The NEXTEL 800/900 iDEN TDMA system should continue running through 2010. In my market NEXTEL sites are still being built and the 800/900 footprint is expanding. You'll probably go through 2 or 3 phones before that network is gone. I carry the NEXTEL i-355, meets the mil stds for drop/water/salt fog, good battery life and off network comms if the system crashes (to another similar handset). Off net works about a mile in heavily treed suburban setting. Obviously only useful if you and your family/group have similarly equipped phones.

Try to verify coverage in your area prior to getting on anyones system, if you have a friend with a phone on the system you're thinking of switching to you can verify solid coverage where you spend most of your time. In my area Verizon has the best overall coverage but the worst customer service (ruins the hard work of the network folks), NEXTELs not too bad, T-MOB, Cingular, and Sprint are spotty but aggressivly building.

Nextel IDEN network after 2010 will be bought out by Gov't to use it exclusively for their comm. Sprint is planning (out already) to intigrate their push to talk service with IDEN network so both services are compatibile (not out yet) and than slowly switch customers to their own network so when gov't takes over you will get no service interuption. In theory it sounds ok. I had i355 mentioned in the above post and it is an outstanding phone even if on the bigger side.

MFD313, you're referring to Nextel's DirectTalk service, right? Just checking because I posted a request for feedback on it 2-3 months back but didn't really get any actual user feedback then. You would be the first.

A mile in a heavily wooded suburban setting, huh? I guess that's about as good as FRS would perform in a similar setting, without the problem of cross-talk from other users, plus a low likelihood of eavesdropping of the digital DirectTalk signal compared to FRS/GMRS/HAM comms.

Arney:

Yup, the DirecTalk. Didn't see your earlier post or would have advised, only had the phones for a few weeks....

There are something like 10 "channels" with about 15 "privacy codes" plus the ability to monitor in "open" squelch on each channel. Maybe 10 spread spectrum center freqs with 15 spreading codes, not sure. There is also the ability to selectivly call another unit by its PTN or phone number. The manual indicated that this is a private, non monitorable call-implying that a unit monitoring in "open" squelch could not hear the comms. I've yet to test this, just got the third unit yesterday. When I get all 3 together I'll make a selcall and see if the other unit is able to hear it. FRS-ish range is a fair comparison.

Matt:

That's what I heard, the ideas been banging around for a while, originally it was to construct an entirely seperate network, then came Sprint, now a bit easier...

possibly more important than model is covera ge and can you keep it powered?

Check out charge2go a unit that uses an AA battery to charge a phone and the Sidewinder, a small hand crank phone charger. ( each is about $25)

Teacher RO