| Cell Phone | FRS Radio | GMRS Radio | Ham Radio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Use | Monthly service | None | $35 license fee every 10 years License covers family | Pass written test $15 Fee or sometimes free |
| Infrastructure | Required. | None. | None or Repeaters | None or Repeaters |
| Range | Infrastructure limited & carrier if not roaming. | A couple of blocks. | Radio to Radio: Neighborhood Radio to Repeater: City Wide | Radio to Radio City wide Radio to Repeater World wide & limited by: PowerAntennaEnvironment |
| Battery | Built-in. | Built-in or removable. | Removable & upgradeable. | Removable & upgradeable. |
| Antenna | Built-in. | Built-in. | Replaceable & upgradeable. | Replaceable & upgradeable. |
| Use in an Emergency Scenario | Limited due to: Possible loss of infostructure or overloaded with calls. | Limited due to restricted frequencies & built in antenna. | Limited due to restricted frequencies. | Most resilient & reconfigurable |
| Lifetime Use | Only if cell phone service is supported or technology changes. (e.g. 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) | Lifetime unless frequencies change. | Lifetime unless frequencies change. | Lifetime unless frequencies change. |
| Links | Establish your FCC FRN Number FCC Universal Licensing System How To Get A GMRS License THE EASY WAY! | 💻 Hamstudy 📻 Find a Test at Hamstudy 📻 Find a Test at ARRL 📻 ARRL Find a Club |