RM Box Program — Utah Communications Authority

Radio Management Workstations for Utah Public-Safety Partners

A Motorola RM workstation lets your agency program and manage the radios that operate on Utah's statewide public-safety network. Buy the box once — UCA keeps it secured, connected, and supported for the life of the unit.

Program at a glance

Price per unit $2,085
Recurring fees None*
Hardware owner Your agency
Delivery Pickup at UCA

The Program

One Box. Shared Responsibility.

Your agency owns the physical workstation. UCA owns and controls the software, configuration, and connectivity that keep it safe to attach to a network supporting critical public-safety communications.

What the Box Does

The RM (Radio Management) workstation is a purpose-built computer used solely to program and manage radio subscriber and infrastructure equipment that interoperates with the UCA network. It runs UCA-controlled software over secure, UCA-managed connectivity — it isn't a general-purpose PC.

Who It's For

Utah public-safety agencies that program their own radios and want a standardized, supported, security-compliant workstation instead of managing one on their own.

Quick Facts

Price per unit$2,085.00
Recurring feesNone*
Hardware ownerYour agency
Software / configUCA
DeliveryPickup at UCA
Payment termsNet 30

*Standard functions only. Non-standard services billed at standard rate.

How It Works

From Request to Running Radios

01

Request

Get your agreements in order, then submit your request:

  1. Download the Purchase Agreement and Opt-In Agreement.
  2. Sign both documents.
  3. Request a box and tell UCA how many units you need.
  4. Upload the signed documents with your request.

UCA confirms eligibility and issues an Equipment Schedule.

02

Purchase

UCA invoices the per-unit price before you receive the box. Payment is due within 30 days.

03

Pick Up

Collect the unit at UCA's Salt Lake City office and get a short hands-on orientation. UCA doesn't deliver.

04

Program

Use the box for authorized radio programming and management. Title to the hardware is now yours.

05

Stay Supported

UCA patches, secures, monitors, and re-images the box remotely, and coordinates warranty service.

What's Included

Where Responsibility Splits

Your Agency

You Get & Keep

  • Ownership of the physical workstation once title transfers
  • The right to use the box for radio programming and management
  • Pass-through of the manufacturer hardware warranty
  • A standardized, security-compliant unit ready to use
  • A hands-on orientation at pickup
UCA Manages

Included Support

  • Operating-system updates, security patches, and antivirus
  • Secure, UCA-managed network connectivity and credentials
  • Remote administration, monitoring, and re-imaging
  • Loaner or replacement coordination to limit downtime
  • Manufacturer warranty coordination

All included in the one-time price — no recurring license, support, connectivity, patching, or maintenance fees for these standard functions.

