[Scan-DC] FW: Getting a feeling of who still uses Sprint Nextel directconnect.

[Shawn P. Stokes]

Alan, it's because they don't care about you.  Sat through a meeting with
some folks from Sprint and it was apparent that the PTT "solution" is a
half hearted attempt to offer something.  I think (my read of what I
heard) they would like to just drop it - the iDEN technology, while built
like a tank, is not what the majority of their users want and they
couldn't upgrade it to do what they needed to to compete with and the iDEN
spectrum was too valuable to have it sit there for a limited number of
users.  

I'm not a fan of Sprint, nothing personal but their coverage just never
impressed me - plus they had (have I think) a dead spot over our fire hall
- in the middle of Tysons Corner.  They did want to "fix" it by putting a
90 foot monopole on top of our 30 foot tall hose tower (which would have
been hideous if the County even let it happen), someday.  So they offered
to buy the air rights over the building for like $100 for an extended
period of time. We said no thanksŠŠ





On 5/6/13 2:05 AM, "Alan Henney" <alan at henney.com> wrote:

>
>Nextel's iDen push-to-talk network had been a Godsend... having to care
>for 
>an ailing mother who is often bedridden.
>
>She used her Motorola ic502 like a "call nurse" (call Alan) button.  It
>worked great for several years.
>
>Sprint was insistent that we move to the new network but we stalled.  The
>customer reviews on "dumb phones" with PTT on Sprint's own website are
>dismal.
>
>We eventually were given a pair of Kyocera Duracore phones and our bill
>increased for both phones per month to $79 (from $56!).  While the phone
>is 
>similar and in some cases an improvement of the ic502, the PTT has proven
>to 
>be unreliable... the whole reason we got this service.  It also sounds
>worse.
>
>Often the phones will not connect.  I have called Sprint customer
>service. 
>They always act surprised.  We turn the phones off, back on, update the
>"data profile."  By that point, the network usually works again.
>
>The industry has failed us.  In my world, PTT is as valuable or more
>valuable than text'ing.... yet PTT barely works within a carrier yet
>alone 
>across carriers.  Why is that?
>
>I have written several complaint letters to the Sprint CEO.  I feel they
>don't care about us.  The letters are passed around to Sprint employees
>who 
>call me back, pretend not to know exactly what the problem is, promise to
>call again.... then tell me it's the best deal in town, take it or leave
>it.
>
>______________________________________________________________
>Scan-DC mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/scan-dc
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html