In a press release today, Sprint announced the successor for its push-to-talk (PTT) iDEN network, Sprint Direct Connect. Running on the company’s nationwide CDMA network, Direct Connect will offer users a larger coverage footprint, improved in-building coverage, and increased voice and data capacity. The new protocol will also add several new features, including 200 participant Direct Connect sessions, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) interoperability, and availability notifications. The company expects the move to increase the number of devices that incorporate the Direct Connect service — the press release specifies that an “Android smartphone” along with sets from Motorola and Kyocera are due in the near future. “During the nationwide implementation of Network Vision, Sprint expects to continue operating the iDEN network at current best-ever performance levels,” reads the press release. “As the customer base shifts to more broadband-centric push-to-talk applications on the CDMA network and Sprint launches Sprint Direct Connect, iDEN cell sites are expected to be phased out in 2013.” The Direct Connect service will launch later this year. The full press release is after the break.

Sprint Unveils New Gold Standard in Push-to-Talk

Planned 4Q launch of Sprint Direct Connect will offer increased push-to-talk coverage, more broadband data capabilities, new features – and more enhancements to come as Sprint Network Vision deploys

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), March 16, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced plans to expand its gold-standard push-to-talk leadership, unveiling fourth-quarter launch plans for next-generation push-to-talk capabilities powered by Sprint’s broadband CDMA network. As part of the launch, Sprint will offer an initial set of handsets packed with features designed for workgroups that rely on push-to-talk and establish a new push-to-talk brand – Sprint® Direct Connect®.

Sprint Direct Connect service is being built to deliver higher bandwidth capacity to keep up with customers’ demand for data. Sprint also is working to deliver enhanced applications on Sprint Direct Connect, best-ever in-building coverage and is planning to provide triple the square-mile reach of Sprint’s current push-to-talk service.

Sprint Direct Connect will launch with an initial portfolio of rugged devices from Motorola Mobility and Kyocera. The devices will feature most of the capabilities available on current Sprint push-to-talk phones, plus next-generation push-to-talk applications and functionality including high-speed data access, high-resolution cameras and Bluetooth®. The planned portfolio will include an ultra-rugged camera flip phone and an Android™ Smartphone with a touch screen and a QWERTY keyboard. In 2012, Sprint expects to deepen its push-to-talk portfolio, adding more devices with new form factors and features.

The devices are expected to enable group push-to-talk for up to 200 participants, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) interoperability, and availability notification. In early 2012, Sprint Direct Connect is expected to add more capabilities, including international push-to-talk.

Network Vision

Sprint Direct Connect service is a tangible benefit of Network Vision, Sprint’s blueprint to deploy a cost-effective and innovative network. Announced in December, Network Vision is expected to consolidate multiple network technologies into one seamless network resulting in enhanced coverage, quality and speed; better network flexibility; reduced operating costs; and improved environmental sustainability. The plan includes a complete upgrade of Sprint’s current wireless networks accompanied by changes in device chipsets and network infrastructure.

The benefits of Network Vision to Sprint’s PTT customers will be wide-ranging:

Better coverage and capacity

• Push-to-talk coverage footprint is planned to increase to nearly 2.7 million square miles and is expected to cover a population of 309 million (with the addition of 1xrtt and roaming coverage) – an increase from the iDEN network’s 908,370 square miles covering a population 278 million.
• In-building coverage is expected to improve significantly through investment in the most advanced CDMA technology and radio equipment.
• Voice and data capacity is expected to increase significantly as Sprint will be able to fully leverage its industry leading spectrum holdings in 800 MHz, 1.9 GHz, and – through its partnership with Clearwire – 2.5 GHz.

• More push-to-talk enabled devices including handsets, rugged devices, and PDAs that combine industry leading push-to-talk and mobile broadband data services over a larger coverage area.
• Enhanced features for push-to-talk users on the new CDMA platform.
• Interoperability with all existing Sprint push-to-talk devices.
• During the nationwide implementation of Network Vision, Sprint expects to continue operating the iDEN network at current best-ever performance levels. As the customer base shifts to more broadband-centric push-to-talk applications on the CDMA network and Sprint launches Sprint Direct Connect, iDEN cell sites are expected to be phased out in 2013.

“Our customers are asking for broadband push-to-talk now,” said Paget Alves, president-Sprint Business. “We’ve seen steadily increasing demand for faster data speeds, better and broader coverage, and more applications on push-to-talk devices. Sprint Direct Connect is designed to solve for all three, and is expected to come with sub-second push-to-talk call set-up time initially in Sprint CDMA RevA coverage areas. Sub-second call set up is expected to expand across the U.S. with the implementation of Network Vision.”

Alves added, “We believe the new push-to-talk service powered by a broadband network and featuring competitively priced rugged handsets and smart phones will represent an unmatched offering in the market.”

Sprint plans to identify customers who require custom push-to-talk solutions and assist with their migration to the CDMA network. The company also plans to engage partners in developing a robust portfolio of push-to-talk accessories and involve developers in the creation of new applications through its Sprint Gets Rugged application developers program. The program will provide information, support and tools needed to port developers’ applications to Sprint Direct Connect devices. More information on the Sprint Gets Rugged application developers program can be found at http://developer.sprint.com/SprintGetsRugged. Sprint will hold a conference on March 22 at the International CTIA WIRELESS® meeting in Orlando for developers who are interested.

