Push to talk??

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Reckless

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#2659 1-Nov-2004 15:29

Anyone used this ay overseas?

It makes your phone like a walkie talkie I think!

If you can just push a button and talk to another Push 2 Talk enabled persons mobile surely Telecom would charge the same or similar to a mobile call.

Seems like a good thing not to have to dial but cant see it replacing quick chat

Anyone know anymore about it??

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BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

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#9752 1-Nov-2004 16:50

There are two implementations: one is network based, other is a program on your smartphone that will record a message and send it over the data network (CDMA or GPRS). The second includes some latency, and will be charged over your data connection. Some programs include a contact list, like an instant messenger.

In general this is used by groups - Telecom is more than likely to charge a fee based on number of messages, volume or group usage. For example for builders working on the same site this is very handy. Or families. Vodafone is working on this for their GPRS and soon 3G network, as well as Telecom.

Reckless

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#9770 2-Nov-2004 00:00

So it is conference calling.

I'm in construction/Project management and see how this would be usful on accasion. But all the subbies would have to be on telecom (alot of my subbies are 021) and have push 2 talk phones I suppose. A big ask at least in the near future!! Also I can't see telecom letting 3 or 4 people have a chat at the same time without charging 3 or 4 times a std mobile call. Even one on one can't see it costing less than a std mobile call? Can you!

O'k If you were a big construction firm like Fletcher construction and could co-ordinate ur hardware and provider.

So I'll not put it ahead of a phone that had push to talk over say FM radio or mp3 player or blue tooth etc.

I guess quick chat will still have to be the best communicator for the smallest cost. hehe you can get alot of info over in 15 secs if your organised

freitasm

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#9774 2-Nov-2004 07:46

It's and it's not... You can send messages to individuals or to groups. It's not a conference call because only one person can speak at a time (hence the push-to-talk or PTT button).

paradoxsm

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#9792 2-Nov-2004 11:31

I'm finding very useful, Sending voice messages over MMS on Vodafone. beats quickchat although not quite as fast. Also it's just an mms so it's stored until deletion.

kinda like PTT but obviously a bit slower, about 2 minutes for them to get the recording.
I managed to fit 2 minutes in 76KB as an AMR audio file and this was recording music so it's pretty efficient.

At 20c, it beat voicemail and TXT hands down.
Surprisingly this feature is on a low end budget phone, The $199 Sony Ericsson t230.
(Friends t610 works fine as well.)

PTT works very similar. I'm pretty sure it's just AMR as well.

sbiddle

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#9806 2-Nov-2004 20:40

Why not just send the message stright to the other persons voicemail? For 20c you can send them several minutes of audio and don't have to mess around composing the message. The only downside is they have to pay 20c to clear it but it's substancially cheaper than making a voice call.

tonyhughes

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#9819 2-Nov-2004 22:26

PTT will be far more convenient than voicemail, and if they implement the IM side of things, it will be a very powerful tool indeed.

Will have to wait for pricing to see if it floats or blows...

Reckless

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#9840 3-Nov-2004 09:12

Still not sure exactly how PTT works but I didn't know you could send a message to voicemail (as above) thought you only got voicemail when someone didnt answer a call?? But now I'm really showing my ignorance!!

So PTT has some good features. But would you eliminate a phone from your choices that has good features: say camera, flash ,FM radio , mp3 player but no PTT??

Is your educated guess that it will be the thing of the future or becuase of our devided phone market etc it will be much less popular than say txt. As we need to upgrade 3 phones.

Look into your looking glass hehe!!

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Reckless

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#9843 3-Nov-2004 10:19

Ah ha!!

Think I've got my head around push to talk.

Thanks to the great guy in the Telecom shop for explaining it to me properly.

You register as a group say up to 5 people. Like as suggested a construction firm. Say the boss two forman and 2 sales people.

You buy a data plan for that group. Say $30-??? a month for x amount of data. Then you can just push a button and talk directly to that person or persons in your group/company, the others can listen and push to talk aswell. I imagine by the comments here you could also send data, emails, pics to the people or a person in your group aswell. Also you could have your family as a group but I don't see that catching on to well unless the costs where really cheap. I think txt and quick chat will still be the major comunicators for private people. Watch out the radio telephone guys!!

So it is a business application great for companies with people out on the road or controlling others that need close fast contact. Just carry your mobile no R/T devices etc, good stuff. Not really a service for the masses though.

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#9851 3-Nov-2004 13:50

That's unfortunate, because I would have thought that there would be a lot of potential for it in the consumer market in situations such as finding friends at a concert, etc.

tonyhughes

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#9872 3-Nov-2004 22:30

PTT is an amazing service, but it will all depend on pricing / ease of use. It may take off, or it may flop, only time will tell. It will at the very least find a niche market.

paradoxsm

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#9878 3-Nov-2004 22:44

Depends on the pricing model. If they run a capped system like they do in the US, It will be everyones dream come true like the $10 TXT was.

If they run a "25c" per voice system. it's will become an aww, that's cute. Move on.
And it will be a novelty everyone tries once.

tonyhughes

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#9879 3-Nov-2004 22:46

Agreed. I doubt it will be anywhere near 25c per msg. It will be priced to sell, it looks like TNZ is starting to get very aggressive in the mobile data / 3g services market.

Just a pity there is no 3g coverage in Hawkes Bay (its a key holiday spot isnt it!!)

sbiddle

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#9885 4-Nov-2004 06:53

I wasn't suggesting that sending a voicemail was a substitute for PTT, it certainly isn't. However with Vodafone is you go into voicemail and then send a voicemail you have 2 options, send it to the number ie 021xxxxxxx which will announce your message and then play it (can be sent any number in the world) but you pay normal airtime rates. If you send it to 21xxxxxxx it will be sent direct to their mailbox and the person will receive a message confirmation, their phone doesn't actually ring.

tonyhughes

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#9896 4-Nov-2004 09:10

Which is part of the reason why a lot of customers complain about their phone not ringing, yet they have voicemail. A -lot- of people dont realise this is possible with either network. Its really handy if you dont want to pay for a long conversation with someone, just pay for the time it takes for you to talk - not them.

cellman

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#10006 7-Nov-2004 09:29

Push to Talk is voice over IP (VOIP) However it is not Duplex , one way speech only, like a Wlakie Talkie. But will work anywhere in the country as long as you have coverage

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