UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATIONS
Not all communication systems are created equal. From simple two-way radios to advanced full-duplex wireless intercoms, each technology serves a different purpose. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right system for your team — and at TOMCOMM., we work across all of them.
SEMI-DUPLEX
TWO-WAY RADIOS
Two-way radios are the foundation of event communications. Simple, reliable, and requiring no training — press the button, talk, release. They're ideal for security, stewards, parking, catering, logistics, and general site coordination.
However, radios are semi-duplex — only one person can speak at a time on each channel. Everyone else has to wait. In a busy environment this creates bottlenecks, and critical information can be missed while someone else is transmitting.
At TOMCOMM., we supply and manage Motorola two-way radio fleets as part of many of our deployments. We handle programming, channel planning, and distribution — so your team picks up a radio and it just works.
FULL-DUPLEX
WIRED INTERCOM
Wired intercom — also known as partyline — is the backbone of professional production communications. Unlike radios, it's full-duplex: everyone on the line can talk and listen at the same time, just like a phone call. No buttons, no waiting.
A base station provides the power and channels — typically 2 or 4 partylines depending on the system. Wired beltpacks connect via XLR cables, and additional beltpacks can be daisy-chained by linking through — one cable out of the base, with multiple beltpacks connected in series along each line.
It's simple, reliable, and delivers exceptional audio quality. The trade-off is mobility — every user is physically tethered by cable. This makes wired intercom ideal for fixed positions like FOH, stage management desks, lighting control, and broadcast galleries. TOMCOMM. deploys wired partyline systems as part of larger intercom networks, providing the rock-solid foundation that every production needs.
FULL-DUPLEX + WIRELESS
WIRELESS INTERCOM
Wireless intercom takes everything that makes wired intercom great — full-duplex audio, channel assignment, crystal-clear quality — and removes the cables. Users carry a beltpack and headset, giving them complete freedom to move while staying connected to every conversation.
The Riedel Bolero system uses advanced DECT technology to deliver interference-free wireless communication across large venues. Antennas are positioned throughout the site to provide seamless roaming coverage — from the stage to the loading dock, the pitch to the press box.
This is the core of what TOMCOMM. does. We design antenna coverage plans, configure beltpack assignments, and deploy wireless intercom systems that give every team member hands-free, full-duplex communication wherever they need to be. Combined with wired keypanels at fixed positions, it creates a complete communications network.
full-duplex beats semi-duplex
bringing it all together
Two-way radios, wired partyline, and wireless beltpacks each serve a purpose — but the real power comes when they're all connected. A digital matrix sits at the centre, linking every system into one unified network. Wired keypanels at fixed positions, wireless beltpacks roaming freely, two-way radios on the ground, and remote sites connected over IP — all talking to each other seamlessly.
This is what TOMCOMM. designs and deploys. A complete communications network where your director can talk to cameras, lighting can hear the stage manager, security has their own clean channel, and a remote analyst can listen in from the other side of the country — all simultaneously, all full-duplex. No waiting, no bottlenecks, no missed cues.
The technology we've covered — radios, partyline, wireless intercoms — these are the building blocks. The matrix network is what turns them into a system. And that's what separates a patchwork of devices from a professional communications solution.