Entel E-PoC Guide: DN495, Gateways, P1 and Dispatcher Explained
Entel E-PoC brings professional push-to-talk communications together across dedicated PoC radios, smartphones, dispatcher software and compatible gateway-connected radio systems.
Entel E-PoC is Entel’s Push-to-Talk over Cellular solution for connecting DN495 radios, smartphone users, Dispatcher software and compatible gateway-linked radio systems through cellular, Wi-Fi and IP networks.
To understand why that matters, imagine a normal working morning in a commercial port. A deck team is preparing a vessel, engineers are moving around the harbour, another engineer has already driven to a remote site and the operations manager is away from the office.
Everyone still needs to communicate, but they are no longer standing inside one simple VHF or UHF radio coverage area.
This is where Entel E-PoC changes the communications architecture. Instead of relying only on a direct radio path or local repeater infrastructure, compatible devices can carry professional push-to-talk traffic over available IP networks.
Entel E-PoC keeps the familiar push-to-talk workflow while changing the network used to carry the conversation between users.
Shop Entel E-PoC and Gateway Equipment
F&C Marine lists the main Entel E-PoC hardware used throughout this guide. Use the direct product links below to move from the technical explanation to the relevant equipment page, or use the main shop if you need supporting radio, antenna, cable or installation items.
Entel GW-UNI
External-radio gateway for suitable fixed/mobile radio interfaces.
Shop GW-UNIProduct availability and exact configuration can vary. For gateway projects, confirm the radio band, operating mode, licensing and interface requirements before ordering.
What Is Entel E-PoC?
Traditional two-way radio remains extremely useful. A correctly designed local VHF or UHF system can provide dependable communications around a vessel, port, warehouse, industrial site or other defined operating area.
The difficulty appears when the people who need to communicate are spread across locations that cannot practically share one conventional RF coverage footprint.
A vessel may leave the harbour. An engineer may travel to another depot. A manager may be working remotely or travelling between sites. Extending conventional radio across those distances can require additional radio infrastructure.
Entel E-PoC provides another approach. Entel describes the E-PoC Service as its business-critical Push-to-Talk over Cellular service, with support for DN-series PoC radios, smartphone/tablet applications, Dispatcher software and gateway products.
Entel E-PoC Service
Entel states that its hosted E-PoC servers are located in Tier III+ data centres with fallback redundancy. The service can also link suitable existing analogue and digital radio networks when the appropriate gateway is used.
Importantly, wide-area does not mean unlimited coverage. Communication still depends on the cellular, Wi-Fi and IP connections available to the users.
Entel E-PoC Radios: The DN495
For personnel who still need a purpose-built professional handheld, the Entel DN495 provides the familiar form of a two-way radio while operating as a PoC terminal.
Entel specifies the DN495 as a 4G LTE and Wi-Fi PoC radio. Manufacturer documentation also lists GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, group and individual calling, emergency functionality, Lone-Worker, Man-Down when configured with the appropriate hardware, and AES-256 encryption among supported DN495 features.
The DN495 can be supplied for the hosted Entel E-PoC environment or as a DN495/P1 terminal for a P1 Private Server system, depending on the product and licence configuration selected.
Entel DN495
Dedicated professional PoC handheld using cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity.
View DN495DN495 Technical Information
See Entel’s current product information for specifications, supported features and available downloads.
Entel DN495Entel E-PoC Smartphone Users
Back at our port, the deck team may have good reasons for carrying dedicated radios. The operations manager may not.
Entel provides a smartphone/tablet application for compatible Android and iOS devices. The application can communicate with DN-series PoC radios and Entel Dispatcher software within the appropriate PoC environment.
Where an Entel radio gateway is included, smartphone users can also communicate with suitable existing analogue or digital radio systems.
DN495 Radio User
Designed for personnel who need a purpose-built professional PTT device.
Entel E-PoC Smartphone App
Allows compatible Android and iOS devices to use PoC over cellular data or Wi-Fi.
Entel Smartphone App Browse F&C Marine ShopEntel E-PoC Dispatcher Software
As the number of users increases, voice communication is only part of the requirement. An operations room may also need a central point from which personnel and groups can be coordinated.
The Entel E-PoC Dispatcher is a Windows PC-compatible application that can communicate with DN radios, smartphone users and existing radio systems connected through an appropriate Entel gateway.
Entel documentation describes Basic and Advanced PC Dispatcher versions. Supported functions include group and individual calling, broadcast and priority calls, talk-group monitoring and other control functions. Mapping, GPS tracking and additional features depend on the Dispatcher version and system configuration.
