Originally posted by Matt_H:
Sprint PCS has had PTT for almost a year now, why would they buy nextel for that when they already have it?
I did not know that... The article I read on the purchase didn't say Sprint had PTT already. They did mention that Sprint would combine the PTT features of Nextel with their PCS Vision or whatever they call their mobile entertainment by the end of 2006. In that case I guess they just wanted Nextels network then. Maybe they wanted the business customers 
From what the article I read said, all Nextel customers will need a new phone at some point which makes it seem like current Sprint customers can keep their phone.
I read before that Nextel uses Motorola's IDEN (806MHz-821MHz Tx / 851MHz-866MHz Rx ESMR band) communication method, which is the same as higher end 2-ways (like police/fire/military), but uses GSM (850 Mhz cellular band) to transmit voice calls. Sprint uses CDMA 1900MHz (PCS band).
If that article was correct about Sprint wanting all Nextel customers to merge to their network... that's gonna mean a complete overhaul of one of the networks, probly Nextel's since it's smaller.
Read this about Nextel interfering with public safety radios which would have to have been taken care of soon anyway.
EDIT: just to note, these are frequencies used by leading cellular companies:
T-Mobile: 1900MHz PCS GSM
Cingular: 850MHz Cellular / 1900MHz PCS GSM
Sprint: 1900MHz PCS CDMA
Verizon: 850MHz Cellular CDMA
US Cellular: 850MHz Cellular TDMA
"PCS" is just a name for the 1800/1900MHz band.
Last edited by Kane; 12/16/04 03:45 AM.
