Sprint PCS Ready Link Coming, Sanyo 5500 Approved

[SU-News]

Sprint PCS is getting closer to launching their Ready Link walkie-talkie feature. The FCC recently approved the new Sanyo SCP-5500 handset, featuring an integrated digital camera for both picture and video, as well as text messaging and Java support. It also features a dedicated Ready Link button. More detail and a picture of the phone can be seen here (http://rcrnews.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=15774).

[chickfila25]

Is the ptt going to be compatible with nextel or verizon that you know of, i always press star 2 for customer service and hear them but they are wrong most of the time b/c they told me it would be. thanks

[Invader J]

GO 5500 GO GO GO W00T =D

Right off the bat, it will NOT be compatible with anything.

[chickfila25]

Will it be compatible with other sprint phones?

[Maokh]

I expect intercarrier PTT to be even stickier than US SMS was.

[chickfila25]

what is sm sms or whatever you put..i have no clue what that is.. is the ptt going to be no good? will it be as good as nextels?

thanks

[skrubol]

The PTT should be fine. The problem is that you'll only be able to use Ready Link with other Ready Link (only Sanyo 5500's for now) phones.
I would think Sprint and Verizon would be working hard to make their systems talk to eachother. I can't see either making serious inroads to Nextel's market without some sort of compatibility/agreement.
Then both companies can put in their advertising something about "our walkie talkie feature can even communicate with phones on other carriers. Nextel can't say that"

[chickfila25]

sweet thanks alot...i can always use some cell phone knowledge can you feed me some more info about this ptt?

thanks

[Maokh]

Originally posted by chickfila25
what is sm sms or whatever you put..i have no clue what that is.. is the ptt going to be no good? will it be as good as nextels?

thanks

It took US carriers quite some time to intergrate carrier to carrier text messaging (SMS). My point was carriers dont like to cooperate with each other on something like this.

I expect PTT to be just fine on sprint.

[chrome8teenz]

Originally posted by chickfila25
will it be as good as nextels?

thanks

do you mean as popular as Nextels?

[chickfila25]

yeah good as nextels and also poular?

[ferspag]

I think the issue of PTT is that you can only use a single standard of equipment. In the case of NXTL, MOT is the exclusive vendor which is fine because they are the largest owner of the company. If Sanyo is to become the sole standard for PCS users, that is fine with me since they are the best handset provider in the market by a mile. Actually, Samsung is a very close second. Everyone else is completely out to lunch. If Samsung wanted to get a piece of the PTT market for PCS customers, the lack of compatibility would generate more complaints from already irate customers that get whalloped with unbelievable charges for overtime MOU. This is going to be a real problem for other handset companies like MOT and NOK. They will not be able to get any phones in the PCS storeds except for the low end phones. Nevertheless, I think PCS could really surprise people with their PTT service in contrast to the utter failure of VZ to show any progress.

[Opie]

I work at a RadioShack store, and as such, we have a working verizon PTT phone. It's been my experience that the VZ PTT is merely a fancy phone call redirected through the speakerphone. Sprint's is supposed to be VoIP over the vision service. If that's the case, it will likely be susceptible to the same problems as the data service, namely that voice calls get priority over data.

As far as compatibility with Nextel, that will be alot more difficult for other carriers. Nextel's PTT service is based around Motorola's iDEN trunking radio system, which is why nextel users have a phone number and a "DirectConnect" number. Phone manufacturer's would have to build an iDEN radio into the phone, which is why the nextel phones are so bulky. Also since iDEN is proprietary, sanyo and samsung would have next to no chance of getting specs, which would mean sprint would need motorola phones if they wanted to be compatible with nextel.


(This endless ramble brought to you by the letter X and the number i.)

[Maokh]

VZ PTT isn't circuit switched ... it uses SIP and 1xRTT.

With the setup times they experience on VZ, they should have made it a quick circuit switched call :D