Basic Dispatcher
Entel’s Basic PC Dispatcher option for supported PoC communications.
Entel Basic Dispatcher Ask F&C MarineAdvanced Dispatcher
Adds Entel’s advanced Dispatcher functions including map and GPS tracking tools.
Entel Advanced Dispatcher Ask F&C MarineEntel E-PoC Gateways for PMR / Business Radio: GW425 and GW485
This is one of the most useful parts of the Entel architecture.
A customer may already own a working licensed PMR / business-radio system with VHF or UHF handhelds, fixed radios, antennas and local radio infrastructure. Moving towards Entel E-PoC does not necessarily mean that suitable existing operational radio equipment has to be removed.
Entel’s Gateway 3.0 range is designed to link suitable existing two-way radio users with DN-series PoC radios, smartphone/tablet users and Dispatcher software. For the combined GW425 and GW485 models, Entel specifies analogue FM / DMR Tier II operation within the gateway’s stated VHF or UHF frequency range.
GW425
PC-based gateway with a built-in VHF 136–174 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II radio.
View GW425 Entel GW425GW485
PC-based gateway with a built-in UHF 400–470 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II radio.
View GW485 Entel GW485Important: frequency coverage is not the same as radio-service approval
Entel specifies the GW425 as a VHF 136–174 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II gateway and the GW485 as a UHF 400–470 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II gateway. In marine, offshore and port environments, these models are relevant where the customer uses a separate compatible licensed PMR / business-radio system for operational communications. For UK installations, the radio system must operate under the appropriate Ofcom Business Radio authorisation and licence conditions.
The GW425 should not be assumed to be suitable for maritime VHF channels simply because part of the maritime VHF band falls inside its tuning range. Maritime VHF, DSC and GMDSS are separate regulated radio services with their own equipment, licensing and operating requirements. Frequency coverage alone does not establish that a gateway is suitable or authorised for a particular radio service.
Entel also documents the combined Gateway 3.0 variants as being able to operate with simplex or half-duplex radio channels. The actual RF channel, mode and licence conditions still need to match the radio system being integrated.
For general background on VHF and UHF propagation, our UHF vs VHF marine communications guide explains the practical differences. In the Gateway 3.0 context above, however, the relevant RF system is a compatible PMR / business-radio network rather than maritime VHF service.
You can also read our marine VHF radio systems guide for background on the separate maritime VHF radio service and conventional marine radio architecture.
Entel E-PoC and the GW-UNI Universal Gateway
Not every existing radio system fits neatly into a built-in VHF or UHF gateway. For those installations, Entel provides the GW-UNI Universal Gateway.
The GW-UNI is designed to interface with suitable external radio equipment. Entel’s Gateway documentation describes an external radio interface using analogue audio, PTT and receive-active/COR signalling, while the IP side can connect using Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
Entel gives examples of external-radio technologies that may be integrated through this architecture, including analogue AM, NXDN, dPMR, P25, TETRA and Motorola Capacity Plus. These are examples of supported integration approaches, not a blanket model-by-model compatibility guarantee.
This allows the gateway to provide a migration or integration route for suitable radio equipment without claiming that every radio or system can be connected without checking the interface first.
Why the Entel E-PoC Universal Gateway matters
A customer with useful conventional radio infrastructure may be able to retain that equipment locally while adding PoC users elsewhere. The exact interface, radio type and system configuration still need to be checked before installation.
View GW-UNI Entel GW-UNISpecialist radio services and the GW-UNI
Where a specialist radio service must remain on suitable authorised RF equipment, the GW-UNI can provide an integration route while the external fixed or mobile radio remains responsible for the RF transmission and reception. The external radio must provide compatible audio, PTT and receive-active/COR signalling, and the applicable radio-service and licence conditions still apply.
This distinction is particularly important for services such as maritime VHF or air-to-ground radio, where the RF equipment and operating arrangements should not be inferred from frequency coverage alone.
Entel E-PoC for Marine, Port and Offshore Operations
Return to the example at the beginning of the article.
A vessel crew member carries a DN495. A shore engineer has another DN495. An operations manager can use the smartphone application, while a control room uses Dispatcher software.
Where suitable cellular, Wi-Fi and internet connectivity is available, Entel E-PoC allows those users to remain within the wider operational communications environment even though they are no longer inside one conventional handheld radio coverage area.
Important distinction for marine users
Entel E-PoC should not be assumed to replace separate maritime VHF, DSC, GMDSS or other statutory radio equipment that may be required for a vessel or operation.
Its role in this example is operational team communication over available IP networks.
