Sprint Charging $10 Fee to Nextel Subs Who Don't Upgrade

[Fraydog]

 

Yes/no, who really cares? PTT is largely passé. The industry and society have moved on.

 

AJ

 

If Sprint could revive it, it could be a powerful differentiator. I do not understand the hate for PTT as a service. To me, Sprint needs all the positive buzz it can get. I completely understand the desire to retire IDEN but there's still some big clients who provide money for Sprint who can be served by the Direct Connect service.

[bigsnake49]

If Sprint could revive it, it could be a powerful differentiator. I do not understand the hate for PTT as a service. To me, Sprint needs all the positive buzz it can get. I completely understand the desire to retire IDEN but there's still some big clients who provide money for Sprint who can be served by the Direct Connect service.

 

Yes, they can, but let's not burden the rest of us with PTT features on all the phones. Those that need it should pay for it. I thought that Sprint made a major mistake lowering the price of plans for Nextel subscribers. It did not make them feel special enough .

[Fraydog]

 

Yes, they can, but let's not burden the rest of us with PTT features on all the phones. Those that need it should pay for it. I thought that Sprint made a major mistake lowering the price of plans for Nextel subscribers. It did not make them feel special enough .

 

I think PTT doesn't have to be on all phones. Well it can be as a OTT option that could be downloaded over the Play Store or iTunes, but I'm not for baking it in all phones. That's crazy.

 

As far as lowering the Nextel fees, that was a panic move, but it's mostly in the past now. I just don't think PTT is "passé", I'm not calling a service used by first responders and big corporate clients "passé." The future is PTT over LTE, but the technology isn't there yet, sort of like VoLTE. All QChat really needs to do is be a bridge to the future.

[PythonFanPA]

I do not understand the hate for PTT as a service.

 

I don't know that I'd call most people's reaction to PTT as 'hate', but rather 'apathy'. I have nothing against it by any means, but I kind of agree with what AJ said....I think most people could just really honestly care less about the concept these days outside of certain commercial uses. I think I've read more than a couple articles that underscore that more and more people are trending towards text communication than actual live realtime methods of interaction, whether that be still-wireless voice communication, in person interaction or otherwise.

[Fraydog]

I don't know that I'd call most people's reaction to PTT as 'hate', but rather 'apathy'. I have nothing against it by any means, but I kind of agree with what AJ said....I think most people could just really honestly care less about the concept these days outside of certain commercial uses. I think I've read more than a couple articles that underscore that more and more people are trending towards text communication than actual live realtime methods of interaction, whether that be still-wireless voice communication, in person interaction or otherwise.

 

That still doesn't mean it should be ignored. There are good solutions for PTT over LTE from the public safety side of things that will work eventually. I'm not arguing for Nextel, all I'm saying is that PTT is a tool. That's it. Doesn't deserve strong feelings one way or the other, IMO.

[supert0nes]

"Love or hate the old Nextel subs, they're needed on board." I'm pretty sure Sprint already decided that any Nextel subs left aren't needed at all.

 

PTT is gimmick compared to getting 800 for CDMA/LTE. Nationwide 800 leapfrogs Sprint's network over At&t's and makes it essentially competitive with Verizon spectrum wise. It allows for Sprint to add new rural towers at a much more cost effective spacing. It finally gives Sprint fantastic in building coverage. The list goes on and is extensively covered on this site.

[Fraydog]

"Love or hate the old Nextel subs, they're needed on board." I'm pretty sure Sprint already decided that any Nextel subs left aren't needed at all.

 

.

 

Again, you're confusing IDEN with PTT. Sprint does need the big corporate accounts and FEMA that has PTT. Otherwise you would not have QChat on the Sprint network. PTT over LTE is an option once you deploy that 800 MHz spectrum anyway. You need to have Network Vision complete first.

[supert0nes]

What I said was they Sprint could lose all Nextel subs tomorrow and be fine. I stand by that.

[Fraydog]

What I said was they Sprint could lose all Nextel subs tomorrow and be fine. I stand by that.

 

That was only true after the SoftBank investment. Would that be optimal, however? Obviously not. Sprint cares; otherwise, they would not push QChat.

[pyroscott]

 

That was only true after the SoftBank investment. Would that be optimal' date=' however? Obviously not. Sprint cares; otherwise, they would not push QChat.[/quote']

 

Doesn't sprint only have about 1.4 million subs clinging to iden? Sounds to me that they could handle that loss, Softbank or not...

