Andy Rimkus

Just to prove that everything old is new again, a 75-year-old speech technology is headed for hot competition among network operators. Now with wide-ranging connectivity, it seems a limitless opportunity for applications lies ahead. Nextel's well-documented push-to-talk (PTT) hegemony with its Direct Connect service is about to come to an end. Its heretofore unique one-to-one and one-to-many long range "walkie talkie" feature is being targeted for its first real competition. Within each network operator's packet network rollout are the building blocks of highly competitive, PTT-like offerings based on interoperable IP standards. With the advantages of broader geographic coverage, further-reaching international roaming agreements, a more diverse portfolio of consumer-friendly handsets, and the inherent benefits of nonproprietary data networks, nearly every major wi... (more)