Where PMR / business radio fits on a vessel, port or offshore site
Marine and offshore operators may also use a separate licensed PMR / business-radio system for day-to-day operational communications, where that operating arrangement is authorised by the relevant licence. If a compatible VHF analogue FM / DMR Tier II PMR system is already in use, the GW425 can provide the gateway path into E-PoC or P1. For a compatible UHF analogue FM / DMR Tier II PMR system, the corresponding model is the GW485.
This operational PMR / business-radio integration is separate from the vessel’s maritime VHF, DSC, GMDSS and other statutory communications. Where a specialist radio service needs to be integrated, a GW-UNI may be used with a suitable external fixed or mobile radio when the required audio, PTT and receive-active/COR interface is available and the relevant radio-service conditions permit the arrangement.
Shop VHF GW425 Shop UHF GW485 Shop GW-UNI Browse F&C Marine Radio Equipment
For more information about conventional handheld marine radios, see our handheld VHF radio buying guide.
Entel E-PoC Multi-Site Communications
The same architecture can grow beyond a vessel and its home port.
A business might operate a port, a remote engineering depot, mobile maintenance teams, another commercial site and a central control room.
With conventional RF, each location may need separate coverage planning. With Entel E-PoC, suitable users can communicate through available cellular or Wi-Fi connections back to the Entel hosted service.
This does not mean the service has limitless geographical coverage. The communication path ultimately depends on the mobile, Wi-Fi and IP networks being used.
For comparison, our marine VHF antenna range guide explains some of the physical factors that affect conventional RF coverage.
Entel E-PoC vs P1 Private Server
Entel E-PoC and P1 should not be treated as two names for exactly the same deployment.
Entel E-PoC is Entel’s hosted PoC service. P1 Private Server is the separate private-server architecture for a single customer.
Entel P1 Private Server Explained
Entel documents P1 as a private PoC radio system that can be deployed on a Dell PC-based server or using an AWS cloud deployment.
The P1 environment can include DN495/P1 radios, Android and iOS smartphone users, P1 Dispatcher software, recording and compatible radio gateways such as the GW425/P1, GW485/P1 and GW-UNI/P1.
For suitable local applications, Entel also documents offline Wi-Fi deployments using a Dell-based P1 server. This allows a private local network to be created without the server itself depending on an external internet connection, although cellular users would still require the relevant external network path.
Encryption wording matters
Entel documentation lists AES-256 support for the DN495 and states that a P1 server can be configured to support AES-256 encryption when used with DN495 radios.
For that reason, we do not describe every possible P1, gateway or external-radio connection as universally end-to-end encrypted. The actual system configuration matters.
GW425/P1
VHF 136–174 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II Gateway 3.0 for a compatible PMR / business-radio system in a P1 environment.
View GW425/P1GW485/P1
UHF 400–470 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II Gateway 3.0 for a compatible PMR / business-radio system in a P1 environment.
View GW485/P1GW-UNI/P1
Universal P1 gateway for connection to suitable external radio equipment.
View GW-UNI/P1Entel P1 Private Server
Entel’s private-server PoC architecture for supported P1 devices and software.
Entel P1 Information Browse F&C Marine ShopEntel E-PoC Architecture Overview
By this point, the complete architecture becomes much easier to follow.
At one side may be an existing compatible PMR / business-radio analogue or DMR Tier II network. If that radio system needs to remain connected, the appropriate GW425 or GW485 can provide the RF gateway path within its specified band. For other supported technologies or specialist radio services, the GW-UNI can provide an external-radio integration route where the connected radio offers the required interface.
At the PoC side are dedicated DN495 radios, smartphone users and Dispatcher software. Those devices can operate through the hosted Entel E-PoC Service or, where the system has been designed as a private deployment, through P1.
How to Plan an Entel E-PoC System
Identify who actually needs to communicate
Establish which personnel need dedicated DN495 radios, which can use a smartphone and whether a central Dispatcher is required.
Map the operating locations
Check the cellular, Wi-Fi and IP connectivity available where users will work. Entel E-PoC performance ultimately depends on the network path available.
Choose Entel E-PoC or P1
Determine whether the hosted Entel E-PoC Service or a P1 Private Server architecture better suits the customer’s operational requirements.
Configure the communication structure
Configure the required users, groups, aliases, emergency settings, GPS settings and other supported functions required by the installation.
Assess existing radio equipment
If an existing radio system needs to remain operational, identify its radio service, frequency band, mode / protocol and any available external interface. Use GW425 / GW485 for compatible analogue FM or DMR Tier II PMR systems within their specified bands, or assess GW-UNI where a suitable external-radio interface is required. Confirm the applicable radio licence and operating conditions before commissioning the RF path.
