Sprint announced the coming availability of four new Nextel Direct Connect phones, powered by Qualcomm's QChat
Push-to-Talk technology, to customers in 40+ markets across the country. The LX400
by LG, Z400 by Samsung, and PRO-200 and PRO-700 by Sanyo will be
available June 15 for purchase by all new and existing customers in
Sprint retail stores in the designated markets.
These new phones
incorporate Nextel Direct Connect services, the speed of Sprint Mobile
Broadband and Sprint's largest voice calling area, giving customers a
wider selection of phones to meet their productivity needs with
connection in less than one second to millions of existing Nextel
Direct Connect subscribers nationwide.
Comment from Wireless and Mobile News: Their website states that the Pro-700 will get you "Through Heck and Back." Where the hell is heck?
Phones
- LX400 by LG - The LX400 includes key features
such as a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, GPS capabilities and noise
reduction capabilities. Available for as low as $79.99
with a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate. - Hard-working and good-looking, PRO-200 by Sanyo -The clamshell Pro-200 by Sanyo
delivers instant Nextel Direct Connect push-to-talk services and key
functionalities including Bluetooth,
messaging capabilities and mobile email. Available for as
low as $49.99 with a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate. - Through Heck and Back PRO-700 by Sanyo - This rugged phone is certified to
military standards for dust, shock and vibration and
available for as low as $79.99 with a two-year service agreement and
$50 mail-in rebate. - Z400 by Samsung - Ultra-rugged
push-to-talk choices expand with the Z400 by Samsung, which is
certified to Military specification 810F for dust, shock and vibration. This clamshell handset has a 1.3 megapixel camera, Sprint
Navigation and Bluetooth and is available for as low as $99.99 with a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate.
Sprint plans to expand availability of these phones in additional
markets and channels through the remainder of 2008. Customers can sign
up to be notified of availability in additional markets at www.sprint.com/instantconnect [2].
Service Features
These new phones will continue to provide industry-leading
push-to-talk performance, while operating on certain Rev. A portions of
the Sprint Mobile Broadband network (except in Puerto Rico). Compared
to other providers, Sprint's expanded Nextel Direct Connect capable
device portfolio offers significantly faster call set-up times of less
than one second and one-to-one interoperability with the world's
largest established push-to-talk community. Features available on these
handsets include:
- Direct Connect®:
Instant one-to-one push-to-talk communication that is interoperable
with the millions of existing Nextel Direct Connect subscribers. Direct
Connect provides the call set-up times of less than one second that
customers have come to rely on to boost productivity and save time and
money. - Call Alerts: A repeating alert that users can send to let another Nextel Direct Connect subscriber know they are trying to reach them.
- Group Connect®: Unique
one-to-many capability of Group Connect that helps customers quickly
communicate with up to 20 other Nextel Direct Connect users all at
once. Users of the new phones can create and manage Group Connect
groups on the phone or online. At this time, these new phones are not
interoperable with Nextel or PowerSource phones for Group Connect
services.
In addition, with these new phones, customers have the ability to
take advantage of Sprint's largest voice calling area and the blazing
data speeds of Sprint Mobile Broadband. Sprint Mobile Broadband brings
customers instant gratification so they can get what they want when
they want it, with fast file downloads, Web browsing, email access and
more.
Other new features exclusive to the new phones include:
- Single number option: If they wish, most customers
purchasing these new phones can choose the simplicity of having one
phone number for voice and push-to-talk calls. If preferred, customers
can opt to have a separate Direct Connect number. - TeamDC®: This more formal
one-to-many feature allows up to 35 Nextel Direct Connect subscribers
to communicate via PTT at the same time - nationwide, quickly and
easily. Customers create and manage groups online, then all members of
the group receive a notification and can access the group. TeamDC is
only available on these new phones and is not interoperable with Nextel
or PowerSource phones. - DC Permissions: Customers have the ability to block/allow incoming one-to-one push-to-talk calls and Call Alerts with the new phones.
- DC Missed Call Notification: - When on a Nextel
Direct Connect call, customers receive a notification if they miss a
push-to-talk call, Call Alert or Group call. - Call Alerts with Text: With the new Call Alerts
with Text feature, customers can attach one of several preset text
messages, such as "Please stop by," to Call Alerts sent to users of NDC
phones powered by the QChat technology. - Sprint Mobile Sync: This easy-to-use online tool
lets customers manage all of their contact information online,
including setting up groups. Additionally, this feature automatically
synchronizes with the phone, allowing for easier entry, easier access
and full secure backup of contacts. Contacts automatically transfer if
the customer moves to another Sprint Mobile Sync-capable phone.
Unlimited Direct Connect and Group Connect use is included at no
additional charge in Everything plans starting at $69.99 per month, and
Talk/Message/Direct Connect plans starting at $49.99 per month.
Unlimited Direct Connect and Group Connect will be available for $10
per month with other Sprint plans.
*Not all features are available with all phones. Nextel Direct
Connect capability is not available in all markets where these devices
are sold. Customers should consult sales representative prior to
purchase. Push-to-talk coverage varies depending on the user's
push-to-talk phone. Detailed coverage maps are available at www.sprint.com/coverage [3].
About Nextel Direct Connect
With more than 15 years of expertise, Sprint is the undisputed
leader in push-to-talk with the largest community of users in the
world. Nextel Direct Connect has set the industry standard for
push-to-talk and serves millions of Nextel Direct Connect subscribers
on the fastest national push-to-talk network. These customers made more
than 90 billion Nextel Direct Connect connections in 2007.
Nextel Direct Connect is the only push-to-talk product in the industry that offers:
- Industry-leading performance with the advantage of instant connection (call set-up times of less than one second)
- Connection to the world's largest community of users, with millions of existing Nextel Direct Connect subscribers
- Nationwide and international push-to-talk services
- The largest portfolio of push-to-talk phones, including the largest selection of rugged phones
- Integrated business solutions, including the largest selection of GPS-solutions
For more information about Nextel Direct Connect, please visit www.sprint.com/nexteldirectconnect [4].
The new phones allow customers to make Direct Connect®
calls with the world's largest push-to-talk community and will be
available June 15 through Sprint retail stores, direct sales or
telesales (1-800-Sprint1) in the following markets:
| Atlanta-Athens, Ga. | Miami-West Palm Beach, Fla. | |
| Austin, Texas | Milwaukee | |
| Baltimore | Central New Jersey | |
| Boston | Northern New Jersey | |
| Chicago | Southern New Jersey | |
| Cincinnati | New York City | |
| Cleveland | Orange County, Calif. | |
| Colorado | Oregon | |
| Columbus, Ohio | Orlando | |
| Northern Connecticut | Philadelphia | |
| Southern Connecticut | Pittsburgh, Penn. | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas | Providence, R.I. | |
| Delaware | Richmond, Va. | |
| Southwest Florida | Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. | |
| Hawaii | San Antonio | |
| Houston | San Diego | |
| Indianapolis | San Francisco Bay Area | |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | South Bay, Calif. | |
| Kansas | Tampa, Fla. | |
| Las Vegas | Washington, D.C. | |
| Long Island, N.Y. | Southwest Washington | |
| Los Angeles | Western Washington | |
| North Los Angeles | Winston-Salem, N.C. | |
| Memphis, Tenn. |