Sprint plans for end of Nextel push-to-talk

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Think back a few years to when Nextel's chirp was king.

(Chirp.) Right, 2005, lots of construction. Work sites sound like bird sanctuaries. All those Nextel push-to-talk phones chirping back and forth.

(Chirp.) And Sprint was merging with Nextel Partners, making that chirp its own.

(Chirp.) This spring seems quieter.

(Chirp.) Got that right. Companies have been dropping off. Now Sprint is ready to unplug the Nextel network. Last day is about a year away.

News of Nextel's shutdown date, delivered last month, has thrust 5.4 million Sprint customers into the market for new phones.

Most carry those walkie-talkie Nextel devices on the job. Others have Sprint's Boost Mobile month-to-month wireless service and the push-to-talk feature.

They're like fresh meat in a lion cage, given the wireless industry's fierce battle for subscribers.

Sprint Nextel Corp., based in Overland Park, Kan., is busily pitching its new version of push-to-talk service called Direct Connect, which runs on the Sprint network. It makes the same sub-second instant voice connection between not only Direct Connect phones but also with the Nextel phones still circulating.

Account reps come knocking with 99-cent phones and service credits to “buy back” the Nextel phones that won't work after June 30, 2013. Just sign the new contract.

Verizon Wireless and AT&T both offer push-to-talk devices, though AT&T declined to comment for this report.

“We are definitely interested in talking to former Nextel customers . and we are actively doing that,” Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Hill said.

Then there is Seattle-based Twisted Pair Solutions Inc. It's got an app for push-to-talk communication on any mobile device connected to any data service.

Wave Connections, the application, is free for consumers who then can invite up to four friends to make a group. Businesses can link their employees' phones with the app at $15 a month for each phone beyond the five freebies,