 

Edit: according to investors.sprint.com, at the close of Q3 there were 2.3 million postpaid nextel subscribers and 830k prepaid. So, as of the end of September, 3.1 million iden subs compared to 52.9 million on the sprint platform... 5 and a half percent is low enough for sprint to absorb, especially when they have been converting over half the nextel churn.

[JeffDTD]

Its sort of comical to me that people fling poo at sprint and blame them for the demise of iden, as though iden ptt would have survived forever had sprint not merged with nextel. Right. Sprint's financial situation caused iden to linger as long as it has. Either of the big 2 would have shuttered it well before now.

 

I do feel sorry for the nextel subs who have no cdma coverage available and never will. But nothing lasts forever... cdma will go away one day and surely, there will be people who have to have archaic handsets pried out of their cold dead hands.

[Fraydog]

 

Doesn't sprint only have about 1.4 million subs clinging to iden? Sounds to me that they could handle that loss, Softbank or not...

 

They already have a good chunk of the Nextel consumers on the Sprint platform. I'm saying there's a difference between "handle" and "optimal", That's all. IDEN is a dying tech, that doesn't mean all PTT has to die. Now whether you think it should or not is a separate opinion.

[DaQue]

I thought the big plus was the phones could be used walkie talkie like and not use the network if the needed. Oh like in a big disaster or something.

[pyroscott]

What Sprint desperately needs to do is shut down the iden network. If that means losing some subs... so be it. There hasn't been enough subs on that platform to make it profitable in years. If they can make an extra $10 a month to give subscribers a far slower and less reliable PTT than iden, great. I never cared about PTT when I had Nextel, nor when I had the renegade. I care not about it today, it is nothing more a loud, annoying text message in my opinion.

[WiWavelength]

...it is nothing more a loud, annoying text message in my opinion.

 

*chirp* Dawg, where you at?!

 

AJ

[DaQue]

Offer them a free Wimax phone and I bet they jump for it in droves. :rofl: :rofl:

[digiblur]

 

*chirp* Dawg, where you at?!

 

AJ

 

I DO NOT miss that crap. Sitting in a nice restaurant then you hear beep beep. And then some over modulated mouth full of pennies idiot sharing his low IQ with his buddy. Beep.. Blah blah.. Beep beep. Take it off speakerphone!

 

So nice without that crap these days.

 

Had a guy kicked out of a restaurant one time before because of his nextel on speakerphone. I will walk out in a heartbeat and go somewhere else that wants my business and doesn't allow nonsense like that. Competition is great!

 

Sent from a little old Note 2

 

 

[tybo31316]

I really miss PTT at work. I can chirp my driver to see where my delivery is. I can chirp my boss and ask him a quick question. To me ptt was great for short conversations. Now I have to call listen to the phone ring, hope that someone answers, if not leave a message, and hope that they call back. Just takes too long when most of the time I only need to ask one or two questions.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

[kct1975]

 

I DO NOT miss that crap. Sitting in a nice restaurant then you hear beep beep. And then some over modulated mouth full of pennies idiot sharing his low IQ with his buddy. Beep.. Blah blah.. Beep beep. Take it off speakerphone!

 

So nice without that crap these days.

 

Had a guy kicked out of a restaurant one time before because of his nextel on speakerphone. I will walk out in a heartbeat and go somewhere else that wants my business and doesn't allow nonsense like that. Competition is great!

 

Sent from a little old Note 2

I really miss PTT at work. I can chirp my driver to see where my delivery is. I can chirp my boss and ask him a quick question. To me ptt was great for short conversations. Now I have to call listen to the phone ring, hope that someone answers, if not leave a message, and hope that they call back. Just takes too long when most of the time I only need to ask one or two questions.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

I actually agree with both view points.

 

Using NEXTEL phone at work was great for the reasons mentioned above.

 

It was also a PITA when people used it in inappropriate ways.

 

KCT - "No Matter Where You Go, There You Are!"

 

 

[ericdabbs]

I love Hesse and I love the $10 additional charge for Nextel customers. If clients are willing to hang on to the iDEN network until the bitter end, then why not charge them more and increase the ARPU. Its not like there are that many other choices out there.

 

He is bullying the Nextel customers to switch over to CDMA PTT faster or just kick them off of the iDEN network. Ideally I think Sprint would like to get rid of all Nextel customers by May so it gives them 1-2 months head start to rip apart all iDEN equipment and decommissioning all iDEN sites as well as preparing to get ready for 800 MHz CDMA/LTE launch hopefully by end of 2013 Q3 launch. I just hope most of the Nextel customers will finally convert in Q1 2013 to Sprint CDMA so that it will help Sprint's network overall.