With Sprint Direct Connect, Sprint expects:

HTC is circulating the above invite to members of the press taunting them to visit London on September 15th to see exactly what they’ve “dreamt up.” We’re secretly hoping that this will be the unveiling of the company’s first Windows Phone 7 handheld, but we have a feeling that it may be a little early for WP7 just yet; in that case this probably is a new Android device (hopefully not just for those folks who live across the pond). Rumored HTC devices on the table thus far are the Vanguard/Vision, Desire HD, Glacier, Schubert, and Mozart. Any guesses and/or preferences as to what HTC might have in store for us?

T-Mobile launched a teaser web page for a mystery HSPA+ handset yesterday, but conveniently failed to remove some clues that point to the identity of the handset. A quick scan of the source code for the webpage reveals references to the Vanguard, an alternative name for the G1 Blaze which is also known as the HTC Vision. The Vanguard/G1 Blaze/Vision is rumored to have a 3.7 inch display, 1GHz processor, HSPA+, side-sliding QWERTY keyboard, optical trackpad, and Android 2.1 or later. With up to a theoretical 21Mbps, does anyone find the HSPA+ G1 Blaze more compelling than the WiMAX-enabled Epic 4G?

[Via TmoNews]Read

Croatian blog njuskalo.hr has an image of what appears to be the HTC Vision; possibly one of HTC’s first high-end, full-QWERTY Android offerings. Details on the device are unconfirmed and extremely scarce, however njuskalo.hr sources indicate that the device has a 3.7″ touch-screen, 1 GHz processor and Android 2.1. From the image we can see a full-QWERTY slide-out keyboard (reminiscent of the Touch Pro 2), optical trackpad, and the units apparent use of a SIM card. We certainly could use more high-quality, full-QWERTY, Android offerings…so we hope this one makes its way out of the lab and onto the production line.

[Via Engadget]

Read

Here’s a great rumor to think about as we head into the weekend. Tweakers is reporting that the HTC Vision, a rumored Android smartphone we first learned about from Engadget, is in fact a variant of the Desire complete with a sliding QWERTY keypad. This information comes straight from the phone’s UAProfile, which is said to be identical to the Desire’s in every other way (i.e. a 3.7″ WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera and 1GHz processor). Whether or not it runs Android 2.1 or 2.2 is really the question of the day. Well, that and the the rumor the Vision is headed straight for T-Mobile. Whether that means T-Mobile in Europe or T-Mobile in the good ol’ US of A is the question…we’re dying to see solved ASAP.

Read [Engadget] Read [Tweakers]

Chock this one up to the rumor mill for the time being, but word on the street is that Sprint is getting set to increase data costs for new and old customers alike. According to the SprintUsers site, the carrier will be axing their current standalone Vision and Power Vision plans, which start at $15/month, in favor of mandatory Everything plans that begin at $69/month. Sure, the new plans include voice minutes, Sprint TV, GPS nav, and more, but for anyone that was signed up for a simple data-only plan, this will represent a significant cost hike. What’s worse, we’re hearing word that SERO subscribers could be affected, which means that anyone on the current $30 all-in plan could see another $39 on their bill starting next month. Yipes! Again, treat this with caution right now, but if Sprint starts forcibly migrating existing customers to a higher rate plan, we’re pretty sure some heads will roll.

Read

Just in time for the arrival of the Samsung Instinct, Sprint is preparing to unleash a new set of plans on an unsuspecting public. Starting June 15th, the carrier will be making a number of significant changes. The full rundown is detailed below, but expect new single-user lines starting at $39 for 450 minutes, no more free incoming plans, and the end of separate pricing structures for Sprint and Nextel handsets. The ever-exploitable SERO plan remains ripe for the picking, but will sadly not be compatible with the upcoming Instinct. Check out the full list of changes:

• There will no longer be separate CDMA (Sprint) and iDen (Nextel) plans
• Power Pack and Free Incoming plans are gonzo
• Users can mix and match CDMA and iDen on the same plans (before you had to have separate accounts)
• Single user lines start at 450 or 900 min for $39 and $59 respectively
• Talk/Message/Connect gives unlimited messaging and Direct Connect (Walkie Talkie) but no data – $49.99 for 450 minutes, $69.99 for 900 minute or $89.99 for unlimited.
• Everything Plans (include messaging and data) – $69 for 450 minutes, $89 for 900 minutes or $99 for unlimited minutes
• Unlimited plans include navigation, TV and Direct Connect
• Smartphone MUST be activated on a talk plan with a Vision Pro pack ($30) – or on an Everything plan
• Share plans (aka Talk Share) start at $69.99 for two lines with 700 minutes – add a phone is $9.99 per to a max of 5 total phones on the line
• The Talk/Message Share plans run $99.99 and $149.99 for 1500 and 3000 minutes and unlimited messaging, additional lines are also $9.99. Finally, the Talk/Message/Data Share plans run $129.99 or $169.99 for 1500 and 3000 minutes, unlimited messaging and data. Besides browsing, these plans include Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV and Sprint Radio. Additional lines can be added for $19.99 apiece.

Read