Question

[krisnicjohn]

Hi! If anyone could help me out with this, that would be great!

I have been with Sprint/Nextel for 9 years and subscribe to the $99 Simply Everything plan. I currently have an 8350i so that I may also utilize the Direct Connect feature. Since it seems the consensus is there are no new Nextel Blackberries being released in the new future, I have decided to upgrade to one of the still-to-be-released new Sprint Blackberries. (I have been eligible for an upgrade since August 2010.) However, I would like to still have some sort of phone with the DC feature that I may use as well. I am assuming I will need to maybe add a line to my account and pay for that line. I would like to keep my current phone number for the new Sprint Blackberry, and keep the current DC number for the DC phone.

What is the easiest, least expensive way to do this? Thanks in advance for any assistance!

[Ferretling]

Will or does the DC work on a non-IDen network? Because I thought they were going to be phasing that out?

[krisnicjohn]

No, I don't think it will work on a non-iden network. However, I was under the impression that the phase-out wasn't going to be happening for a few years. Although, I'm not for sure.

[lnichols]

iDen will be around for 3 more years unfortunately. Sprint signed an extension with Motorola for 3 more years of support for the network. Sprint should have had CDMA PTT deployed by now so that they could reuse the iDen Spectrum for something useful.

[archangel849]

I wonder what ever happened to that Ready Link service Sprint used to offer. It was similar to PTT. I remember using that service. It performed well.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Gawain]

The EV-DO standard supports "PTT" if the carrier has enabled it. I don't think Sprint supports PTT on devices like the 9650 Bold, whereas Verizon currently does. Since Sprint will be supporting the iDEN network for a couple/few more years, you have time to decide when to make your play, given that PTT from an EV-DO device would not map to an iDEN device. If you use the the feature a lot, you'll want to bear that in mind when/if you upgrade. If you don't use the "DirectConnect" feature, and I'm gathering from your OP that you don't, I probably wouldn't let that feature alone hinder your decision. I see the benefit in a fleet operations environment, but anywhere else...I just call them...

[bigbmc26]

Sprint still carries PTT Qchat devices. The Motorola v950e and the Sanyo Pro-700, both are on the website. Both have PTT over the EVDO network.

[krisnicjohn]

Thanks, everyone! I think my best bet is to add a line to my account and get a new DC number, and upgrade to a new Sprint BB with my current phone number. Hopefully not as expensive as it sounds!