Preparing and Running an Allo Off-Grid Pilot Programme

A step-by-step checklist for municipalities and safety regions launching an Allo pilot: hardware, users, groups, and success criteria.

Running an Allo pilot gives your organisation a structured way to evaluate off-grid radio messaging in a realistic setting before committing to full deployment. A pilot typically spans several weeks and involves a defined group of users — for example a team within a municipality or a safety region — carrying Allo client devices and communicating through the app during normal operations, exercises, or both. This guide walks you through everything you need to have in place before the first message is sent.

What a pilot involves

An Allo pilot is a time-bounded trial in which real users use the full Allo system — app, client devices, and optionally repeaters — under conditions as close as possible to your intended operational use. The goal is to validate radio coverage in your specific geography, identify gaps, collect user feedback, and confirm that Allo fits your communication workflows before scaling up.

At least one person in your organisation must be designated as an Allo administrator before the pilot begins. The administrator manages the web dashboard, invites users, provisions devices, and monitors logs. Without an active administrator account, the pilot cannot be launched.

Pre-launch checklist

Work through the following checklist in order. All items should be complete before you distribute devices to participants.

1 — Hardware

• All Allo client devices have been received and inventoried
• Each device has been charged to 100 % before distribution (see Charging and Power)
• Any repeaters have been received, charged or wired to a power source, and positioned at planned locations (see Placement and Range)
• A spare device is available in case of hardware issues during the pilot

2 — Dashboard and user accounts

• Your administrator account is active and you can log in to the Allo dashboard
• All pilot participants have been invited via QR code or invite link (see Users)
• Each participant has accepted their invitation and can open the app
• No participant is listed as "pending" in the dashboard on the day of launch

3 — Device provisioning

• Every client device has been provisioned to your organisation in the dashboard (see Devices and Repeaters)
• Every participant has successfully paired their phone to their assigned device over Bluetooth
• At least one test message has been sent and received on each device before distribution

4 — Groups and communication structure

• Groups have been created in the dashboard to reflect your operational teams, locations, or roles (see Groups)
• Every participant has been added to the correct group(s)
• Participants know which group to use for which type of communication

5 — Communications plan

• Participants have been briefed on what Allo is and what it is used for during the pilot
• A backup communication method is in place for situations where radio delivery is not possible (see Emergency-Use Limitations)
• A feedback channel has been arranged so participants can report problems during the pilot (for example a dedicated WhatsApp group or shared inbox)
• The pilot end date and evaluation process have been communicated to all participants

Step-by-step launch sequence

1

Confirm your administrator account

Log in to the Allo dashboard and verify that your organisation profile is complete. Check that your organisation name, contact details, and timezone are correct. If you do not yet have an administrator account, contact Allo support to have one provisioned.

2

Order and receive hardware

Work with Allo to determine how many client devices and repeaters your pilot area requires. A rough rule of thumb is one client device per participant and at least one repeater per 1–2 km of coverage gap or per floor in a multi-storey building. Confirm receipt of all hardware before scheduling your kick-off date.

3

Charge all hardware

Charge every client device and repeater fully before distribution. Client devices charge via USB-C. Repeaters may also support solar or vehicle power depending on the variant. Do not distribute devices with less than 80 % battery.

4

Position repeaters

Install repeaters at locations that bridge coverage gaps in your pilot area — rooftops, elevated positions, or central indoor locations. Power them on and confirm the status LED shows normal operation before the pilot starts.

5

Invite participants and provision devices

In the dashboard, invite each pilot participant by generating a QR code or invite link. Provision each client device to your organisation. Match each device to its intended user so you can trace activity in logs later.

6

Configure groups

Create one group per team, location, or communication channel your pilot requires. Add each participant to their relevant group(s). Send a test message in each group to confirm delivery.

7

Brief participants

Hold a short kick-off session — in person or by video — to walk participants through installing the app, pairing their device, and using the app to send messages. Remind them that Allo works over radio, not mobile data, and that a Bluetooth connection to their device is required at all times.

8

Run the pilot

Begin the trial period. Monitor the dashboard daily for connectivity issues and respond promptly to participant feedback. Make a note of any locations where messages fail to deliver — these are candidates for repeater repositioning.

Roles and responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Allo administrator	Dashboard access, user invitations, device provisioning, group management, log review
Pilot coordinator	Day-to-day point of contact for participants, collects feedback, escalates issues
Participants	Use Allo as directed, report problems and observations via the feedback channel

Defining success criteria

Set your success criteria before the pilot begins so that evaluation is objective. Typical criteria for a municipality or safety region pilot include:

• Coverage: Messages are delivered successfully across all primary operating locations
• Reliability: Delivery rate exceeds an agreed threshold (for example 90 %) during exercises
• Usability: Participants rate the app and device as easy to use after minimal training
• Operational fit: The communication structure (groups, contacts) maps clearly onto existing team structures
• Battery life: Devices last a full operational shift without requiring a recharge

Document your criteria in writing and share them with stakeholders before the pilot begins. You will revisit these during the post-exercise review.

Schedule a mid-pilot check-in with participants — typically after the first week — to surface early problems before they affect the rest of the trial. Small adjustments to repeater placement or group structure are much easier to make mid-pilot than at the end.