What Whisler Communications does

Whisler Communications is a family-owned telecommunications specialist headquartered in Olympia, Washington, operating continuously since 1959 as an authorized dealer for wireless two-way and high-frequency radio equipment. The company designs, installs, and supports business and public-safety radio systems across Southwest Washington — including Thurston, Pierce, Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Kitsap, and Clark counties — with wider Pacific Northwest reach enabled through the FleetNet digital trunked radio network spanning Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California.

Its core technology portfolio spans digital two-way radios (Kenwood Viking P25 Phase 1/2, NXDN, DMR; Motorola MOTOTRBO; ICOM IDAS), Push-to-Talk over Cellular solutions on LTE/5G via Diga-Talk+ (including FirstNet-Ready models such as the 9751, 9850, 8051, 8700, and 8900), CB radios, and wide-area network services. Supporting features include AES encryption, GPS/AVL integration with CAD dispatch systems, PC-based dispatch tools with geo-fencing, and FCC licensing assistance.

Whisler generates revenue through a mix of radio hardware sales, professional system design and installation, ongoing maintenance and repair, and short-term radio rentals. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year contracts, sold through a direct sales-led motion targeting government public-safety agencies, K-12 school districts, transportation and logistics fleets, construction firms, waste management operators, hospitality venues, and healthcare facilities. The company emphasizes local on-site responsiveness, regional terrain expertise, and full-stack service from FCC licensing through post-installation support.

Name

Whisler Communications

Legal name

Whisler Communications

Website

https://whislercomm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Whisler Communications is a family-owned Olympia, Washington telecommunications specialist, founded in 1959, that designs, installs, and supports two-way radio, PoC/LTE, and FleetNet trunked radio systems for public-safety agencies, schools, fleets, and businesses across Southwest Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Olympia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Radio Equipment Sales: Sales of two-way radios, CB radios, mobile units, portable units, base stations, and accessories from authorized manufacturers including Kenwood, Motorola, ICOM, Diga-Talk+, and others.
2. System Design and Installation Services: Professional system design, site assessment, installation services for vehicle-mounted radios, repeater systems, and base stations, including FCC licensing assistance and frequency coordination.
3. Maintenance and Repair Services: Ongoing maintenance, repair, and support services for radio equipment including battery replacement, firmware updates, and system troubleshooting.
4. Radio Rentals: Short-term rental packages for events, seasonal operations, or temporary projects with professional setup and support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Whisler Communications is an authorized dealer and integrator of professional wireless two-way radio systems, Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC/LTE) radios, and wide area network solutions. The company designs, installs, FCC-licenses, and maintains radio communication systems for businesses, public safety agencies, and schools across the Pacific Northwest, connecting customers to FleetNet's multi-state digital trunked radio network.

Product overview

Whisler Communications is a telecommunications specialist providing wireless two-way and high-frequency radio solutions for businesses and public safety agencies across the Pacific Northwest. The product portfolio centers on three core offerings: (1) Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) radios via the Diga-Talk+ brand including models 9751, 9850, 8051, 8700, and 8900, which leverage LTE networks for nationwide coverage; (2) Professional digital two-way radios from Kenwood (including Viking VP8000, VP6000, VP5000), Motorola (MOTOTRBO series), and ICOM (F1000D/F2000D and F5220D/F6220D series) brands; and (3) Wide area network solutions including FleetNet, a privately owned digital trunked radio network spanning multiple western states. The company also offers CB radios for consumer use and comprehensive services including system design, FCC licensing, installation, and maintenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diga-Talk+ 9751 PoC/LTE Radio Push-to-talk over cellular radio operating on LTE networks, providing nationwide coverage for critical communication needs across business and public safety users.
• Diga-Talk+ 9850 PoC/LTE Radio Push-to-talk over cellular radio operating on LTE networks, providing nationwide coverage for critical communication needs.
• Diga-Talk+ 8051 PoC/LTE Radio Push-to-talk over cellular radio operating on LTE networks, designed for fleet communication applications with FirstNet Ready capability.
• Diga-Talk+ 8700 Mobile PoC/LTE Radio Compact FirstNet-Ready LTE mobile radio for vehicles and mobile teams requiring nationwide connectivity, with GPS tracking, route playback, emergency SOS, and rugged weather-resistant design.
• Diga-Talk+ 8900 PoC/LTE Radio Push-to-talk over cellular radio operating on LTE networks, providing nationwide coverage for digital two-way radio communication.
• Kenwood Viking VP8000 Multi-Band Portable Radio Multi-band portable radio supporting VHF, UHF, and 700/800 MHz operation alongside P25 Phase 1/2, NXDN, DMR, and analog FM. Designed for agencies needing FleetNet connectivity with interoperability across regional systems.
• Kenwood Viking VP6000 Portable Radio FleetNet-compatible portable radio providing P25 trunking capability in a compact form factor for law enforcement and public safety agencies.
• Kenwood Viking VP5000 Portable Radio FleetNet-compatible portable radio providing P25 trunking capability for departments requiring digital radio communication in a compact form factor.
• CB Radios Citizens Band radios for long-distance truck drivers, off-roaders, and outdoor enthusiasts, with weather channels, noise-cancelling microphones, and adjustable squelch control for clear communication in noisy environments.
• Wide Area Network Solutions Private wide area network solutions providing regional coverage across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California, including FleetNet connectivity for seamless communication across large geographic areas.
• FleetNet Wide Area Digital Trunked Radio Network Nation's largest privately owned digital trunked radio network operating across high-power mountaintop RF sites, providing seamless P25-compatible coverage across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California without agencies needing to build or maintain tower infrastructure. Features AES encryption and dynamic channel allocation.
• Radio System Design and Installation Services Professional system design, site assessment, and installation services for vehicle-mounted radios, repeater systems, and base stations, including FCC licensing assistance and frequency coordination for business and government customers.
• Maintenance and Repair Services Ongoing maintenance, repair, and support services for radio equipment including battery replacement, firmware updates, and system troubleshooting.
• Radio Rentals Short-term rental packages for events, seasonal operations, or temporary projects with professional setup and support included.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% reduction in unit assignment time in EMS deployments through AVL integration with CAD systems

