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Sprint drops PTT over EV-DO Rev. A
Sprint Nextel said it will no longer offer new CDMA EV-DO Rev. A devices that feature push-to-talk capability, known as QChat, but will instead refocus its efforts on PTT phones using the company's iDEN network.
Sprint's original plan was to transition its iDEN users onto its CDMA network and eventually phase out the iDEN network. But last year the company announced it would keep the network. Since then it has been working to improve the network's quality and has launched new iDEN devices.
"Sprint will continue to support its existing QChat customer base to ensure their needs are met. However, at this time there are no new QChat handsets on the product development road map," Sprint spokesman Scott Sloat told FierceWireless.
Sprint first launched QChat devices in 2008, a move that allowed it to offer push-to-talk services over its EV-DO Rev. A network. The QChat phones included a range of new features, including a repeating alert and group chat function that connected up to 20 users at once. But the big bonus was the notion of incorporating PTT with other services such as social networking, video text messaging and more, what is known as push-to-x since the technology is capable of transmitting both voice and data simultaneously.
Sprint reportedly has a U.S. exclusive on the QChat technology, which Qualcomm developed. It's unclear how Qualcomm might proceed with it in the U.S. Qualcomm has indicated it will continue to support Sprint's QChat customers and also work to expand its QChat business domestically and internationally to work with "multiple 3G operators moving forward."
"Qualcomm continues to innovate and invest in QChat, an air interface agnostic platform currently optimized for both WCDMA and EV-DO Rev. A," Vishal Gupta, Qualcomm's vice president of North American sales, said in a statement. "We expect to launch QChat internationally in the coming year but cannot yet disclose which operators."
For more:
- read this FierceWireless article
- see this PhoneNews.com post
Related articles:
Sprint to keep iDEN network
Sprint adds 4 new PTT phones
Will QChat Save Sprint?
Qualcomm-Broadcom spat slows Sprint's QChat
QChat exec talks next-gen PTT
Comments
Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2009 - 10:47am
Wow another failed science project from Sprint? Add this to the ever growing list since the late 90's. What Sprint technical program has actually worked and been deployed in the last 10 years? Fiber optics and the pin drop quality may have been the last effective strategy - and they totally gave that one away to Verizon! A bet against whatever technology Sprint is pursuing is the best one possible.
Posted by Anonymous | December 4, 2009 - 2:04pm
now are we talking about the same guy who run's a web site called askvg? working for Qualcomm's North American sales? aka a vice president? i just wanted to know the answer thanks for your time.
Posted by Anonymous | December 5, 2009 - 5:18am
It's stupendous (or should I say Stupidendous)how the lack of vision that the Kansas City Cowards, aka, senior management and the parade of incompetent and overpaid CEO's has taken this company, the stockholders, and the employees further and further down the rabbit hole. The "worst CEO ever", aka, Gary Forsee, who was responsible for this made in hell mismatch of CDMA and iDEN, laughs from behind his do nothing desk as the President of the University of Missouri (drawing 500 large) along with his multimillion dollar golden parachute and Dan Hesse, another overpaid executive fop, makes self aggrandizing commercials from the back of his town car as S circles the drain.
Posted by Anonymous | December 5, 2009 - 9:30pm
DAN HESSE IS AN OVERPAID CEO? THEY CUT HIS PAY IN 2008. WHERE DO THEY COME UP WITH THIS STUFF? AT&T AND VERIZONS ARE WELL PAID TOO. I GUESS THE TACTICS THEY ARE USING TO GET A CUSTOMER HAS PAID OFF.
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