Can you still use Nextel phones?

Sprint shut down the old Nextel network in 2013 so they could re-use those radio frequencies for LTE coverage. That’s too bad, but if you have a pair of Nextel phones you can turn them into very good two way radios that will function even without the cell phone network.

How do Nextel phones work?

Nextel phones offer a service called Direct Connect that allows you to push a single button and connect with another Nextel user. It uses the 800 MHz portion of the radio spectrum assigned to specialized mobile radio (SMR) service.

Can a phone communicate with a walkie talkie?

Fortunately, there are apps that allow you to use your cell phone as a walkie-talkie or two-way radio, some while on Wi-Fi and others so long as you have a network connection—even if it’s just 3G.

Is there anything like Nextel?

I used to think Nextel push to talk (walkie talkie) was a very useful and productive tool, when it first came out for contractors.

Why did Nextel fail?

The two companies’ networks did not share the same technology, which made it difficult to merge operations, and also had clashing marketing strategies. With the company in a tenuous state, rivals swooped in and courted dissatisfied customers.

Does Nextel push-to-talk still work?

Sprint Nextel will cease operation of their push-to-talk iDEN network June 30th, 2013. The system uses Time Division Multipe Access (TDMA) and speech compression technologies and was used by Sprint Nextel to provide half-duplex push-to-talk trunked two-way radio services on its cell phones.

Is zello any good?

If you want to talk to more people Zello is the best walkie talkie app around. With over 130 million users Zello is the most popular walkie talkie push-to-talk (PTT) app in the world. Zello is also the highest rated PTT app in Google Play (4.5 with over 730K reviews) and the App Store (4.6 with over 14.3 reviews).

What happened to Sprint push-to-talk?

Nextel Communications, Inc. was a wireless service operator that merged with and continues to exist as a wholly owned subsidiary of Sprint Corporation, which would later be bought by T Mobile. Nextel’s iDEN network offered a then unique push-to-talk “walkie-talkie” feature in addition to direct-dialed voice calls.

How does Nextel iDEN work on a cell phone?

Your phone establishes a session with the Nextel iDEN-based network. The network determines that this is a dispatch call (Direct Connect) instead of an interconnect call (a normal cell phone call). The network then determines if it is a one-to-one or a group call.

How does Direct Connect work on a Nextel phone?

A Nextel customer looks over a Motorola telephone. Nextel phones offer a service called Direct Connect that allows you to push a single button and connect with another Nextel user. This service is typically free as long as the other user is in the local coverage area.

Is there a way to turn off the Nextel network?

The range may also depend on the model of the phone. To enable the off network mode simply go to the phone menu, turn the Direct Talk on and make sure the channel selection and privacy codes are matched on all the units you intend to use. The U.S. Nextel network was shut down in 2013.

What is the back call number for Nextel?

nextel™ is back call: 1-833-nextel3. contact us to discuss the best devices for your unique business needs.