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Diga-Talk+coreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized dealer of Diga-Talk+ LTE/PoC radios including models 9751, 9850, 8051, 8700, and 8900. Diga-Talk+ provides Push-to-Talk over Cellular solutions enabling nationwide coverage through commercial LTE/5G networks with FirstNet Ready options.
• Kenwood / Kenwood VikingcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized dealer of Kenwood and Kenwood Viking radios including VP8000 multi-band, VP6000, and VP5000 portable radios. The Viking series supports VHF, UHF, 700/800 MHz, P25 Phase 1/2, NXDN, DMR, and analog FM for maximum interoperability.
• Motorola SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized dealer of Motorola MOTOTRBO portable radios and related equipment.
• ICOM AmericacoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized dealer of ICOM radios including F5220D/F6220D mobile radios and F1000D/F2000D portable radios, with IDAS digital system compatibility.
• EFJohnsonsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized dealer of EFJohnson radio equipment.
• ZetronsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized dealer of Zetron radio equipment and dispatch solutions.
• SigtronicssecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized dealer of Sigtronics radio equipment and accessories.
• FleetNetcoreTechnology or IntegrationFleetNet is the nation's largest privately owned digital trunked radio network operating across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California. Whisler Communications connects customers to FleetNet providing wide-area P25 digital trunked radio coverage without infrastructure investment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Day Wireless Systems: Pacific Northwest-based two-way radio dealer and integrator offering sales, service, and wide-area network solutions across OR/WA. Closely comparable to Whisler in geography (PNW stronghold), business model (authorized multi-brand dealer + system integrator), and customer base (public safety, fleets, construction).
• Mobile Communications America (MCA): Large national dealer/integrator for two-way radios, mobile video, and wireless communications serving public-safety, enterprise, and government customers. Same authorized-dealer / system-integration business model as Whisler, but with broader geographic footprint; useful comparator for what scaled regional radio dealers look like.
• BearCom: One of the largest two-way radio dealers/integrators in North America, offering equipment sales, rentals, and managed services. Directly comparable business model to Whisler — multi-brand authorized dealer + service organization — operating at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• ESChat (by Kodiak / Motorola): Carrier-integrated Push-to-Talk over LTE platform competing in the same PoC/LTE space as Diga-Talk+. Represents the technology-layer competition Whisler faces when selling PoC subscriptions into public-safety and enterprise accounts.
• Tango Tango: Push-to-Talk over Cellular platform serving public-safety and enterprise customers with carrier-integrated PTT. Competes with Whisler's Diga-Talk+ PoC offering in the same end-customer segments and represents the emerging-tech threat to traditional LMR dealers.

Others

• Zetron: Provider of radio dispatch consoles and integrated command-and-control solutions for public-safety and industrial customers. Whisler is an authorized Zetron reseller, making Zetron a partner/adjacent solution rather than a direct dealer competitor.
• FirstNet (AT&T): Public-safety broadband network built by AT&T providing dedicated LTE connectivity for first responders. Whisler's Diga-Talk+ FirstNet-Ready radios ride on this network; FirstNet is an enabling infrastructure provider (and indirect competitor via carrier-native PTT) rather than a dealer peer.

Broad incumbents

• Motorola Solutions: Largest manufacturer of mission-critical radio communications equipment and a dominant player in public-safety LMR. Competes with Whisler indirectly as a manufacturer whose products Whisler resells, and directly through its own direct-sales channel and managed-services offerings (e.g., ASTRO systems).
• ICOM America: Manufacturer of professional two-way radios (F1000D/F2000D, F5220D/F6220D, IDAS digital systems) sold through authorized dealers including Whisler. Indirect competitor through direct agency sales and product portfolio overlap.
• Kenwood USA (JVCKENWOOD): Manufacturer of Kenwood and Kenwood Viking professional two-way radios, including the VP8000/VP6000/VP5000 P25-compatible series that Whisler resells. Competes via direct sales to large agencies and sets the product roadmap that Whisler's FleetNet-compatible business depends on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whisler-communications

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Whisler Communications