FAQ

Common Questions

What is an RM Box?+
It's a Motorola RM (Radio Management) programming workstation — a dedicated computer used to program and manage radio subscriber and infrastructure equipment that operates on Utah's statewide public-safety communications network. It runs UCA-controlled software and connects over UCA-managed network connectivity.
Who is eligible to get one?+
Utah public-safety agencies that partner with UCA and need to program radios for the statewide network. Contact UCA to confirm eligibility for your agency.
How much does it cost, and what's included?+
The price is a one-time $2,085.00 per unit. That single charge covers the hardware plus UCA's ongoing license and support functions — there are no recurring license, support, connectivity, patching, maintenance, or replacement fees for standard functions.
Do we own the box?+
You own the physical hardware once title transfers. UCA retains ownership and control of the embedded software, operating system, configuration, security tooling, and connectivity — collectively the "Licensed Materials" — under a perpetual license that runs with the unit.
How do we receive our box?+
Your agency picks up each unit at UCA's office at 5215 Wiley Post Way #550, Salt Lake City. UCA provides a brief orientation at pickup and your designated personnel sign for receipt. UCA does not deliver units.
When and how are we billed?+
UCA invoices the per-unit price before your agency receives the box. Undisputed invoices are payable within 30 days of receipt.
Are there any recurring or extra fees?+
No recurring fees for standard support. If UCA performs a service that falls outside its standard responsibilities, or remediates a problem caused by misuse, negligence, or unauthorized changes, those services may be billed at UCA's then-current standard rate. Where practicable, UCA will flag a service as billable before performing it.
What can the box be used for?+
Authorized radio programming and management only. You can't install unauthorized software, connect unauthorized peripherals or networks, or use the unit for any other purpose, and you can't disable or work around UCA's security, monitoring, or connectivity controls.
What support does UCA provide?+
UCA manages OS and security updates, firmware, and antivirus; provisions and maintains secure connectivity; remotely administers, monitors, and re-images the unit; maintains a standardized configuration; and coordinates warranty service, repairs, and loaner or replacement equipment to minimize downtime.
What about the manufacturer warranty?+
When title transfers, UCA assigns or passes through the manufacturer and vendor hardware warranties to your agency. Those warranties are governed by the issuer's own terms, scope, and duration, as noted on your Equipment Schedule.
What if a box is lost, stolen, or damaged?+
Physically safeguard the unit, limit access to authorized personnel, and notify UCA promptly of any loss, theft, damage, suspected compromise, malfunction, or relocation so UCA can protect the network. A lost, stolen, or damaged unit carries a stipulated replacement value of $2,085.00, plus separately billed costs to restore the Licensed Materials.
Do we need to provide our own cellular service?+
Yes. Your agency procures and pays for the SIM card and data plan the box uses to connect to the UCA Network — UCA recommends at least 10 GB per month, since normal use plus Windows updates and endpoint security can approach that. You'll need a Nano SIM (4FF), a static (public) IP address, and the box's IMEI (which UCA provides) before your carrier will issue service. If you have — or plan to deploy — Wi-Fi-capable radios and want to program them over Wi-Fi, you must use a FirstNet SIM; other carriers support cable-connected programming only. See the Agency SIM Card Requirements document for full details.
How does a radio actually get programmed through the box?+
Onboarding happens in three phases and each radio touches the box twice. Phase I (Read In) builds a skeleton record when the radio first connects. Phase II (Clean Up) is handled entirely by UCA — no radio needed — completing the record and queuing the update job. Phase III (Write Out) writes the queued job to the radio the next time it connects, completing onboarding. After that, RM holds the authoritative configuration for the radio going forward.
What happens if a radio is programmed outside the box?+
It's not permitted — local or secondary programming (for example, a laptop running CPS) is prohibited under the Programming Control Opt-In. If it happens anyway, RM detects the mismatch the next time the radio connects, reverts it to Phase I, and re-applies the managed configuration. The local change is overwritten and is not preserved.
How do we request a programming change?+
Submit a support ticket describing the change — you can draft or edit a code plug, but don't write it to a radio yourself. UCA reviews and readies the change within seven business days, and it's written to the radio the next time it connects to the box.
Can we move, transfer, or retire a box?+
Not without first notifying UCA. UCA's control and security rights run with the unit, so any relocation, transfer, or decommissioning has to be coordinated. Before a unit is retired, UCA removes or wipes its software, data, and connectivity — your agency keeps the hardware.

Relevant Documents

Agreements & Resources

The governing agreements and reference materials for the RM Box Program. Review the applicable agreement before requesting a unit.

PDF · Agreement

Master Equipment Purchase & Perpetual License Agreement

The core terms: sale of hardware, UCA's perpetual license, pricing, support, and decommissioning.

Download → PDF · Agreement

RM Box Loan Agreement

For units loaned rather than purchased — terms of use, custody, and return.

Download → PDF · Agreement

Programming Control Opt-In Agreement

Authorizes UCA's programming-control role and the associated security requirements.

Download → PDF · Guide

RM Programming Lifecycle

How units move through request, programming, updates, and retirement over their service life.

Download → DOCX · Policy

Acceptable Use & Security Requirements

What the box may be used for and the safeguards your agency agrees to maintain.

Download → DOCX · Guide

Quick-Start & Orientation Guide

The reference handed out at pickup — getting started, support contacts, and do's and don'ts.

Download → PDF · Requirements

Agency SIM Card Requirements

What your agency needs in place for SIM-based connectivity on the unit.

Download →