OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sprint today announced the launch of International Direct Connect℠ on Sprint Direct Connect, Sprint’s broadband push-to-talk service on its CDMA network. Initially, users can directly connect – at the press of a button – to iDEN international push-to-talk users in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile. Sprint Direct Connect users can make dialed phone calls to anywhere in the world.
Pricing for International Direct Connect, is simple, and includes an optional $10 per month unlimited international push-to-talk calling plan. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/sprintdirectconnect.
“International Direct Connect is very important to a core group of our Sprint Direct Connect customer base,” said Uday Patel, director-Business Marketing. “Providing them with broadband voice and data capabilities and, now, international push-to-talk, expands their business and communication opportunities exponentially.”
Sprint’s history of push-to-talk leadership has proven to change the game for business customers in industries such as health care, manufacturing, and transportation that need reliable instant access. Now with Sprint Direct Connect, instant access extends to customers seeking to reach across U.S. borders to businesses, friends and family.
International Sprint Direct Connect marks a major push-to-talk milestone for Sprint. With more than 18 years of expertise, Sprint is the industry leader in push-to-talk. Last year, Sprint launched Sprint Direct Connect – the industry’s next generation of push-to-talk service – on its broadband CDMA network. Sprint Direct Connect comes packed with broadband data capabilities, familiar push-to-talk features, rugged and reliable handsets, and a broadening push-to-talk coverage map expected during 2012.
Over the past six months, Sprint has announced four rugged Sprint Direct Connect handsets catering to push-to-talk users: Kyocera DuraMax, Kyocera DuraCore, Kyocera DuraPlus and the Motorola Admiral™.
Sprint Direct Connect is powered by Sprint’s 3G data network and enhanced push-to-talk platform. Broadband speeds enable customers to experience the latest in technology applications, such as enterprise business productivity applications, social and multimedia support, and even advanced push-to-X capabilities in the future.
“Our Sprint Direct Connect customers have sought broadband capabilities on a push-to-talk phone for years, and Sprint has delivered,” Patel said. “We saw steadily increasing demand for faster data speeds, better and broader coverage, and more applications on push-to-talk devices. Sprint Direct Connect is designed to solve for all three.”
About Sprint Direct Connect
Sprint Direct Connect is a portfolio of push-to-talk services that allow individuals and groups to get more done – quickly and easily with just the push of a button. Among the initial Sprint Direct Connect services:
- Sprint Direct Connect – Instant, one-to-one push-to-talk calling nationwide on the Sprint network, with any other Direct Connect subscriber. Direct Connect is the core push-to-talk feature and is designed for interoperability across Sprint and Nextel network platforms.
- Guaranteed Talk Permit – The assurance that when you hear the push-to-talk “chirp,” your call was successfully transmitted.
- Call Alert with Text – Send an audio alert with an optional text message to let another Direct Connect subscriber know you are trying to reach them, and why.
- Group Connect® – Communicate with up to 20 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers all at once – nationwide, at the push of one button.
- TeamDCSM – Communicate with up to 200 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers at the same time nationwide.
- NextMail® – Send a recorded message to any email worldwide or mobile handset via text message by using the Direct Connect button.
- Availability Notification – Request the availability status of another push-to-talk member and, if they are busy, request a notification when they are free.
- One-Touch Direct Connect – Allows quick access to multiple Direct Connect options.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 56 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.