Abstract: FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate communications devices (30) that are operable in both a radio dispatch mode and a telephone interconnect mode. To mitigate the problem of a relatively high level audio signal from being unexpected broadcast from an ear-piece of the device (30) when the ear-piece is proximally located with an ear of a user of the device, the communications device (30) is arranged to ensure that, at least during an initial period of operation in either of the two operating modes, audio signals of relatively high level do not originate from the ear-piece, thereby preventing a change in audio power output from the ear-piece that may potentially cause damage to the hearing of a user of the radio communications device.