Tag Archives: iDEN

Sprint plans $10 monthly charge for iDEN push-to-talk subs in the new year

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Sprint plans $10 monthly charge for iDEN pushtotalk subs in the new year

For Nextel push-to-talk subs, the writing's been on the wall for some time now, what with that legacy service destined to sunset on June 30th, 2013. But for those unwilling to heed Sprint's many early warnings and make the switch to its CDMA-based Direct Connect plan before this coming January, there'll be an additional monthly penalty fee. Sprint's confirmed to us that, starting in the new year, (stubborn) iDEN subs who've yet to migrate away from the network will incur an extra $10 charge per billing cycle. In lieu of that, the carrier's advising users to transition now and take advantage of its myriad incentive programs while they last. It's not a permanent change though, as this recurring fee will last only as long as the Nextel National Network does, at which point that 800MHz spectrum will be rolled over for the carrier's planned LTE build-out. But PTT holdouts irked by this news won't have to tie their fates to Sprint -- AT&T's been anticipating this churn and is waiting with open arms.

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Via: PhoneScoop

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 17th, 2012

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Mobile Miscellany week of September 17th, 2012

If you didn't get enough in mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, Sprint hit more than one milestone that it just had to share and Nokia teased the latest app that's exclusive to Lumia owners. We then discovered a very rare BlackBerry and also learned of the latest city to get prepped for T-Mobile's LTE service. Hell, we even stumbled on a new smartphone for old people! These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of September 17th, 2012.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of September 17th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 21:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T ready to battle Sprint for push-to-talk supremacy starting in November

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AT&T ready to take battle Sprint for PushtoTalk supremacy starting in November

While Sprint's iDEN network is getting the axe in favor of a new CDMA setup, AT&T will soon be sprucing up its near absent push-to-talk services. Targeting a November release with plans starting around $30, Ma Bell's enhanced PTT will be compatible with smartphones running Android 2.3+, BlackBerry 7, Windows Phone 8 and even Java-powered feature phones. In addition to playing nice with a variety of mobile platforms, this new service will also work across laptops, tablets and smart cars.

Continue reading AT&T ready to battle Sprint for push-to-talk supremacy starting in November

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AT&T ready to battle Sprint for push-to-talk supremacy starting in November originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint’s final deadline for Nextel shutdown is June 30th, 2013

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Sprints final countdown for Nextel shutdown June 30th, 2013

Sprint has revealed that it's aiming to axe Nextel platform in its entirety by June 30th, 2013. The company has already moved well ahead of schedule in deactivating 9,600 iDEN sites -- a third of its network. The company admitted that it's battling with Verizon to coax former Nextel users onto its service, but hopes that since it's got a shiny new Direct Connect platform, the Now Network will be able to keep hold of far more of them than it has done so far.

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Sprint's final deadline for Nextel shutdown is June 30th, 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint pulls iDEN handsets from retail, continues to sunset legacy Nextel network

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Sprint pulls iDEN handsets from retail, continues to sunset legacy Nextel network

With only one year to go before iDEN bites the big one, Sprint's making sure subscribers steer clear of devices that run on the legacy service. The aging tech, famous for its walkie talkie-like feature, is now one foot solidly in the grave as the carrier's removed all compatible handsets from its lineup, as well as subsidiary Boost Mobile's. That those particular phones and accompanying network have reached a grand EOL status should come as no surprise -- the operator's been quite public about plans to shift existing push-to-talk subs to its newer CDMA-based DirectConnect service and clear up spectrum for a planned LTE rollout. Clearly, Hesse and co. have seen the future and they're no longer content to play catch up with handicapped smartphones.

Sprint pulls iDEN handsets from retail, continues to sunset legacy Nextel network originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint sets a best-before date for iDEN push-to-talk: June 30th, 2013

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Motorola Titanium and XPRT for Sprint

Amidst all of Sprint's eagerness to phase out its iDEN network, the carrier hasn't given us a hard cutoff date to mark on our calendars until now. If you're still rocking that Motorola Titanium, you may have to drop your Nextel push-to-talk dreams as soon as June 30th, 2013, the earliest possible date Sprint says it could shut down the legacy service. Government customers will be getting a friendly paper reminder on June 1st of this year to make sure they're using CDMA Direct Connect phones like the Admiral well in advance. The switch-off will mark the end to a long and troubled chapter in the Sprint Nextel era, but if it helps bring about 800MHz LTE sooner, we're all for it.

Continue reading Sprint sets a best-before date for iDEN push-to-talk: June 30th, 2013

Sprint sets a best-before date for iDEN push-to-talk: June 30th, 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 12:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC clears Sprint to run CDMA, 4G LTE on 800MHz iDEN airwaves

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FCC clears Sprint to run CDMA, 4G LTE on 800MHz iDEN airwaves

Sprint might not have its 4G LTE network up and running to power your EVO 4G LTE, but it's already getting more headroom. The FCC has just tweaked the rules around the ESMR (Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio) spectrum to let Sprint, and the considerably more regional SouthernLINC Wireless, run their CDMA voice calls and LTE data on the 800MHz band they're currently using for their soon-to-end iDEN networks. In practice, the extra frequency access should be a tremendous help to at least Sprint, which hasn't had the low-level, indoors-friendly airspace that AT&T and Verizon enjoy with their 700MHz networks. Just don't expect your EVO or the rest of the initial Sprint LTE devices to take advantage any time soon, as you'll need to both get an 800MHz-ready phone as well as endure the long, long wait until Sprint switches on the extra LTE band in 2014.

FCC clears Sprint to run CDMA, 4G LTE on 800MHz iDEN airwaves originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 20:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint Direct Connect brandishes passport, brings push-to-talk to distant shores

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Sprint Direct Connect brandishes passport, brings push-to-talk to distant shores

Although Sprint is winding down iDEN services here in the US, it hasn't turned its back on the technology completely. The nation's third largest wireless carrier has announced a new push-to-talk service offering, dubbed International Direct Connect. The $10 monthly add-on will allow Direct Connect push-to-talk users in the US -- utilizing its CDMA network -- to communicate with iDEN PTT users in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru free of charge. Although not explicitly stated, the aforementioned nations are referred to as "initial" markets, implying that more countries will be added to this list at some point in the future. All the details about the business-focused proposition, along with the press sheet, can be found after the break.

Continue reading Sprint Direct Connect brandishes passport, brings push-to-talk to distant shores

Sprint Direct Connect brandishes passport, brings push-to-talk to distant shores originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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