What Silke Communications does

Silke Communications is a private, employee-owned provider of private Land Mobile Radio (LMR) and wireless communications services founded in 1964 in Eugene, Oregon, and now headquartered in Sacramento, California. The company operates what it describes as the largest private digital radio communications network in the United States (FleetNet Digital), supplemented by FleetNet Metro (a hybrid radio/LTE offering that rides AT&T and T-Mobile cellular) and FleetNet Terra (a specialty network for rugged Oregon and Washington terrain). Silke sells and services two-way radio equipment from a broad set of manufacturers including Kenwood, Motorola, Hytera, BK Technologies, and EF Johnson, supported by roughly 100 owned radio tower sites and 14+ service center locations across California, Oregon, and Washington.

The company generates revenue from five streams: recurring network subscriptions across the three FleetNet networks, equipment sales, installation and repair services (including the FleetPeak tiered preventative maintenance program), short- and long-term radio rentals, and tower services that include FCC spectrum leasing. Beyond core radios, Silke has extended into adjacent facility products such as SilkeDetect (a privacy-smart HALO-based multi-sensor for vape, smoke, motion, and air-quality monitoring) and SilkeLock (a digital key management cabinet). Customer segments span education, public safety, law enforcement, fire and rescue, timber and lumber, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, transportation, refuse and recycling, and utilities, with sales and service delivered through a mobile field force and a network of service centers.

Silke is a 60-year operating business that transitioned from family ownership to employee ownership in April 2019 and has executed a measured Phase 2 expansion since 2020, including three regional acquisitions (Action Communications in 2020, RWS Services in 2022, and Advanced Paging & Communications in 2023) and a 2024 technology partnership with Bigleaf Networks for resilient multi-circuit tower backhaul. The company is led by President Jim Silke, Jr. and CTO Mike Sadlowski, with the president also serving on the Enterprise Wireless Alliance Private Wireless Education Council Board of Trustees.

Name

Silke Communications

Legal name

Silke Communications

Website

https://silkecom.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Silke Communications is a private, employee-owned Land Mobile Radio provider founded in 1964, operating FleetNet Digital (the largest private digital radio network in the US), FleetNet Metro, and FleetNet Terra, and serving 12+ industries across California, Oregon, and Washington through 14 service centers and nearly 100 tower sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Two-Way Radio Communications and Private Radio Network Services

NAICS

Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), Telecommunications (517)

SIC

Radiotelephone Communications (4812), Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Private LTE/5G Mobile Network Operators (Campus/Industrial) (HDAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Site Security, Monitoring & Remote Operations (NOC/IoT) (HDAIAKAH)

Keywords

• Two-way radio communications
• Private radio networks
• Wireless network services
• FCC spectrum management
• Radio system installation

Headquarters

HQ city

San Ramon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Network Subscription Services: Recurring subscription revenue from FleetNet Digital, FleetNet Metro, and FleetNet Terra network services. Includes unlimited talk for one-to-one or one-to-many communications. Monthly fees vary by network type and coverage requirements.
2. Equipment Sales: Sale of two-way radios, mobile radios, base stations, repeaters, antennas, and accessories from multiple manufacturers including Kenwood, Motorola, Hytera, BK Technologies, EF Johnson, Icom, and others.
3. Installation and Repair Services: Professional installation of communications equipment, system design, and ongoing repair/maintenance services. Includes FleetPeak preventative maintenance programs at Basic, Plus, and Pro levels.
4. Equipment Rentals: Short-term and long-term rental of two-way radio equipment with airtime and coverage. Rental rates available by day, weekend, week, or month. Includes delivery, pickup, setup, training, and support.
5. Tower Services: Tower site services including maintenance, construction, management, marketing, and compliance. Also includes FCC spectrum leasing to municipalities and public safety organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Silke Communications operates the largest private digital radio communications network in the United States (FleetNet Digital), supplemented by FleetNet Metro (radio + LTE cellular) and FleetNet Terra (extreme terrain specialty network), sold as recurring subscriptions. The company also sells, installs, and services two-way radios and related equipment from multiple manufacturers, and offers installation, repair, preventative maintenance (FleetPeak), tower site services, FCC spectrum management, distributed antenna systems, microwave services, and remote radio monitoring.

