Perceived shortcomings of P25

P25 has had its share of criticism, much of which was misplaced, unfair or is no longer valid. For example, some early large systems did not have enough radio sites and the resulting coverage problems – though technology independent – were unfairly attributed to P25.

This list represents criticism that is at least partially justified.

  • Despite significant progress and increasing competition, cost is still perceived as the biggest problem.
  • Voice quality is perceived as a problem by some users.
  • Low tolerance for interference and multipath when compared against analog.
  • Limited data transmission capability (9.6Kbps).
  • Full compliance and interoperability are possible, but require careful planning.
  • Not all subsets of the standards are finalized or commercially implemented, as the standard is still evolving.
  • The sharp drop-off in voice quality with weak RF signal is an issue, in particular for on-scene Fire communications.
  • No support for paging.
  • Audio delay compared with analog.

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