A Bluetooth walkie talkie can be a stand-alone two-way radio or an application that can be used on various types of smart phones. Bluetooth walkie talkie application, or app, can be downloaded onto a phone and used to communicate with other people in the vicinity. Like a regular two-way radio, a Bluetooth walkie talkie does not work over long distances and can only be used between two devices that are both equipped with the application.

Using Bluetooth technology allows smart phones to communicate with each other through short-distance radio waves. Bluetooth designates an internet protocol (IP) address to devices, which are only designed to communicate with one another at short range. This distance is known as the personal area network and has a radius of approximately 33 feet (10 m). The range for the Bluetooth walkie talkie application is slightly greater, at about 60 feet (18 m).

To use a Bluetooth walkie talkie application, both parties must have compatible applications on their phones. The phones can then connect to one another over the Bluetooth network, and the two parties can talk as normal. Moving beyond the maximum range of the device will cause the call to end, and the two parties will not be able to raise each other on the walkie talkie until they come closer together again. The limited range of this application makes it impractical for many different uses because the two people need to be within a few steps of one-another while using the Bluetooth walkie talkie application.

In addition to Bluetooth walkie talkie applications, there are also Bluetooth walkie talkie devices available. These devices are designed to work with a small, wireless ear piece. Security personnel, who may want to look unobtrusive, such as officers in casinos or retail stores, can wear these devices without calling undue attention to themselves. The lack of the cord on the ear piece also prevents the walkie talkie from snagging on objects and falling out of the wearer’s ear.

Bluetooth walkie talkies are useful in situations in which failure of the device will not cause serious problems. Military organizations are generally not interested in using Bluetooth headsets along with two-way radios because both of these devices use radio waves to send and receive signals. This creates a potential for interference, which could lead to a dangerous situation if it were to occur during a critical time.