Product overview

Silke Communications is a two-way radio and wireless communications company offering a portfolio of proprietary radio networks and equipment services. The core offering consists of three FleetNet digital radio networks: FleetNet Digital (the largest private digital radio network in the US), FleetNet Metro (combining radio with LTE cellular), and FleetNet Terra (specialty network for extreme terrain). The company also offers value-added products including SilkeDetect (HALO-based smart sensor for vape/smoke/air quality detection), SilkeLock (digital key management system), and FleetPeak (preventative maintenance program). Additional services span tower site operations, FCC/spectrum management, microwave services, DAS systems, remote radio monitoring, and installation/repair. The company sells and services a comprehensive range of two-way radio equipment across 14 locations in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FleetNet Digital: Largest private digital radio communications network in the United States, offering coverage from Canada to Mexico.
• FleetNet Metro
• FleetNet Terra
• FleetPeak
• SilkeDetect
• SilkeLock
• BusNet

Products and services

• FleetNet Digital The largest private digital radio communications network in the United States, supporting two-way radio communications across California, Oregon, Nevada, and Washington with VHF, UHF, and 800 MHz technology. Sold as a recurring subscription with no upfront capital cost and unlimited one-to-one and one-to-many talk across the US coverage area.
• FleetNet Metro Hybrid digital radio and LTE cellular network combining two-way radio technology with cellular coverage from AT&T and T-Mobile LTE networks, offering push-to-talk over cellular data, GPS fleet tracking, web-based dispatch, and seamless roaming between cellular sites. Sold as a recurring subscription with no upfront capital cost.
• FleetNet Terra Specialty digital network designed specifically for extreme terrain coverage in Oregon and Washington, providing two-way communications in rugged off-grid areas like narrow river valleys and mountain terrain. VHF digital optimized for timber services operations.
• SilkeDetect Privacy-smart real-time sensor product using HALO multi-sensor technology for detecting THC, vape, smoke, motion, aggression, chemical/gas, and air quality monitoring in schools, hospitals, and public buildings. Uses no cameras or microphones for privacy compliance.
• SilkeLock Digitally controlled key locker cabinet for managing facility and fleet access with 24-7-365 availability, user access controls, digital pins, real-time notifications, and key tracking.
• FleetPeak Preventative Maintenance Annual preventative maintenance program for radio equipment with three service tiers (Basic, Plus, Pro) offering inventory reviews, antenna replacement, battery analysis, customer spares during repair, and full parts/labor coverage.
• 2-Way Radio Rentals Short-term and long-term rental of two-way radio equipment and network access across California, Oregon, and Washington for seasonal use or special events. Rental rates available by day, weekend, week, or month with delivery, pickup, setup, training, and support included.
• Tower Services Design, construction, and maintenance of communications towers including site management, marketing, and compliance with FCC and FAA regulations. Also includes FCC spectrum leasing to municipalities and public safety organizations.
• FCC and Spectrum Services Spectrum management, leasing, and FCC/FTIA compliance services including frequency coordination, license preparation, and compliance management.
• Installation and Repair Services Full-service installation and repair for communications equipment, including mobile field service and FleetPeak maintenance programs across all 14+ service center locations.
• DAS Systems and Services Distributed Antenna System design, implementation, and management for improving radio coverage in buildings and facilities.
• Microwave Services Full range of microwave site services including engineering, design, installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, leasing, and equipment sales for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint systems.
• Remote Radio Monitoring Remote monitoring services including SCADA for utilities and other organizations to manage equipment like substations and security systems.
• Small Cell Cable Power Converter Proprietary power converter that converts 90V square wave from coaxial cable to clean 120VAC quasi sine wave power for small cell equipment installations. UL 508A listed with safety features.
• Two-Way Radio Equipment Sales Complete range of two-way radio equipment including portable radios, mobile radios, base stations, repeaters, antennas, dispatch consoles, and accessories from manufacturers including EF Johnson, Hytera, Icom, Kenwood, Motorola, BK Technologies, and others.
• BusNet Inter-District Communications Inter-district communications service for school bus drivers enabling coordinated support across district boundaries, supporting pupil transportation operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• AVL tracking paid for itself in first week by proving truck location during accident investigation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bigleaf NetworkscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Bigleaf provides intelligent, resilient connectivity for Silke's tower network infrastructure. Their solution delivers redundancy across fiber, fixed wireless, LTE/5G, and Starlink circuits with real-time optimization for voice traffic. Silke's CTO credits Bigleaf with providing 'true sleep-at-night capability' for mission-critical tower backhaul.
