Sprint considers offloading iDEN, the heart of Nextel

[Thunderbolt]

US-based wireless carrier Sprint Nextel is contemplating future measures for its iDEN network, which could include its ultimate sale.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Though there were talks several months ago of a "unified service architecture" that would bridge the gap between CDMA, iDEN, and the burgeoning Xohm WiMAX platform, a recent US Securities and Exchange Commission filing from Sprint Nextel shows the company is examining the potential sale of its iDEN network.


http://www.betanews.com/article/Sprint_considers_offloading_iDEN_the_heart_of_Nextel/1218475270

 

[Seadoo]

Nothing wrong with the technology. In fact, You cant even scan it. Problem is that sprint has failed to build out the network. I know it for a fact since i have had their service for 15 years and the signal is the same in my area that is has been for the last 15 years. Very week

 

[WayneH]

There was some build-out after the merger but it slowed to a stall as the company's debt increased due to the merger.

It is a decent network technology for commercial operation (versus, say, PassPort) and never should have been used with interconnect being the primary service.

 

[countryboy879]

so what would happen to all nextel subscribers? i love nextel i rather not give it up! so would happen?

 

[Thayne]

Supposedly the new Verizon push to talk service works way better than their first try at it; only trouble is everyone I need to talk to is still on Nexthell. I suppose I will stay with them and see how it all shakes out.
Anyone have any tales to tell about the new Verizon service; Does "3G" have anything to do with it?

 

[N9NRA]

so what would happen to all nextel subscribers? i love nextel i rather not give it up! so would happen?

I have to add my agreement here as well, personally i think they (Sprint/Nextel) should hold onto the IDEN network, i have a hybrid (Sprint for voice/data, and Nextel for the PTT service) handset, and i like the idea of the IDEN PTT service, i (and some other Amateur Radio ops) use it for "talkaround" to our regular freqs, that way if we want to discuss something private (club repeater user info for example), we can use the NEXTEL DC (Direct Connect) to handle that traffic, also works when we can`t reach a repeater site (as in the case of me and a friend from downstate...the site we would use i can`t reach well enough to be reliable into). Besides, have ya seen this Qchat service yet? Shorty verson, wanna use qchat (DC over CDMA)? Ya will need to be in an area that has the upgraded network (Evloution Data Optmized, rev A) to get access to it, IDEN still works everywhere there`s a tower, and your handset can hit it. N9NRA

 

[chrismol1]

I think that the PTT networks will dominate over business band radio and a lot of other people will use it
Whoever might buy the iDEN and expands and upgrades the system will have a huge chuck of business

 

[WayneH]

Based on experience and listed in order of how well they work for PTT:

1. Nextel iDEN (Superior one-to-one; group call is a PITA to setup and too costly)
2. Q-Chat on Sprint (Works well for group calling via Team DC; easy to setup and cheap)
3. Verizon Wireless' new format (Falls back to ReadyLink when no EVDO, which is nice; uses "store and forward" messaging;not instantaneous like Sprint/Nextel)
4. BREW on AT&T (Open platform but useless when no one else uses it; still slow)

 

[Thayne]

Good info, Wayne. I have heard that Nextell is not paying a lot of obligations they have; Sprint probably wishes they never took it over.
I also heard Skytel was sold again too, they just laid off a couple of guys I know.

 

[ButchGone]

dump it!

I have a Nextel phone my business gives employees and it SUX! Yeah, the push to talk is OK, but Nextel's phone service is a piece of feces! Dropped calls everyday when signal is full bars, voice-mail alerts hours after someone calls and my phone never rings, you name it. From what I understand the phone service is just some kind of patch on an IDEN two-way system..obviously it can't handle a cell phone load. Worst cell phone service me and my coworkers have ever used. I have more choice words for it but hey....
BG..

 

[bigbluemsp]

I don't have any issues with Nextel. A few minor scuffles ever since they merged with Sprint but their CS has been stellar.

Sprint is working on a new system that works based off 2 systems one is the NEXTEL Direct Connect and one for cellular service. But everyone Ive spoken to at Nextel says they know nothing of this media rumor that they are dumping iDEN or anything of the sort.

 

[iMONITOR]

Nextel is the best in my area from what I've been able to establish. The wife and I have been using Nextel for seven years now with no complaints. My son, living elsewhere, prefers Nextel as well. It's been so reliable, none of us maintain a regular land-line home phone in over six years. I think the phones built for the Nextel system are some of the best out there.

 

[medic611]

A long time ago the company was one of the first one's in the columbus ohio market to buy into nextel. Long before you could 2 way nationwide, and the only way to establish a nextel phone was to have a business. Coverage was only good within major metropolitan areas. Long after i left that company i still had nextel service untill one day i was on the phone and kept getting dropped calls, this was post the buyout of nextel from sprint. Customer service declined , and my loyality to nextel faded fast. Since switching to cingular aka AT&T i could make calls in areas i could only dreamed of with nextel. The majority of the people i know that had nextel became disenchanted, like me and switched to either verizon , or cingular. With the roolout of providing cellular service via a wireless modem inside my house , since i live in a area that has no cell coverage my hardline phone days are numbered.

 

[MtnBiker2005]

Update on this story.

Sprint dumping iDEN might be a good thing
Oct 15, 2008 1:51 PM, By Lynnette Luna
http://urgentcomm.com/commentary/newsletters/sprint-dumping-iden-1015/

 

[Thayne]

I just got a free new phone from Verizon that has PTT; But funny thing--there is nobody to talk to on PTT on it--Don't know if that part works or not---:roll:

I lose my free Nextell after Dec. 31

 

[swstow]

i also have had nextel for over 10 years and love it ( but i do own a newer phone ) the sprint nextel mix
i travel alot between daytona beach and cincy and only have had one dead area in the montains of N.C
but thats when the ham comes in (just in case), have a total of 4 nextels in the family two of my boys my wifes and mine
and of course the 8 year olds wants his own also

 

[WayneH]

I've been using the Sprint Q-Chat side of the PTT network since July and all I can say is, stay with the Nextel side. It works soooo much better. I chose Q-Chat as it's easier to manage the Group Calling feature, which I use a lot.

Q-Chat is incredibly picky about the level of EVDO service. I'm within 1 mile of a site I can get on my roof and see. I get bumped out of calls frequently and drop to 1X (during a PTT call) on a daily basis. Sprint has a LOT of work to do to equal what the iDEN service provides. I think some problems stem from handset issues (I and friends use the Sanyo PROs) but watch what happens when you get a big downloader on the site you're using, you'll notice the decline in service quality. I would think there would be some level of QOS but I was sitting on a site using EVDO for data while I used my phone and it was plainly obvious there was an impact.

 

[MtnBiker2005]

update - October 30, 2008

Sprint Plans to Keep and `Rejuvenate' Nextel Network (Update2)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aY0tvlY31YKo

Sprint Reaffirms Commitment To Nextel Network, Extends Pact
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200810301908DOWJONESDJONLINE001025_FORTUNE5.htm