Qchat vs Nextel Direct Connect

[AsItLies]

Hi everyone,

I'm not an expert on this but do have a basic understanding from some research.

Qchat works on CDMA phones. You have to purchase a specific one that has the Qchat ability (currently there are 3 I believe).

Qchat phones allow you to then Direct Connect to other Qchat phones and Iden phones. It does this by utilizing Voice Over IP (voip), and to get to Iden phones there's a gateway on the net it utilizes.

For a Qchat phone, it needs the EVDO Rev A (aka 'always on') network to accomplish this. It needs to be always connected to the internet to have that 'instantaneous' call or answer ability.

So essentially, it's NOT an Iden phone, even though it's called 'Direct Connect'.

Hopefully everyone already has a good handle on this, and if I've messed up please correct the info.

Regards,

[Dubspoon]

It (qchat) still lacks group with IDEN and international abilities

[AsItLies]

It (qchat) still lacks group with IDEN and international abilities

I'm sure you know more about it's abilities (or lack there of) then I do, because I don't use it! lol.

I've the v950 because it's a rugged mil spec phone, and it works great as a regular cdma sprint phone. Not having the qchat enabled (not in a Rev A area anyway) means the battery lasts quite a long time.

Hopefully the technology will improve over time. But the V950 as just a regular cdma phone is great.

[PokerFace23]

So far only 5 phoes that are QChat/Sprint Direct Connect enabled

listed in order of what you should buy:
Motorola V950
Sanyo Pro 700
Sanyo Pro 200
Samsung Z400
LG LX400

DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT buy that LX400. it may look appealing but it's trouble. it will power cycle by itself and do all sorts of weird things. don't get the samsung one either. volume sucks (being samsung) and it randomly erases things on its own.

the v950 is the best one of them all easily. it's a true power vision phone (sprint nav, tv, email, etc..) but if you use it for DC, be prepared to have an extra battery laying around or something.

[Dragonman]

Wirelessly posted (Touch Diamond & ic902: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint MP6950SP)

So far only 5 phoes that are QChat/Sprint Direct Connect enabled

listed in order of what you should buy:
Motorola V950
Sanyo Pro 700
Sanyo Pro 200
Samsung Z400
LG LX400

DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT buy that LX400. it may look appealing but it's trouble. it will power cycle by itself and do all sorts of weird things. don't get the samsung one either. volume sucks (being samsung) and it randomly erases things on its own.

the v950 is the best one of them all easily. it's a true power vision phone (sprint nav, tv, email, etc..) but if you use it for DC, be prepared to have an extra battery laying around or something.

Both of the issues you stated about the Samsung Z400 are addressed and corrected in the firmware upgrade.

[jetskiscott]

The Z400 is a good phone except for the DC button that will activate at the slightest touch. I returned it and use the PRO700 which is an outstanding phone. Great voice quality and the speaker phone is awesome.

[ekpowell13922]

I just jumped ship from the Renegade V950 and got a Blackberry, 8350i. Seems with Sprint, you got to give up one feature to get another. As a bus driver, I do a lot of "2-way radio" communication with Direct Connect. I had Nextel IDEN phones in the past and had great experience with DC. I tried Q-Chat with the Sanyo Pro 700 and the Renegade. Q-Chat was not nearly as reliable because of the complicated process on the CDMA, EVDO it works on. Guys would try to DC me and couldn't get through. I went back to IDEN with my Nextel Blackberry and so far DC is superb. Of course Nextel was the pioneer of DC and I first ran across it back around the Millennium. What I ended up giving up was the broad voice coverage area. So on trips to the boonies, I may consider a pay-as-as-you go phone I'd use once in awhile, that would work "everywhere."

[Dubspoon]

I'm starting to think Sprint is throttling and that could be the reason for qchat issues

[emscapt47]

they said that Nextel will be stopping service here in the near future..They sold the IDEN to the federal side of things...Now if it goes anywhere time will tell....I use a i580 and just got a black LG-LOTUS (witch by the way is a great little phone) I had the 8350i and dropped it ONE time and it busted on me so i went to the v950 and hated that my battery died on me after 6hrs of use and not alot of use either. I live about a half a mile from a tower with a direct line of sight and on the phone i had 2bars...My lotus full all the time..my i580 full all the time...So sorry just my two cents...