• Kenwood CommunicationscoreTechnology or IntegrationKenwood is a leading supplier of two-way radios and communication systems including Digital Project 25 and Digital Nexedge. Products include portables, mobiles, base stations, repeaters, AVL/GPS components for public safety, commercial and industrial customers.
• Motorola SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationMotorola Solutions radios are designed for range, battery life, and responsiveness. Silke offers Motorola radios as part of their multi-manufacturer approach to serving customer needs.
• HyteracoreTechnology or IntegrationHytera is a leading global provider of professional communications technologies with voice, video and data capabilities for business and mission critical users.
• HALO (3B Medical)coreTechnology or IntegrationHALO smart sensors power SilkeDetect - an award-winning multi-sensor for schools, hospitals, public buildings, and offices. The sensor provides real-time detection for THC, vape, smoke, motion, aggression, noise, chemicals, and air quality without cameras or microphones.
• Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEWA is the leading advocate for business enterprises, private carrier operators, and wireless vendors. Silke Communications President Jim Silke, Jr. serves on EWA's Private Wireless Education Council Board of Trustees. EWA provides spectrum acquisition strategies, frequency coordination, and license management.
• TribalHubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilke is an associate member of TribalHub - the largest community of technology-minded leaders from tribes across the country. Partnership aimed at serving tribal governments, enterprises, and health facilities with digital radio connections.
• BK TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationFormerly RELM Wireless, BK Technologies manufactures communications equipment for public safety professionals and government agencies with over 70 years of American manufacturing experience.
• EF Johnson TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationEF Johnson leads in P25 mission critical communications solutions, focused on delivering highest-quality, cost-effective products for public safety and commercial users.
• Ceragon NetworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationSilke is a premier value added reseller (PVAR) for all Ceragon products and services including small cell hauling, packet/hybrid microwave, long haul/trunk solutions, and network management systems.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BearCom: Largest two-way radio dealer and integrator in North America, operating across multiple regions with rentals, sales, and managed services. Directly comparable multi-location field service model and customer base in commercial and public-safety verticals.
• Motorola Solutions: Dominant global provider of LMR, P25, and mission-critical communications systems serving the same public-safety, government, and enterprise customers. Silke resells Motorola radios and competes with Motorola's direct service organization in its Western US footprint.
• Mobile Communications America (MCA): National integrator of wireless communications solutions including two-way radio, in-building wireless, and managed services. Highly comparable in product breadth, vertical focus, and acquisition-driven growth strategy.
• JVCKENWOOD USA (Kenwood Communications): Major manufacturer of P25 and NXDN two-way radios, a primary equipment partner for Silke. Competes with Silke in radio system sales to public safety while also being a key supplier, creating a directly competitive and cooperative relationship.
• Hytera: Global provider of professional two-way radio and DMR/PoC systems serving business and mission-critical users. A primary equipment partner for Silke and direct competitor in the broader LMR/PoC market.
• Day Wireless Systems: Long-standing West Coast two-way radio dealer and integrator operating across multiple Western states. Closely comparable in regional footprint, vertical mix, and multi-vendor equipment reselling model.
• BK Technologies: American manufacturer of P25 public-safety radios with 70+ years of manufacturing experience. A direct equipment supplier to Silke and a competing brand in the same public-safety RFQ process.
• EF Johnson Technologies (JVCKENWOOD subsidiary): P25 mission-critical radio manufacturer focused on public safety and commercial users. Both an equipment partner and direct competitor in the P25 standard that anchors much of Silke's public-safety offering.
• Tait Communications: New Zealand-headquartered global P25 and DMR radio manufacturer serving utilities, transportation, and public safety. Comparable in P25/LMR focus and competes for the same mission-critical replacement-cycle RFPs.

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies: Large defense and communications prime contractor with significant public-safety and federal LMR/tactical communications business. A broader incumbent that competes in mission-critical communications but at much larger scale and across more verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SilkeCommunications/?ref=hl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silke-communications-inc-
• Xx.com/silkecomm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Silke Communications