Peak PTT vs Zello
Compare Peak PTT radios, Zello and OperatorLink push-to-talk for crane crews: price, setup and what to check before you choose.
2Dig is published by the makers of OperatorLink, which is compared here alongside other tools.
Peak PTT is a hand-held radio. [1] Zello is push-to-talk voice software on phones and computers. OperatorLink is a free phone-browser tool that shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew. [2][2]
| Option | Own fee | Card fee |
|---|---|---|
| Peak PTT | $229 radio with $19.95 activation and $24.95/mo per radio for unlimited PTT [1] | not published |
| Zello | $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 with an annual subscription [3] | not published |
| OperatorLink | currently free, no paid plan built yet [2] | not published |
The short answer
Peak PTT is a hand-held radio that sends voice over a phone network, sold with a hardware price and a monthly service. [1] Zello is push-to-talk voice software that runs on phones and computers. [4] OperatorLink is a free tool in a phone browser that shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones. [2] Each source says what its own tool does. Peak PTT's pages say the PTT-84G radio is $229 with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 per month for unlimited push-to-talk. [1] Zello's pages say it runs on phones and computers as push-to-talk voice software. [4] OperatorLink's claims say it is built to pass stop signals and talk between phones in a browser. [2]
What Peak PTT, Zello is built for
For a crane crew, Peak PTT is a hand-held radio that sends voice over AT&T's LTE network. [1] Peak PTT's pages say dispatch can run from any PC, which eliminates the need for a base station. [5] Pricing is flat monthly. [1]
Zello is push-to-talk software that runs on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. [4] Zello Work is a paid team service. [3]
What OperatorLink is built for
OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. For a crane crew member it is a free tool that shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [2] Pressing STOP releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [2] HOLD and SLOW stay on for everyone in the jobsite and clear when the last person leaves. [2] Holding a move button keeps sending that move to the other phones; if it stops arriving for 2 seconds, the other phones drop it. [2] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear go out as chat messages. [2] Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [2] The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code and the crew joins from it. [2] It runs in a phone browser with no app install. [2]
Pricing and fees
Peak PTT sells its PTT-84G radio for $229 with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 per month for unlimited push-to-talk, with no contracts. [1] The core radio service is $24.95 per month per radio for unlimited nationwide push-to-talk. [5] An optional dispatch seat is $12 per month per seat. [5]
Zello Work costs $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 with an annual subscription. [3]
OperatorLink is currently free to use and no paid plan is built yet. [2]
Setting it up on a jobsite
Most orders for Peak PTT radios ship the same business day. [1] Each crew member gets a radio on the flat per-device monthly rate. [5]
Zello runs on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac, so crew members can use phones and computers they already have. [4]
With OperatorLink, the person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code and the crew joins from it. [2] Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call. [2] The tool can be added to a phone's home screen as a standalone app. [2] A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins. [2] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [2] On Android browsers a STOP signal makes the phone buzz; on iPhone Safari the buzz is ignored. [2]
Things to check before you choose
Ask what each tool needs to keep signals moving. Peak PTT is a radio on a phone network; ask what coverage looks like where the jobsite is. [1] Ask what one flat monthly rate pays for and how many radios it covers. [5] Zello runs on the crew's own devices; ask who pays the per-user monthly fee and what happens to voice if a phone drops its connection. [4] [3] OperatorLink runs in a phone browser; ask whether every phone on the jobsite can join from the link and what happens if a phone cannot. [2] [2] Ask what happens when any device loses the connection mid-signal.
How to choose
If the crew needs a hand-held radio that sends voice over a phone network, Peak PTT's pages say it transmits voice over AT&T's nationwide LTE network. [1] If the crew needs push-to-talk voice on phones and computers at a per-user price, Zello's pages say it runs on those devices. [4] [3] If the crew needs stop signals passed between phones with no app install and no fee, OperatorLink's claims say it shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW in a phone browser. [2] [2] Match the tool to the need the crew already has: a radio fleet, voice on existing devices, or browser-passed signals on phones.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zello free for crane crews?
Zello's pages say the product is free for first responders, but they do not say that crane crews qualify. [4] Zello Work is a paid team service at $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 with an annual subscription. [3] Ask Zello which plan fits a crane crew before choosing.
What does the Peak PTT monthly fee cover?
Peak PTT's pages price its core radio service at $24.95 per month per radio for unlimited nationwide push-to-talk. [5] An optional dispatch seat adds $12 per month per seat. [5] Ask Peak PTT what the flat rate includes for your jobsite.
Does a crane crew need radios or can it use phones?
Peak PTT is a hand-held radio with a hardware price. Zello runs on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac, so a crew can use phones and computers. OperatorLink runs in a phone browser with no app install and can be added to a phone's home screen. It is on each crew to decide what fits its work.
Where does OperatorLink fit against radio and app tools?
OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. Its claims say it shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a browser. It is currently free with no paid plan built yet. Compare it with Peak PTT and Zello on the needs of your crew.
Is a monthly plan required to use push-to-talk?
Peak PTT's pages list $24.95 per month per radio for unlimited push-to-talk. [5] Zello Work costs $8.00 per user per month. [3] OperatorLink is currently free to use and no paid plan is built yet. [2] Ask each supplier what it charges, because a monthly plan is not required for every option on this page.
OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [2]
Try OperatorLinkSources
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