Cingular is getting PTT!!

Maybe it's a good think with some technologies to wait to see if it works or go with a different solution, which it sounds like Cingular is checking out.

 

Verizon's Voip solution is working pretty darn good now, in fact most carriers will be looking toward a voip solution. With Cingular's multiple voice and data networks a circuit switched solution would make more sense for them. They can roll it out faster than a data based solution, however the future outlook for circuit based solutions is pretty slim because when you have 50 million customers network capacity is going to be a concern on any network.

 

Even if it is circuit switched, the thing is since PTT is not a dedicated connection which means it uses less network capacity than a regular phone call. PTT opens the voice channel for several seconds at a time. A regular phone call, on the other hand, uses the voice channel permanently until you end the call. Therefore, I don't see how it can impact the network negatively. In fact, widespread use of PTT could make network load lighter. Out of the 50 million people, those who normally place a regular phone call could start replacing those phone calls for PTT calls instead, therefore using less average network resources.

 

Nice idea in theory, but just about everything carriers do is to increase profits and minutes of use.

I don't think PTT will decrease a carriers minutes of use...If anything people will use the same amount of minutes, and add additional usage via PTT.

It would be interesting to see some real world numbers.

 

The new PTT system is going to run through UMTS, which is being deployed nationwide in the near future. Once UMTS is in place, the PTT network will fall into place.

Pritesh

 

According to my sources it has been tested on 2G GSM and it works quite nicely. So my guess is that it will be available on GSM first, then on UMTS.

 

I had heard they were testing it in the GA area for the last 6 months, I don't know if it's 100% true, but if so they only have 2G down there correct?