Nextel: Trying to become a consumer provider?

[erub]

In the process of thumbing thru the sports page, I saw a new Nextel ad a couple days ago. The Nextel Get Right Through 5000 plan. For $50 a month, you get 500 anytime (additional at 35 cents/min), 2000 nights/weekend minutes, and 2500 direct connect minutes. Long distance is an extra 15 cents/min. But some thing that ppl on this board will like is that nights start at 8 pm and last until 6:59 AM. The standard Call Waiting, Caller ID, 3 way calling and voice mail are also included. Now the 2500 direct connect minutes are useless to me, as my friends have Cingular, Sprint, AT&T - only one guy I know whose family also uses Nextel has a Nextel phone. There seem to be a few downside though: no analog roaming, and the phones aren't as cool as the ones offered my the major providers (downloadable rings, anyone?) . But I've heard Nextel has a great, high capacity network that they are rapidly expanding, so this might be appealing to some. Well, more competition is always welcome in my book

[erub]

Also thumbing thru their website, they have a Nextel Traveler plan also for $50/month. Free long distance, with 400 anytime and 4500 nights and weekend (and 100 direct connect minutes). Interesting...

[BillyBob]

<< But I've heard Nextel has a great, high capacity network that they are rapidly expanding, so this might be appealing to some. Well, more competition is always welcome in my book >>



Nextel coverage is excellent or non-existent. Their technical quality is excellent based on my former experience. But the two way radio doesn't mean anything unless you are in a business where everyone uses it. I also found the radio would drop out frequently after 3-4 minutes of talking (Houston area). Nextel is partly owned my Motorola.

For me their lack of breadth of coverage was a serious fault, but they have filled in many of the holes that used to be missing (College Station and Corpus Christi). However, just try to drive up 59 in East Texas or between Houston and Waco on Highway 6 with Nextel.

Bob

[bambam]

It does seem like they are going for the consumer angle but they just can't seem to get in gear like Voicestream and Verizon have. I don't care much for their phone system and really think their strength is in the radio &quot; direct connect &quot; feature .

[bpvette]

If you are not going to use the radio, Nextel may not be your best choice. However, I see a bunch of people running around with those little walkie talkie things AND a cell phone. You could get you and your wife a Nextel phone that does both for a pretty good price.

Oh yeah, they do have the new I90c phone that is about the size of a Timeport/Startac that has midi rings AND software (games calculators O/S etc) that is downloadable over the AIRWAVES !!!