Sprint’s (S) iDEN network will finally be laid to rest next summer and AT&T (T) is seemingly taking aim at the stragglers as it prepares to launch its new enhanced Push-to-talk service. FierceWireless on Monday reported that AT&T will launch the enhanced PTT service, which will provide walkie talkie-like features on AT&T smartphones that support it, across the country in November. The service will utilize voice over IP (VoIP) technology and will cost about $30 per month according to an unnamed source speaking with the site.
“AT&T Enhanced Push-to-Talk is a Voice-over-IP solution,” AT&T spokesperson Mari Melguizo told FierceWireless. “Using AT&T’s IP data network as the backbone for the solution we’re trialing will provide faster connection times and better quality of service. Kodiak’s InstaPoC technology is an advanced PTT service that achieves sub-second call setup times without requiring customization on radio access networks (RANs) or underlying cellular networks.”
The report states that AT&T’s new enhanced PTT service will be compatible with six devices at launch including Android smartphones and BlackBerry handsets, and it will eventually work on tablets, notebook computers and in-vehicle devices as well.
