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Ironwalt · 10-17-2007, 3:55 PM

Sprint plans QChat walkie-talkies for 2008
Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:08pm EDT

By Sinead Carew

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is gearing up to sell as many as six new walkie-talkie style phones in early 2008 using Qualcomm Inc's (QCOM.O: Quote, Profile, Research) QChat technology, a Sprint handset executive said.

The third-largest U.S. mobile service provider is planning to phase out Nextel's walkie-talkie service, which had dominated the construction and transportation industries for years.

Sprint has been struggling to keep customers of Nextel's iDen walkie-talkie service, inherited from its 2005 purchase of Nextel Communications, so the success of QChat is crucial.

The company is currently testing QChat technology and hopes to kick-off the service with phones from Motorola Inc (MOT.N: Quote, Profile, Research), Samsung Electronics (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research), LG Electronics (066570.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) and Sanyo Electric (6764.T: Quote, Profile, Research), said Danny Bowman, Sprint's vice president for customer equipment.

"My expectation is I will have four to six different phones" in the first and second quarter of next year, Bowman said at a product launch meeting this week.

However, the transfer of subscribers from iDen to QChat, which will run on Sprint's CDMA wireless network, could take time as customers need to buy a new phone.

And because the first QChat phones will be based on a brand new technology they may cost more than some iDen customers are willing to pay, Bowman said.

But he said Sprint, which will continue to introduce new iDen phones during the transition period, is working with Qualcomm on pricing with an aim to offer QChat on all its new CDMA phones in 2009.

Sprint has promised to operate its iDen network through the end of 2012. Stanford Group analyst Michael Nelson said the sooner Sprint is able move customers from iDen, which has been having network problems, to CDMA, the easier it should be for the company to stem iDen customer defections.

"It is extremely important for the company to ease the integration of iDen and CDMA," he said. Sprint has said it lost about 337,000 valuable post-paid customers, who pay monthly bills, in the third quarter. Nelson said the majority of these losses likely came from iDen.

"QChat will hopefully help the company to transfer customers to CDMA from iDen ... as quickly as possible to be able to retain additional customers, to stop the bleeding," Nelson said.

~~RJB~~ · 10-20-2007, 3:44 PM

If Sprint can play its cards right then maybe just maybe things will come into play again.

SmArTeStChIlD421 · 10-21-2007, 10:42 AM

they're treading on thin ice but yes if you play your cards right it should work out...........and yes the price could end up being an issue but the fact that Sprint wants their whole lineup to be QChat capable by 2009 is good becuase then they can move anyone and everyone over from iDEN...........and get most of the sustomers off by 2012

~~RJB~~ · 10-25-2007, 9:37 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

they're treading on thin ice but yes if you play your cards right it should work out...........and yes the price could end up being an issue but the fact that Sprint wants their whole lineup to be QChat capable by 2009 is good becuase then they can move anyone and everyone over from iDEN...........and get most of the sustomers off by 2012

do you think having this will add bulk to the phones

SmArTeStChIlD421 · 10-25-2007, 10:03 PM

i wouldnt think so.......cuz QChat isnt really hardware its just software that uses standard EV-DO hardware......nothin special about that

Andy · 10-26-2007, 2:14 AM

This is interesting...Some people I know who use NEXTEL for their PTT have been talking a lot about this lately.

~~RJB~~ · 10-26-2007, 6:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy

This is interesting...Some people I know who use NEXTEL for their PTT have been talking a lot about this lately.

OH wow I hear the chirp all day long.

bartelsse · 12-22-2007, 4:00 AM

when is it suppose to come out I have heard January 08, Is there any truth to that?

