What is UL 2524?
UL 2524, Standard for In-Building 2-Way Emergency Radio Communication Enhancement Systems, is the product-safety and performance standard written specifically for ERCES equipment. It is the listing an NFPA 1225 or IFC 510 system's amplifier and supporting components are increasingly required to carry. When a fire marshal asks whether your BDA is "listed for the purpose," UL 2524 is the standard they mean.
What UL 2524 covers
- The signal booster / BDA — evaluated as a public safety radio enhancement device, not a generic amplifier.
- Standby battery systems — capacity, charging, and monitoring for the required 12–24 hour operation.
- Monitoring & annunciation — the supervisory signals for AC power loss, low battery, donor antenna failure, and amplifier malfunction.
- Enclosures — NEMA-4 (or better) environmental protection.
- Survivability — behavior under fire conditions for the components serving critical areas.
UL 2524 vs UL 864
Before UL 2524 existed, ERCES equipment was often evaluated under UL 864 (Control Units and Accessories for Fire Alarm Systems), which was written for fire alarm control equipment and only partially fit radio-enhancement gear. UL 2524 is purpose-built for ERCES and is now the standard AHJs point to. Some older installations were listed under UL 864; new systems should target UL 2524. Confirm which listing your AHJ requires before you buy equipment.
Why AHJs require it
An ERCES is a life-safety system that has to work in a fire, on battery, for hours, without interfering with the public safety network. A third-party listing to a purpose-written standard gives the AHJ objective assurance that the equipment was tested for exactly those conditions. It is also why you cannot substitute a cellular signal booster or a generic RF amplifier — those are not listed for public safety emergency communication.
Is the Nextivity CEL-FI QUATRA UL 2524 listed?
JB Technologies is a certified Nextivity Pro Partner and standardizes on the CEL-FI QUATRA public safety platform for code-mandated work. Equipment listings are updated by the manufacturer and the listing body over time, and the exact listed model/configuration is what matters to your AHJ. We confirm the current UL 2524 listing for the specific configuration on every project and provide the documentation for plan review. Talk to us about your project and we'll pull the current listing sheet.
Related reference
- NFPA 1225 — the governing emergency services communications standard
- IFC Section 510 — Emergency Responder Radio Coverage in the fire code
- Signal Strength & DAQ — the −95 dBm and DAQ coverage metrics explained
- FCC Part 90 — public safety signal booster rules, Class A vs Class B
- ERCES vs BDA vs DAS — what each term means and how they relate
- Ready to scope a project? → JB Technologies ERCES service
Frequently asked
What is UL 2524?
UL 2524 is the Standard for In-Building 2-Way Emergency Radio Communication Enhancement Systems — the product listing standard written specifically for ERCES equipment (the BDA/signal booster, battery, monitoring, and enclosure). It is the listing AHJs increasingly require for code-compliant systems.
What is the difference between UL 2524 and UL 864?
UL 864 (Control Units and Accessories for Fire Alarm Systems) was written for fire alarm control equipment and was historically used for ERCES gear as a partial fit. UL 2524 is purpose-built for in-building emergency radio enhancement systems and is now the standard AHJs point to for new installations.
Does ERCES equipment have to be UL 2524 listed?
Current NFPA 1225 and IFC 510 editions require the equipment to be listed for the purpose, and AHJs increasingly specify UL 2524. Some older systems were listed under UL 864. Always confirm the exact listing your AHJ accepts before purchasing equipment.
Can I use a cellular signal booster for ERCES if it's listed?
No. A cellular booster is not listed for public safety emergency communication and operates on different FCC-regulated bands. ERCES requires equipment listed for in-building public safety radio enhancement (UL 2524) and certified for public safety use under FCC Part 90.
Is the Nextivity CEL-FI QUATRA UL 2524 listed?
JB Technologies standardizes on the CEL-FI QUATRA public safety platform and confirms the current UL 2524 listing for the specific listed model and configuration on every project, providing the documentation for AHJ plan review. Listings are maintained by the manufacturer and listing body, so we verify the current sheet per project.
Tell us about your ERRCS project
Building address and a rough floor plate is enough to start. We'll respond within one business day with a probability of code-required ERRCS and a budget range.
Talk to JBT about your ERCES project.
Send the building address and a rough floor plate. We'll respond within one business day with a probability of code-required ERCES and a budget range.