Commission the complete communication path
Test the required radio, smartphone, Dispatcher and gateway paths under the real network conditions in which the system will operate.
Entel E-PoC Products at a Glance
| Requirement | Entel Component | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated wide-area PTT user | DN495 | Professional 4G LTE / Wi-Fi PoC handheld. |
| Android or iOS user | E-PoC / P1 Smartphone App | Smartphone access to the appropriate PoC environment. |
| Control-room operator | PC Dispatcher | Central interface for supported calling, user, group and location functions. |
| Compatible VHF PMR / business-radio analogue FM or DMR Tier II system | GW425 | VHF 136–174 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II RF gateway. |
| Compatible UHF PMR / business-radio analogue FM or DMR Tier II system | GW485 | UHF 400–470 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II RF gateway. |
| Suitable external fixed/mobile radio or specialist radio system | GW-UNI | External-radio gateway using analogue audio, PTT and receive-active/COR signalling. |
| Entel-hosted PoC system | Entel E-PoC Service | Hosted Entel PoC environment. |
| Private single-customer environment | P1 Private Server | Private PoC architecture using supported Dell PC or AWS options. |
The linked product names above open the corresponding F&C Marine product pages. For a complete installation, use the F&C Marine shop to find supporting radio, antenna, cable, power and installation components, or contact us if the project needs radio programming or gateway compatibility checking.
Related Entel DN495 Equipment
The F&C Marine catalogue also includes DN495-specific accessories that may be relevant when specifying a complete Entel E-PoC or P1 installation.
Browse the Full F&C Marine Shop
Entel E-PoC Frequently Asked Questions
Is Entel E-PoC the same as conventional VHF or UHF radio?
No. Conventional VHF and UHF systems use radio-frequency channels between radios and radio infrastructure. Entel E-PoC carries compatible push-to-talk traffic through IP connectivity such as cellular data or Wi-Fi.
Does the Entel DN495 require 4G coverage?
Not exclusively. Entel documents Wi-Fi operation as well as cellular connectivity. The available communication path therefore depends on the networks available at the user’s location.
Can Entel E-PoC smartphone users communicate with DN495 radios?
Yes. Entel’s smartphone application is designed to communicate with compatible DN-series radios within the relevant Entel PoC system.
Can Entel E-PoC connect to existing analogue or DMR radios?
Yes, where the radio system is compatible with the selected gateway. Entel specifies the GW425 for compatible VHF 136–174 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II PMR systems and the GW485 for compatible UHF 400–470 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II PMR systems. The GW-UNI provides an external-radio route for suitable equipment using analogue audio, PTT and receive-active/COR signalling. The radio service, frequency assignment and operating licence must also permit the proposed RF arrangement.
Can the Entel GW425 simply be used on marine VHF channels?
It should not be assumed. Entel specifies the GW425 as a 136–174 MHz analogue / DMR Tier II gateway, so its tuning range overlaps part of the maritime VHF band. However, frequency coverage alone does not establish suitability or authorisation for maritime VHF service. Maritime VHF, DSC and GMDSS are separate regulated radio services. Any proposed integration should use suitable authorised RF equipment and comply with the applicable licence and operating conditions; where an external radio interface is appropriate, the GW-UNI may provide the PoC integration path.
Is P1 the same thing as the hosted Entel E-PoC Service?
No. Entel E-PoC is Entel’s hosted PoC service. P1 is the private-server option for an individual customer deployment.
Does Entel P1 support a private local Wi-Fi system?
Yes. Entel documentation includes P1 configurations for local Wi-Fi operation, including Dell PC-based systems that can operate offline for appropriate applications.
Related F&C Marine Guides
Ofcom Radio Licensing Information
For UK installations, the RF side of any gateway system must be designed and commissioned within the applicable licence and radio-service conditions. Business Radio and maritime radio are separate licensing regimes.
Entel E-PoC Equipment in the F&C Marine Shop
Entel E-PoC Technical Information
Product specifications and features can change, so current manufacturer information should always be checked when specifying a system.
Need Help Planning an Entel E-PoC System?
A successful Entel E-PoC or P1 installation is not just about choosing a handheld. The system also needs to consider where users work, cellular and Wi-Fi availability, talk-group structure, Dispatcher requirements, existing PMR / business-radio equipment, any specialist external-radio interfaces, and whether the hosted Entel E-PoC Service or a P1 Private Server is the right architecture.
F&C Marine can help identify the Entel equipment and gateway arrangement required for marine, port, offshore, engineering and commercial communications applications, while keeping operational PMR / business radio separate from maritime VHF, DSC and GMDSS requirements.
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