Quote Originally Posted by Diyne View Post
As for the Garleans using linkpearls: It does not say that they use linkpearls in that MS questline. Cid simply says "Imperial forces communicate at a distance via electromagnetic waves. Simply put, voices are borne upon aetheric lightning energy that permeates the air." I think they might have some other form of magitek based communication device, moreso like a radio. (And maybe a bit more advanced than a linkpearl.)
They do use linkpearls - 1.0 stated they were dropping them from airships to broadcast Imperial propaganda in version 1.0, and the scenes of Imperial soldiers communicating in ARR showed they had the exact same mobile phone-like tone that the player's own linkpearl had as well (not to mention Nero was clearly able to hack into the player's linkshell feed with Cid in the Praetorium, showing that the Garleans are intimately familiar with the technology). And linkpearl are radio devices - like radio they're prone to interference and signal drop outs.