If you are addicted to Sprint’s push-to-talk service but don’t want to buy one of its walkie-talkie phones,don’t worry! you can have it on your smart phone now.On Monday,Sprint revealed a new android app “Direct Connect” will be available on some of the most popular android smart phones like Samsung Galaxy S 4 and Note 3 and the LG G2 and G Flex,LG Optimus F3, and the Kyocera Hydro Edge.Pleople only have to download the Direct Connect app from the google play. This app is included in some of the Sprint plans but all other customers have to pay an extra $5 every month to avail this service.Support for the Galaxy S 4 Mini,Galaxy Mega,and Sprint Spark edition Galaxy S 4 will come very soon.It allows users to talk with friends who are using Sprint’s Direct Connect Service but this service is available only
in U.S.
PTT service is used in the U.S. for a long time. A company named Nextel was the market leader in the two-way radio service(iDEN) which was used by millions of blue collar workers and enterprises as well as a sizable consumer segment. Nextels business started to fall as the new mobile data service and smartphones came to the market.In 2005 Sprint bought Nextel but not before it created direct Connect that worked on its CDMA network.
sprint’s new walkie-talkie service is very flexible as it is IP-based using Qualcomm’s QChat technology.It works eqally well in Sprint’s 2G, 3G and LTE networks. But the Nextel’s old iDEN technology was more reliable. Other leading PTT providers like Prip, Voxer and Wave Connections are trying to fill the space left vaccant by Nextel with their own smartphone walkie-talkie services.
