Techs & Trends
What's the future of push-to-talk in the U.S.?
"Push-to-talk services are in the news again. Remember when they were the hottest topic in 2002 and 2003? Operators looking jealously at Nextel's high ARPU thought IP networks would finally allow them to compete. It turned out though that when Verizon launched the first competitive PTT service it couldn't compete on quality. Marketing of the service quickly faded. Cingular and Alltel have launched services using a solution from Kodiak, which uses a circuit-switched network that reduces latency problems. But PTT will probably run into the same adoption problems SMS and MMS faced early on in the U.S. because carriers aren't opening up their networks to interoperability. Sprint Nextel won't have an incentive for a long time to do so because it ...
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They bring up a good point about interoperability. I would think that the circuit-switched systems would have an easy go of it trying for interoperability, particularly if the systems from Alltel and Cingular are made by the same vendor. But operability between the CS and IP systems... I just don't think it would work out that well. I could see the IP systems working in their own world (in a manner of speaking) from the CS systems. Or maybe not, but I don't see as simple a solution as SMS interoperability.
I can hear the customer service calls now... "When I use PTT with my Verizon and Sprint buddies, it takes like three seconds to connect. But when I talk to my Cingular contacts, it goes right through." Yep, welcome to the world of ...
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I can hear the customer service calls now... "When I use PTT with my Verizon and Sprint buddies, it takes like three seconds to connect. But when I talk to my Cingular contacts, it goes right through." Yep, welcome to the world of ...
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I honestly don't think it will last another 5 years. What's the point unless it's off network DC. Also, Verizon has had it available on some of their phone midels for some time now. I personally have not sold it once. You get free M2M anyway. I see that Cingular has jumped on the bangwagon and added push to talk but I think it will flop. Who knows, I could be wrong. All I have to say is that it is unnecessary.
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I really think all the carriers have wasted alot of money trying to start up a ptt base. The only real ptt carrier is nextel. 17 million people have it, and if customers needed ptt, they got nextel years ago, and have no desire to switch. Personally, I dont know how cingulars doing with it, but I would imagine it would take them decades to grow a ptt sub base the size of nextel's. And their advertisments in the NY times drew more "I seriously doubt it" from people than "oh, that sounds attractive."
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PTT is dying. With Cingy (the only carrier at the store I manage) they are trying to get us to push it, and we are talking about it to a LOT of customers, but I have not gotten anyone to bite.
What good is it going to do, if you don't have anyone to PTT with? We have had the same three PTT phones sitting in our storage closet for months now. I really don't think they are going anywhere, because the phone (Samsung D357) is a nice phone, but nothing special. Unless you really, really want PTT, as a customer, you are not going to interested in that handset.
What good is it going to do, if you don't have anyone to PTT with? We have had the same three PTT phones sitting in our storage closet for months now. I really don't think they are going anywhere, because the phone (Samsung D357) is a nice phone, but nothing special. Unless you really, really want PTT, as a customer, you are not going to interested in that handset.
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the company I work for is trying to launch a PTT feature using the same Kodiak as Cingy. That has a bunch of capability like the call waiting etc on the PTT cal. But the only reason I can see to have PTT is if you need to talk to a group of folks at the same time and 3-way call doesn't do more than 3. It wuld be much better if the companys can get inter-operability. then folks would use it where ever. But even faster connect times and extra features arent going to bring folks over if they've already got PTT with their company.
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I HAD THE VERIZON PTT WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. IT WAS SLOW COMPARED TO NEXTEL. I EVENTUALLY GOT RID OF IT, AND WENT BACK TO A REGULAR PHONE. I WOULDN'T GET PTT UNTIL YOU CAN TALK TO NEXTEL AND THE OTHER PTT SERVICES, IF THEY ALL LINK UP THEN I'LL GET IT AGAIN!!! I REALLY THINK IT WOULD TAKE OFF FOR ALL SERVICES, I KNOW ALOT OF NEXTEL SUBS, BUT THERE PHONE SERVICE SUCKS, I WOULD NEVER SWITCH FROM VERIZON. I HAD CINGULAR AND SPRINT AND NEXTEL. NOTHING COMPARES TO VERIZON IN MY OPINION. SPRINT IS THE WORST OF THEM ALL !!!!!
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ptt will forever remain popular to business and construction works. cingular will attract those who need the added coverage behind ptt. unnecessary? try carring a brick in each hand and answering the phone WITH both bricks in hand. a solution givin to business, truckers, and construction works has been taken over by your ordinary everydayer. that part i do believe is unnecessary..........but will it every go away?.....NO! because pretty soon you'll be able to do more with that button once used just to talk. such as sending pictures, ringtones, and text. after sprint absorbs nextel the market will be open. people will want to explore and cingular and who everelse by then will say HEY we to have ptt wanna try it? then word will spread just as ...
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You pointed out one real important factor - businesses. However, Nextel has those badass ruggedized Motos - which fits the "working man" model much better - and Cingular doesn't. Plus, Cingular doesn't yet have a PTT service that is JUST PTT, whereas Nextel does. That's important when you want to keep your workers/kids from making personal calls.
Personally, Cingular's PTT seems just as good, if not better than Nextel's, but for those key points.
Man, I would kill for a ruggedized GSM phone...
Personally, Cingular's PTT seems just as good, if not better than Nextel's, but for those key points.
Man, I would kill for a ruggedized GSM phone...
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What the hell is the point of push to talk? I've never understood why it matters whether you dial them or beep them. Either way, if they're there, they'll pick up. If they aren't, the won't. I'm not sure why everyone makes such a big deal out of it, it seems stupid
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For those who need/want it, it's a good little thing to have. I wouldn't have it because I don't need it right now.
If I find myself working in a CO, or out in the field (which may be soon), it's great for short-duration, simplex communication. Think of it as SMS, but more convenient and natural.
If I find myself working in a CO, or out in the field (which may be soon), it's great for short-duration, simplex communication. Think of it as SMS, but more convenient and natural.
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