Case Study
CB Civil
Company-Owned PoC Radio for Civil Construction Crews
Supplied and supported by Mobile Systems Limited, Mount Maunganui
Industry
Civil Infrastructure
Solution
Motorola TLK100 & TLK110 PoC Radios
Supplier
Mobile Systems Limited
CB Civil crew on site at Arapuni, one of the many North Island locations the team works across
Client Overview
CB Civil is a New Zealand civil infrastructure contractor delivering large-scale projects across the North Island, from earthworks and utilities to transport corridors and commercial developments. The company describes itself as the collaborative contractor, working closely with communities, councils and partners on every job.
With crews often spread across multiple sites, sometimes in remote or difficult terrain, reliable communication underpins safety, coordination and day-to-day project efficiency.
The Challenge: Coverage Gaps and Phone Limitations
CB Civil operations depend on clear, immediate contact between teams. Traditional UHF radios were dependable at short range, but on the company's larger, hillier sites the coverage kept dropping out as crews moved between areas, and range fell away when teams shifted between regions. Where radio could not reach, communication fell back on personal mobile phones. Not everyone is issued a company phone, so keeping the whole team connected came down to individual staff using their own devices.
"We used to rely a lot on cell phones, but not everyone gets issued a company phone, so it was hard to keep the whole team talking to each other."
— Liam McCord, Local Manager, CB Civil
What the old setup was costing the team:
✓Coverage dropouts across widespread, hilly sites
✓Range loss when crews moved between regions
✓Team communication reliant on personal phones not everyone carried
✓Downtime and delay when radios had to go to a dealer for programming
✓No simple way to track or manage the fleet centrally
The Solution: A Company-Owned LTE PoC Network
Mobile Systems Limited moved CB Civil onto a Push-to-Talk over Cellular network built on the Motorola TLK series. PoC combines the familiar simplicity of two-way radio operation with the reach of 4G and 5G mobile data, so a single button still opens the channel, but the channel now stretches as far as the cellular network does. Every handset is company owned, which removes the reliance on personal phones for team communication.
"With PoC radios we're always in contact with the team, no matter where they are, no restriction on distance. One of our managers even takes his radio with him on holiday so he can stay in touch with the crew if he wants to."
— Liam McCord, Local Manager, CB Civil
"They're so compact and lightweight next to a traditional radio. Being able to speak to everyone on the team at the same time is a huge help." — Bradley Cooper, Project Manager, CB Civil
Bridge installation in progress. Work at this scale needs coordination between crews spread across the whole site
The Hardware: Motorola TLK100 and TLK110
The network was built around Motorola's WAVE PTX-compatible PoC handsets, the TLK100 and TLK110. Both run over 4G LTE and Wi-Fi rather than a licensed radio channel, which is what delivers the wide-area coverage that made the switch worthwhile, while keeping the single-button push-to-talk operation the crews already knew.
✓Motorola TLK100: compact PoC handset with IP67 water and dust protection, GPS location tracking, Bluetooth and over-the-air management, connecting over 4G LTE or Wi-Fi
✓Motorola TLK110: next-generation WAVE PTX handset adding USB-C charging, AES 256 encryption and a locking 2.5mm audio jack, built to IP67 and MIL-STD-810 ratings
✓Remote fleet management: talkgroups, channels and software updates managed centrally through the WAVE PTX platform
✓Built-in GPS tracking: every handset reports its location, already used to locate radios that went missing on site
Making the Switch: A Familiar Radio, One New Habit
Because most of the workforce already knew their way around a traditional radio, the move to PoC was straightforward. The main adjustment was learning to work with a digital transmission rather than an analogue one.
"The transition was fine, most of the team were already used to how a traditional radio works. There was a bit of training around waiting for the beep before you speak, since the transmission is digital rather than analogue." — Liam McCord, Local Manager, CB Civil
"There's been a massive improvement in clarity. It's really good." — Bradley Cooper, Project Manager, CB Civil
Roading corridor works, with plant and crews moving constantly across an active site
GPS Tracking in Practice: Recovering Lost and Stolen Radios
Beyond day-to-day communication, the GPS tracking built into the PoC network has already paid for itself. CB Civil has used the location history to recover handsets that had gone missing or been stolen from site, which keeps replacement hardware costs down.
"We've managed to track down radios that were lost or stolen, which has lowered our overheads because we're not having to replace them with new hardware every time."
— Bradley Cooper, Project Manager, CB Civil
Utility installation work, another job where crews and equipment are spread across a live site
Over-the-Air Updates: No Downtime
Plenty of the gear on a civil site has to be sent away for calibration or reprogramming, taking it out of service in the meantime. The PoC radios flip that on its head. Talkgroups, settings and firmware are pushed over the air, so the fleet stays on the job.
"It's a huge efficiency gain, in time and in money. Other components we use for the business have to be sent away for calibration all the time and it's a massive pain. With these radios, there's no downtime, updates just happen over the air."
— Liam McCord, Local Manager, CB Civil
Built for the Site: Standing Up to a Heavy Civil Environment
Earthworks, utilities and transport corridor construction are hard on equipment. The TLK handsets carry IP67 dust and water protection, and the TLK110 adds MIL-STD-810 environmental ratings. On CB Civil's sites, that has translated into radios that keep working after the knocks a real job hands out.
"We work in a heavy civil environment, so the radios get a hammering. They get dropped in dirt, mud and water, and they hold up." — Bradley Cooper, Project Manager, CB Civil
Below-ground shaft works, one of the demanding environments CB Civil equipment has to perform in
The Results
Moving to a company-owned PoC network changed the day-to-day for CB Civil in a handful of measurable ways.
✓ Everyone ReachableThe whole team is contactable without depending on a personal phone.
✓ No Distance LimitCrews stay in contact across sites and regions on the LTE network.
✓ Clearer CallsA marked improvement in communication clarity over UHF.
✓ GPS-Recovered RadiosLost and stolen handsets tracked and returned, cutting replacement cost.
✓ Zero-Downtime UpdatesOver-the-air programming replaces trips to a dealer.
✓ Site-Tough HardwareHandsets keep performing after drops in dirt, mud and water.
Looking Ahead: Would They Recommend It?
Asked whether LTE PoC radios will become standard kit across future CB Civil projects, and whether they would recommend the switch to others in the industry, the team did not hesitate.
"Yes, absolutely. Long-range team communications, much clearer calls, and GPS tracking. That combination is what makes the difference over a traditional radio."
— Liam McCord and Bradley Cooper, CB Civil
About Mobile Systems Limited
Mobile Systems Limited specialises in supplying, installing and supporting communication solutions that help teams stay connected and safe while working on the move. Based in Mount Maunganui and supporting organisations throughout New Zealand.
Contact us today to improve communication and safety for your team.
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