Features	PoC adds GPS, texting, multimedia, and data to traditional radios.

Suppliers integrate PoC with existing radio fleets primarily through:

RoIP gateways that translate between cellular broadband and narrowband RF systems.
Flexible interconnect configurations supporting multiple talkgroups and remote networks.
Unified dispatch systems that centralize control across PoC and LMR.
Multi-protocol support, letting PoC work with DMR, analog, and even SIP phone systems.
App + gateway solutions that integrate smartphones into the hybrid communications ecosystem.

Here’s a clear architecture overview of how suppliers integrate PoC (Push-to-Talk over Cellular) with existing radio fleets (like DMR or analog) using gateway systems and how the signal flows between them.

📡 Typical Integrated System Architecture (PoC ↔ Radio Fleet)

Below is a simplified text-based architecture diagram showing how the pieces connect in a hybrid PoC + LMR system:

PoC Radios (LTE/5G)
        │
   (Cellular Network)
        │
   PoC Cloud / PoC Server
        │
    Internet / IP Network
        │
   PoC ↔ LMR Gateway (RoIP)
        │
---------------- Radio Side ----------------
        │
   DMR/Analog Base Station / Repeater
        │
Traditional Two-Way Radios (DMR or Analog)

How the Signal Flow Works

🚨 PoC User Presses PTT
- PoC radio sends voice over mobile data (LTE/5G) to the PoC network/cloud.
- The cloud can be a hosted service (e.g., vendor PoC platform) or on-premise server.
📶 PoC Cloud Sends to Gateway
- The PoC server routes the voice session over the internet (IP) to an on-site or remote RoIP (Radio over IP) gateway.
- This gateway acts as a translator between broadband (IP) and narrowband RF.
🔁 Gateway Converts Protocols
- The gateway receives PoC IP voice data and re-broadcasts it into the radio domain (e.g., DMR or analog audio).
- This often involves hardware with both a PoC radio module and a narrowband module connected internally.
📻 DMR/Analog Radio Receives
- The base station / repeater transmits the bridged voice over UHF/VHF, so legacy radios hear the PoC talk.
- If a DMR user responds, that audio goes back into the gateway and is bridged back up into PoC.

🔌 Key Integration Components

🧠 1. PoC Cloud or Backend

Handles call control, user presence, talkgroups, and routing for PoC devices.
Can be hosted by the PoC vendor or self-hosted.

📦 2. RoIP Gateway (PoC ↔ LMR)

The most critical integration piece connecting PoC and radio systems:

Example devices:
• Hytera BRIDGE / HALO Bridge — connects PoC and DMR/analog radios via a special hardware kit with two radios inside (one PoC, one DMR) and a bridge cable.
• Kirisun TM840-GW — gateway supporting analog, DMR, and PoC interconnect, showing diagrammed network connectivity.
• Inrico DR10 Gateway — hybrid gateway translating voice between PoC and LMR networks.

What the gateway does

Accepts IP voice from PoC backend
Outputs audio into RF system and vice versa
Enables group calls between radio types
May support additional logic like caller ID mapping or signaling (varies by product)

🖼 Two Core Integration Scenarios

🔁 A) Local Site Bridging

PoC Cloud
     │
    IP
     │
    Gateway
    ├── DMR Base Station
    │      └── Local DMR Radios
    └── Analog Base Station
           └── Local Analog Radios

Use case:
Extend existing site coverage and let PoC and local DMR/analog users interoperate.
Good for facilities with a radio repeater and PoC users off-site.

📍 B) Multi-Site / Extended Coverage via PoC

Site A LMR Repeater ──|
                     └─ Gateway A ↔ PoC Cloud ↔ Gateway B ── Site B LMR Repeater

Use case:
Two separate radio systems in different locations talk through the PoC network, effectively linking them even where direct RF range can’t reach.
This is useful for distributed operations across cities or campuses.

📊 Optional Enhancements

🖥 Unified Dispatch Console

A central console can talk to both PoC and radio users via the gateways.
Dispatchers see group status, GPS, and can patch talkgroups across technologies.

📍 GPS and Data

Many PoC systems transmit location and text data which can also be integrated or pulled into dispatch systems for situational awareness.

🧠 Notes / Practical Considerations

✔ Multiple channels: Deploy multiple gateways if you need more talk channels between PoC and LMR; one gateway typically handles one interconnect path.
✔ Channel and talkgroup mapping: Plan group assignments carefully so PoC talkgroups align correctly with DMR or analog channels — this often requires planning during setup.
✔ Gateway placement: Usually near the DMR repeater or wiring closet for easy connection to antenna systems.

Integration between PoC and existing radio fleets is done using:

📡 PoC Backend / Cloud – routes broadband push-to-talk over LTE/5G
🔌 RoIP Gateway – converts IP voice to radio audio and back
📻 Base Stations / Repeaters – transmit on UHF/VHF to legacy radios

Together, these form a hybrid voice network where users on PoC and traditional radios can communicate seamlessly, preserving legacy investments while extending coverage.