[Rocket87]

I love getting cussed out by old people, which has been happening alot since they sent letters about the 10 bucks. Some people understand and take the .99 phone on sprint others flip out. One was so pissed he said he was done with sprint and was going prepaid. He walked out with a boost phone. Which pays better than if he upgraded to sprint since its considered a new activation so it worked out in the end lol

 

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[koiulpoi]

I work for sprint, its real. Customers began getting letters in the mail this month about the additional fee. Only major corporate accounts that use Nextel are not effected. Customers can choose from any of the current "NEW"" Sprint Direct Connect models to upgrade to for .99 cents. There are also select smart phones available to them for .99 cents also, Evo LTE, GS2, Blackerry Bold, and the Apple iPhone 4S 16GB for $49.99.

This, exactly. They're actually rather good deals (I'd take an EVO LTE for a buck). Of course, the $0.99 pricing requires a new 2-year agreement with Sprint...

 

There are also occasionally offers that are different for Corporate Liable subscribers. And Care can sometimes offer different offers as well, including shortened or no-contract options.

 

Yes/no, who really cares? PTT is largely passé. The industry and society have moved on.

 

AJ

In my opinion, widespread use of SMS killed PTT. It's the same speed and ease of use, without the annoying CHIRP CHIRP YEP WHAT'S UP ASSHOLE HEY IM AT WALMART BUYIN SOCKS

(real conversation I overheard in the 90's or early aughts)

 

Again, you're confusing IDEN with PTT. Sprint does need the big corporate accounts and FEMA that has PTT. Otherwise you would not have QChat on the Sprint network. PTT over LTE is an option once you deploy that 800 MHz spectrum anyway. You need to have Network Vision complete first.

 

One of the current big advantages of the current incarnation of QChat is that it functions over 1x, even while Roaming. This gives Sprint an absolutely massive coverage map for near-instant PTT. Switching to PTT-Over-LTE wouldn't really offer much in the way of improvements (unless being IP-switched somehow gives lower latency), and would reduce their coverage area.

 

I love getting cussed out by old people, which has been happening alot since they sent letters about the 10 bucks. Some people understand and take the .99 phone on sprint others flip out. One was so pissed he said he was done with sprint and was going prepaid. He walked out with a boost phone. Which pays better than if he upgraded to sprint since its considered a new activation so it worked out in the end lol

 

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 2

I've actually had quite a few people say "Welp, they're gonna start charging me an extra $10... might as well make the switch, finally. No point hanging on now."

 

One gentleman was... rather angry and rude about it. We sold him a phone.

[Fraydog]

In my opinion, widespread use of SMS killed PTT. It's the same speed and ease of use, without the annoying CHIRP CHIRP YEP WHAT'S UP ASSHOLE HEY IM AT WALMART BUYIN SOCKS

(real conversation I overheard in the 90's or early aughts)

 

One of the current big advantages of the current incarnation of QChat is that it functions over 1x, even while Roaming. This gives Sprint an absolutely massive coverage map for near-instant PTT. Switching to PTT-Over-LTE wouldn't really offer much in the way of improvements (unless being IP-switched somehow gives lower latency), and would reduce their coverage area.

 

 

I was never defending the Boost Mobile garbage, which hurt PTT for serious business uses because it overloaded the Nextel Platform. QChat can be adapted for LTE, and it's already a VoIP platform. What would LTE help? Obviously, it would lower latency below the range it's on for TDMA-based IDEN, which CDMA 1X Advanced PTT doesn't help.

[koiulpoi]

 

 

I was never defending the Boost Mobile garbage, which hurt PTT for serious business uses because it overloaded the Nextel Platform. QChat can be adapted for LTE, and it's already a VoIP platform. What would LTE help? Obviously, it would lower latency below the range it's on for TDMA-based IDEN, which CDMA 1X Advanced PTT doesn't help.

erm, sorry, when did I mention Boost Mobile?

[halcyoncmdr]

A better idea would be to offer them free Motorola Admirals.

 

All iDEN subs currently have retail store offers for ~5 different models at $0.99 each. The Admiral is in there, as well as the Galaxy S2. If you can't afford a 99 cent phone with an upgrade, you are sub-prime and probably cost Sprint more than you pay (likely late payments to begin with).

 

An a semi-related note. Starting early next year, Service and Repair stores will stop having anything to do with repairing or replacing iDEN devices either. Your i576 screen is white? Go through Motorola directly or buy a new phone.