If you were in construction or agriculture in the late 1990s to early 2000s, chances are that the name Nextel calls up fond memories.
They developed a walkie-talkie-type push-to-talk cell phone that was very popular back then. With that kind of phone, you could instantly contact others on the same network and also place regular cell calls.
Smartphone technology passed Nextel by, and the company went out of business in mid-2013.
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Today, several companies are selling Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) devices, and one in particular, in my legal opinion, is engaging in misleading and fraudulent advertising.
That company is Rapid Radios, whose ads pop up on computer screens and can be heard on satellite radio.
Rapid Radios, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, sells what it falsely claims are “walkie-talkies.” Its ads repeatedly state their radios provide nationwide coverage, with unlimited range, no matter where you are. They’re $399 for a pair.
Please take a moment and do a Google search for “Rapid Radios scam.”
What pops up will tell you that the company has been criticized for misleading marketing about its push-to-talk walkie-talkies. The radios are advertised as independent, off-grid devices, but they actually function identically to cell phones — they require LTE cell towers to transmit signals and will not work if all cell service fails. (If one carrier’s cell service fails, they can switch to another carrier’s service, though. But if all cell service is down, you’re out of luck.)
Now, watch this Rapid Radios Facebook ad and pay close attention to the first few words.
Did you catch that? “Rapid Radios, they work wherever you are.”
They do not — you must have access to an LTE tower.
Their ads also do not tell you that these devices can call only others that are mated to it — one or a group of devices — but no one else.
Here is an ad you will never see
Have you ever seen an ad from Samsung, Motorola, Apple, Google or any cell phone manufacturer that says that, with their cell phone, you have unlimited range and can talk to anyone, even those who are thousands of miles away?
Of course not, and you never will, as “range” is irrelevant to how far a call on a cell phone will reach. Connect to a cell tower, and you can call anywhere in the world. If you are in an area with no cell service, your call will not connect.
Walkie-talkies that are not walkie-talkies
The radios they show as making it possible to speak with Rapid Radios employees more than a thousand miles away are not walkie-talkies, and their advertising creates the impression that this is something truly revolutionary in two-way radio communication.
Ask Google Gemini what a walkie-talkie is, and it says: “A walkie-talkie, formally known as a handheld two-way radio, is a portable device used for instant, wireless voice communication. These devices operate by transmitting and receiving radio waves, allowing multiple people on the same channel to communicate directly, radio-to-radio, entirely without the need for cellular networks or internet service.”
This May 2026 comment on the consumer review platform Trustpilot is nearly identical to many others I found online: “No way to leave a ZERO star review. No monthly service fees – NO Contracts – NO BS. This is a VERY DECEITFUL motto. Radios DO have a YEARLY fee. Which equal a contract. Next, it will NOT work without a paid fee, if cellular towers go down, the radio does NOT work.”
The company says on its website that there is no monthly fee, and that is true. But there is an annual fee after the first year to maintain service on each radio.
Rapid Radios’ advertising states that Fortune 500 companies, local police and fire departments, the Department of Homeland Security and Border Patrol use the devices. I could find no support for those claims. And I seriously doubt the DHS and Border Patrol use them, as they would almost certainly have highly secure digital radios.
I wrote to the company to ask for proof. There was no response. Some people would say, “No response is a response.”
At the bottom of its website, the company notes in very fine print: “Nationwide coverage available when in range of LTE tower.”
We again turned to Gemini to define “LTE tower.” It said, “An LTE tower (often referred to as a cell tower, cell site or base station) is the physical structure and equipment that transmits and receives radio signals to connect your mobile devices to the broader internet and cellular network.”
My recommendations
The idea of PoC isn’t new, as I mentioned earlier. Today, there are a handful of companies that sell PoC radios, and the radios that I consider standouts and recommend for most consumer applications are from Poclink (I have not been paid to endorse these products).
Technology aside, the company’s ads are honest. For example, they say: “Powered by PoC technology, Poclink lets you talk with your family or team — across cities, states or countries — far beyond the limits of traditional walkie-talkies.”
Poclink, like all current PoC devices, including Rapid Radios, can access AT&T, T-Mobile, TELUS and other global network carriers.
However, if there’s no cell coverage available, the user of a Poclink device can switch to off-grid, analog, radio-to-radio communication that can maintain connections in a very limited geographic area. Some of their devices can access Starlink satellites in cellular dead zones.
(It is important to note that I do not accept “freebies” and return any product or device that is sent to me for potential review.)
Possible legal — civil and criminal — consequences
In my legal opinion, Rapid Radios’ campaign of misleading advertising should interest state attorneys general, county prosecutors and the Federal Trade Commission — they should come down hard on them.
These types of cases can be brought both criminally and civilly against the owners of a company and employees who actively take part in the fraud, such as by appearing in misleading ads.
Any company that engages in such massive false advertising could end up in bankruptcy, which, if you buy their product, could wipe out service, warranty obligations and prepaid services.
The many online complaints and videos about Rapid Radios should not be ignored.
Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield, Calif., and welcomes comments and questions from readers, which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993, or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1@gmail.com. And be sure to visit dennisbeaver.com.
