Sprint Strikes First, Strikes Hard with Rugged Sonim Phone

Even though I'm still a bit skeptical of Sprint Direct Connect so far, (too many postings & real-world negative comments about the performance & coverage of SDC, incl where I work, which has begun switching to SDC from Nextel, with discouraging results so far), I am VERY happy to see Sprint bring out this phone in their SDC lineup, it is definitely a positive step. It gives me a bit of hope that Sprint is serious about maintaining PTT leadership and they might still be able to whip the SDC network into shape quickly enough to maintain their PTT leadership and retain the last few million of us long-time Nextel customers..

On a side note, has anyone else noticed that AT&T has purchsed "top listing" sponsored link for "PTT" with Google? No matter if I type "Sprint PTT" or "Verizon PTT" or "Nextel PTT", the list is topped by AT&T's sponsored PTT link. Even when I type "Sprint Direct Connect" into Google search, AT&T's PTT link is second on the list, immediately below Sprint's. I would have thought at this critical juncture as Nextel winds down, Sprint itself would have bid highest for the top sponsored link for anyone searching on at least "Sprint PTT" and "Nextel PTT". Also, I noticed on one of the home-construction websites online (JLC), about three of the four times I've visited in the past month or so, there was always an ad for ATT's new "EPTT" (Enhanced PTT over LTE), never did I see an ad there for SDC or Verizon PTT. So it seems that AT&T is being the most aggressive right now in courting the departing Nextel customer base.

I'm really glad Sprint has stepped up their PTT game with the addition of the Sonim XP Strike ultra-rugged phone...hopefully a harbinger of some more positive SDC performance to come.