Ok, in Gaunt's Ghosts a microbead is good for up to ten kilometers while a vox caster is good for global work and all of the troops have microbeads and if you read 'His Last Command' Mkoll sends a message from one microbead to a company about three-four kilometers away by pressing the send button in a specific pattern.

Someone above also said that IG dislike working beside PDF because microbeads aren't standard equipment and that's also true in all the novels I've read.

Also you're regiment can get microbeads if you really want them: after the regiment creation there is a table with equipment that the GM can add on to the standard gear and Microbeads are included for about 3-5 points out of the 30 available.

MILLANDSON said:

Am I the only one who finds it odd that either the entire party starts with a microbead, or nobody? I don't think there's an option to give a single one to the campaigns squad leader/have it assigned one per squad.

IIRC according to the Fluff Officers, Sargents, Elites have Microbeads. in optimal normal condisions range 1km or up to 2km under freek favorable condisions or for a "Good" quality or better one.

Vehicles and HQ units have Comms depending on the modle ranging from 5-10km up to somes modles with 100km range, good enough to tap in to repeater or satalight networks giving Planatery or System wide range.

Drop Bear 2.0 said:

According to the fluff, it entirely depends on the regiment in question - some have them for some officers, etc, some have them for everyone, and some don't have them at all.