What Chicago Communications does

Chicago Communications LLC (dba ChiComm) is a regional, union-affiliated communications equipment solutions provider headquartered in Elmhurst, Illinois, serving the Chicago land area and broader Midwest. The company was established on October 1, 2004, as the successor to Chicago Communication Service, Inc. (active since 1953), and in 2025 became part of the CSE Crosscom USA Inc. family under parent CSE Global. Principals Cindy Glashagel and Kurt Hessler bring over 70 years of combined radio communications experience, primarily from Motorola Solutions, and the company maintains 20 union technicians and installers with an average tenure of 15 years operating on a 24/7/365 basis.

The company's core offering is turn-key design, sale, installation, and lifecycle maintenance of mission-critical communications infrastructure, anchored by Motorola MOTOTRBO two-way radio systems and the Elite Service Specialist certification. The product portfolio spans portable and mobile radios, base stations/repeaters, MOTOTRBO third-party applications, nationwide push-to-talk (TLK 100/WAVE), distributed antenna systems (DAS) deployed across 1,000+ buildings, Avigilon and Axis video surveillance, Cambium-based point-to-point and point-to-multipoint wireless networks, and 9-1-1 dispatch center solutions (250+ operator positions across 30 communication centers). Adjacent offerings include vehicle upfitting, the Motorola M500 in-car video system, body cameras, fire station alerting, paging, comparators/voters, voice logging (Eventide NexLog), LTE devices, and IoT smart sensors.

Chicago Communications generates revenue through hardware sales, professional system integration services, multi-year maintenance contracts, equipment leasing, FCC licensing services, and short-term rentals. Pricing is quote-based and channel-led, combining direct field sales to government and enterprise accounts, inside sales for mid-market deals, and authorized Motorola channel partner status. Customer segments are diversified across public safety, healthcare, education, manufacturing, hospitality, transportation, property management, and construction, with 6,000+ customers served since 1998. Marketing leverages a content-led motion (blog, case studies, ebooks, government grant guides) augmented by free equipment trials.

Name

Chicago Communications

Legal name

Chicago Communications LLC

Website

https://chicomm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Communications is a Midwest-based, union-affiliated Motorola Elite Service Specialist that designs, sells, installs, and maintains mission-critical two-way radio, video surveillance, DAS, and 9-1-1 dispatch systems for public safety, healthcare, education, and industrial customers, now part of the CSE Crosscom/CSE Global family.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Two-Way Radio Communications and Wireless Infrastructure Solutions

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334220)

SIC

Communications Equipment, Nec (3669), Radiotelephone Communications (4812)

akta.pro primary industry

Neutral Host & In‑Building Connectivity (DAS/Small Cells) (HDAIAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tower Operations & Maintenance (Field Services) (HDAIAKAF), Industrial/OT Private Connectivity (Factory, Mining, Ports) (HDAIAGAD)

Keywords

• Two-way radio communications
• Public safety communications
• Wireless network solutions
• Video surveillance systems
• Distributed antenna systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmhurst

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sales of two-way radios, wireless networking equipment, video surveillance systems, distributed antenna systems, and related communications hardware
2. System Integration Services: Professional services including system design, installation, system engineering, and implementation of turn-key communications solutions
3. Maintenance Contracts: Ongoing system monitoring, management, and maintenance of critical system components to ensure optimum system performance
4. Equipment Leasing: Lease financing options for communications equipment
5. FCC Licensing Services: Regulatory compliance services for radio frequency licensing
6. Rental Services: Short-term two-way radio rentals for events and temporary needs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chicago Communications sells, installs, and maintains mission-critical communications equipment for organizations across the Chicago land area and midwestern United States. Its core offerings include two-way radio systems (Motorola MOTOTRBO portables, mobiles, base stations/repeaters, and MOTOTRBO applications), video surveillance systems (Avigilon), distributed antenna systems for in-building wireless coverage, 9-1-1 dispatch center solutions, Point-to-Point and Point-to-MultiPoint wireless networks, and public safety vehicle upfitting.