10-17-2007, 3:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ironwalt Are you in my Circle? Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NLR, Arkansas Posts: 2,194 Phone(s): razr2 v9m, Cricket Broadband Provider(s): Alltel & Cricket Broadband Devices: Moto H500, Cricket Broadband Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Sprint plans QChat walkie-talkies for 2008 Sprint plans QChat walkie-talkies for 2008 Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:08pm EDT By Sinead Carew NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is gearing up to sell as many as six new walkie-talkie style phones in early 2008 using Qualcomm Inc's (QCOM.O: Quote, Profile, Research) QChat technology, a Sprint handset executive said. The third-largest U.S. mobile service provider is planning to phase out Nextel's walkie-talkie service, which had dominated the construction and transportation industries for years. Sprint has been struggling to keep customers of Nextel's iDen walkie-talkie service, inherited from its 2005 purchase of Nextel Communications, so the success of QChat is crucial. The company is currently testing QChat technology and hopes to kick-off the service with phones from Motorola Inc (MOT.N: Quote, Profile, Research), Samsung Electronics (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research), LG Electronics (066570.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) and Sanyo Electric (6764.T: Quote, Profile, Research), said Danny Bowman, Sprint's vice president for customer equipment. "My expectation is I will have four to six different phones" in the first and second quarter of next year, Bowman said at a product launch meeting this week. However, the transfer of subscribers from iDen to QChat, which will run on Sprint's CDMA wireless network, could take time as customers need to buy a new phone. And because the first QChat phones will be based on a brand new technology they may cost more than some iDen customers are willing to pay, Bowman said. But he said Sprint, which will continue to introduce new iDen phones during the transition period, is working with Qualcomm on pricing with an aim to offer QChat on all its new CDMA phones in 2009. Sprint has promised to operate its iDen network through the end of 2012. Stanford Group analyst Michael Nelson said the sooner Sprint is able move customers from iDen, which has been having network problems, to CDMA, the easier it should be for the company to stem iDen customer defections. "It is extremely important for the company to ease the integration of iDen and CDMA," he said. Sprint has said it lost about 337,000 valuable post-paid customers, who pay monthly bills, in the third quarter. Nelson said the majority of these losses likely came from iDen. "QChat will hopefully help the company to transfer customers to CDMA from iDen ... as quickly as possible to be able to retain additional customers, to stop the bleeding," Nelson said. __________________ Alltel user since 6/97

10-20-2007, 3:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
~~RJB~~ Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7,040 Thanks: 35 Thanked 13 Times in 13 Posts Images: 69	Re: Sprint plans QChat walkie-talkies for 2008 If Sprint can play its cards right then maybe just maybe things will come into play again.

10-21-2007, 10:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
SmArTeStChIlD421 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 3,639 Phone(s): Motorola RAZR V3m (Red) Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 4 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Sprint plans QChat walkie-talkies for 2008 they're treading on thin ice but yes if you play your cards right it should work out...........and yes the price could end up being an issue but the fact that Sprint wants their whole lineup to be QChat capable by 2009 is good becuase then they can move anyone and everyone over from iDEN...........and get most of the sustomers off by 2012

10-25-2007, 10:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
SmArTeStChIlD421 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 3,639 Phone(s): Motorola RAZR V3m (Red) Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 4 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Sprint plans QChat walkie-talkies for 2008 i wouldnt think so.......cuz QChat isnt really hardware its just software that uses standard EV-DO hardware......nothin special about that

10-26-2007, 2:14 AM	#6 (permalink)
Andy Join Date: May 2003 Location: Campione, Italy Posts: 10,285 Phone(s): HTC 6900 Touch, Motorola RAZR V3i Provider(s): VZW, Vodafone D2, Solomo, Swisscom Mobile Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Images: 130	Re: Sprint plans QChat walkie-talkies for 2008 This is interesting...Some people I know who use NEXTEL for their PTT have been talking a lot about this lately.

12-22-2007, 4:00 AM	#8 (permalink)
bartelsse Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 111 Phone(s): Motorola RAZR2 V9M Provider(s): Sprint for know the days are counting down quick Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint plans QChat walkie-talkies for 2008 when is it suppose to come out I have heard January 08, Is there any truth to that?

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