The short answer
In the UK, PMR446 radios — low-power handsets with a fixed aerial — can be used without a licence, but they share a handful of channels with everyone else, so range is short and interference is common. Business radios, which have more power and better range, need an Ofcom licence. If you hire radios, the hire company’s licence may cover you — ask.
Licence-free: PMR446
PMR446 radios are the ones sold in shops. They are limited to low power with a built-in aerial, and use a small number of shared channels. That makes them fine for a small site or a quiet day, but at a busy event the channels can be crowded with other people’s radios, and the range drops quickly in buildings and crowds.
Licensed business radio
Business radios transmit at higher power on frequencies licensed by Ofcom, giving better range and fewer strangers on your channel. Ofcom offers different licence types, from shared-frequency licences that cover the whole UK to frequencies assigned to a specific location. Using a business radio without the right licence is an offence.
What events and sites need
- Range and coverage. A large site, buildings, basements or a big crowd all push towards licensed radios.
- Several teams. Security, medical, stewards and event control often need their own channels, plus a way to talk to each other.
- Reliability. Phone networks often fail exactly when a crowd gathers; radios keep working.
- Discipline. Call signs, a clear channel plan and someone running event control matter as much as the hardware.
Hiring rather than buying
For an event or a short contract, hiring is usually simpler: the radios arrive charged, programmed and covered by the supplier’s licence. We supply and license radios for hire, so you are not left working out Ofcom paperwork for a one-off event.
Talk it through with us
Every site is different. Tell us about yours and we will tell you plainly what we would do.