Product overview

Chicago Communications is a communications equipment solutions provider that offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for mission-critical communications. The company provides two-way radio communications systems (including Motorola MOTOTRBO platforms, portable radios, mobile radios, base stations/repeaters, and MOTOTRBO software applications), video surveillance and management systems (with Avigilon cameras), wireless networks (Point-to-Point and Point-to-MultiPoint solutions via Cambium Networks), distributed antenna systems for in-building coverage, 9-1-1 dispatch center solutions, and vehicle solutions (including Motorola M500 in-car video systems and vehicle upfitting). Services include equipment installation, maintenance, repair, leasing, FCC licensing, system engineering, and consulting. The company operates as an Elite Service Specialist for Motorola Solutions and serves industries including public safety, healthcare, education, manufacturing, hospitality, transportation, and property management. As of 2025, Chicago Communications joined the CSE Crosscom USA Inc. family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Two-Way Radio Communications Sales, installation, and maintenance of two-way digital radio systems providing instant, rugged, secure communication for public safety and enterprise customers. Includes portable radios, mobile radios, base stations/repeaters, MOTOTRBO platforms, and associated MOTOTRBO software applications.
• Video Surveillance Systems Real-time video surveillance systems featuring fixed and mobile cameras and video management software, with Avigilon cameras as a core offering. Provides professional installation for safety, security, and operational monitoring.
• Distributed Antenna System (DAS) Solutions In-building wireless coverage solutions including distributed antenna systems (DAS) and signal boosters for cellular and two-way radio coverage, designed to eliminate dead spots in large facilities, campuses, and public venues.
• 9-1-1 Communications / Dispatch Center Solutions End-to-end 9-1-1 dispatch center solutions including fixed dispatch consoles (Zetron), fire station alerting, voice logging (Eventide NexLog), and supporting infrastructure for public safety communication centers.
• Wireless Networks Point-to-Point (PTP) and Point-to-MultiPoint (PMP) wireless broadband network solutions, including microwave backhaul deployments and custom wireless network design for enterprise and carrier connectivity.
• Vehicle Upfitting Services Public safety vehicle upfitting services including mobile two-way radio installation, lightbars, sirens, computer mounts, pushbars, in-car video cameras (Motorola M500), and secure storage for police, fire, and EMS vehicles.
• Equipment Services (Installation, Maintenance, Repair, Leasing, FCC Licensing, Consulting, Recycling) Suite of equipment-related services including system management, 24/7 monitoring and maintenance contracts, repair, installation services, FCC frequency licensing, equipment leasing, systems engineering, consulting, and recycling services for communications equipment customers.
• Two-Way Radio Rental Services Two-way radio rental services for short-term or temporary communications needs, such as events, construction projects, or seasonal operations.
• Nationwide Push-to-Talk (Motorola TLK 100 / WAVE) Nationwide push-to-talk communications solution using Motorola TLK 100 radios and WAVE technology, enabling seamless wide-area communication across cellular and radio networks.
• Motorola M500 In-Car Video System Real-time awareness in-car video system that simultaneously analyzes video while recording evidence, featuring front, cabin, and exterior camera recording with auto-record triggers for police and emergency vehicles.
• Voice Recorders (Eventide NexLog) Mission-critical communications logging systems, including Eventide NexLog solutions, that capture, store, protect, and reproduce radio and telephony interactions for dispatch centers and public safety operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Elimination of monthly usage fees compared to cell phone alternatives
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• CSE Crosscom USA Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025In 2025, Chicago Communications joined the CSE Crosscom USA Inc. family along with parent organization CSE Global, expanding the company's reach and resources as part of a larger communications solutions provider.
• Motorola SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationElite Service Specialist and Certified Service Center for Motorola Solutions, authorized to provide maintenance, installation, and warranty service for Motorola two-way communications equipment. Member of Motorola's community of third-party application providers offering MOTOTRBO software applications.
• AvigiloncoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo surveillance partner offering Avigilon cameras and video management systems as part of comprehensive security solutions
• AvettaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier compliance and contractor management certification, indicating adherence to safety and operational standards for serving contractor and enterprise customers
• Cambium NetworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationWireless networking partner providing Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multipoint broadband solutions for enterprise and carrier customers
• Axis CommunicationscoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo surveillance camera partner providing fixed and mobile IP cameras for security solutions
• ZetroncoreTechnology or IntegrationFixed dispatch and fire station alerting systems partner for public safety communications

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Axon Enterprise: Provider of body cameras, in-car video, and public safety software (Evidence.com). Comparable as a competitor and adjacent technology provider for the law enforcement and public safety customers ChiComm serves.
• Cambium Networks: Manufacturer of Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multipoint wireless broadband equipment used by ChiComm for backhaul and enterprise networks. Comparable as a vendor whose products ChiComm integrates and resells for carrier and enterprise wireless deployments.
• Hytera America: Provider of DMR, TETRA, and LTE-based two-way radio systems with a U.S. channel network. Comparable as a competing LMR vendor and integrator ecosystem whose products and partner programs overlap with ChiComm's portfolio.
• Motorola Solutions: Chicago Communications is an Elite Service Specialist and channel partner for Motorola Solutions, the dominant LMR, body camera, and dispatch equipment vendor. Comparable as the source of much of ChiComm's product portfolio and a competitor on direct enterprise and public safety accounts in the same Midwest region.
• Avigilon (Motorola Solutions): Video surveillance and VMS provider, now part of Motorola Solutions, and a ChiComm technology partner. Comparable as a vendor whose products ChiComm integrates for public safety and enterprise security deployments.
• JVCKENWOOD USA (EF Johnson / KENWOOD): Manufacturer and channel-supported provider of P25/LMR radios, infrastructure, and dispatch solutions for public safety. Comparable as an alternative OEM whose products compete with Motorola equipment that ChiComm sells and integrates.

Direct peers

• Wireless USA: Regional two-way radio and wireless integrator serving public safety and enterprise customers in the U.S. Comparable as a Motorola-aligned channel partner providing sales, installation, and managed services for LMR, video, and in-building coverage systems.
• Zetron: Supplier of fixed dispatch consoles and fire station alerting systems used in 9-1-1 and public safety communication centers. Comparable as a ChiComm technology partner and adjacent provider of mission-critical dispatch solutions for the same customer base.
• CSE Crosscom (formerly Crosscom): Parent company of Chicago Communications since 2025 and a direct peer as a multi-region wireless systems integrator serving public safety and enterprise customers. Operates in similar LMR, DAS, and dispatch center solutions with overlapping vendor relationships.

Emerging players

• Comprod Communications: Provider of DAS, bi-directional amplifiers, and in-building coverage solutions. Comparable as an adjacent vendor serving similar in-building wireless and public safety RF coverage use cases that ChiComm addresses with its DAS practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chicagocomm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Communications