Sprint to replace Nextel technology later this year

[k5jm]

And you may ask "so?" Well, the WDW resort runs on the Nextel Direct connect (Push-to-Talk) environment. This means a couple of things. First, that the entire radio fleet at WDW will have to be changed to new radios and secondly, there will be AMAZING Sprint coverage at the WDW resort.

WDW sold their frequencies for its private radio systems several years ago and in exchange, Nextel (now Sprint) gave them a sweetheart deal on two-way radio service. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Sprint Announces Successor to iDEN-Based PTT

posted 3/16/2011, 11:13 AM by Eric M. Zeman

Sprint today announced Sprint Direct Connect, a new CDMA-based push-to-talk technology that will replace the aging iDEN-based PTT system that Sprint has used for years, as well as the Qualcomm-derived QChat system. (Sprint recently stopped selling QChat phones entirely and also decreased the number of iDEN phones it sells to just 8). Sprint Direct Connect, which is set to launch by the end of the year, will carry forward most of the features available via today's PTT services, but will add a number of new ones, including group PTT with up to 200 participants, Land Mobile Radio interoperability, and presence notifications. Sprint Direct Connect will first launch on rugged handhelds from Motorola and Kyocera, and Sprint says they will support "high-speed data, high-resolution cameras, and Bluetooth." Two of the first handsets will be an Android smartphone with a touch screen and QWERTY keyboard, as well as a rugged flip phone. Sprint indicated that this new technology, which wasn't described, is being made possible by its Network Vision improvements, and will make use of 800MHz, 1900MHz, and 2.5GHz spectrum. Sprint says the footprint of this new PTT system will be three times bigger than that of its current iDEN system, covering 2.7 million square miles and 309 million POPs. Sprint said the new system will be interoperable with all its existing PTT devices. Sprint will launch a program later this year to help customers of its iDEN PTT phones transition to the new CDMA-based Sprint Direct Connect technology.

 

[jcb]

WDW sold their frequencies for its private radio systems several years ago . . .

I suppose this explains why my PRO-92 500-Channel Portable Trunking Scanner is virtually worthless at WDW.

 

[k5jm]

I suppose this explains why my PRO-92 500-Channel Portable Trunking Scanner is virtually worthless at WDW.

Neither does my Pro-163 But the Sprint announcement did say their new "Direct Connect" service can interface into current "Land/Mobile" systems.

 

[jcb]

That would be nice. I got tired of listening to what was probably Swan/Dolphin security.

I'm surprised you don't need a digital scanner. I wouldn't except that the Park Service (here at least) went to digital a few years ago. I miss hearing all the summer rescues in the Smokies.

 

[k5jm]

That would be nice. I got tired of listening to what was probably Swan/Dolphin security.

I'm surprised you don't need a digital scanner. I wouldn't except that the Park Service (here at least) went to digital a few years ago. I miss hearing all the summer rescues in the Smokies.

Jack, I have not 1, but 3 digital scanners and a p25 Service Monitor, plus various other Big M and GE radios. I've worked in the radio world for a while.

 

[jcb]

Jack, I have not 1, but 3 digital scanners and a p25 Service Monitor, plus various other Big M and GE radios. I've worked in the radio world for a while.

My faith is restored.

 

[OKW Lover]

Mike,
Had any luck (recently) listening in at WDW?

 

[k5jm]

None, Jeff. I can listen to Reedy creek, Orange Co, and Orlando. But no WDW. Not to much on DCL either since the crew went to using wave phones.

 

[OKW Lover]

That's what I thought. I had been considering looking for a scanner at Dayton, but it doesn't seem like its worthwhile any more.