Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Fastmobile launches push-to-talk in Europe

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2003 10:27:04 -0400

Fastmobile launches push-to-talk in Europe
10/04/2003 Editor: Leigh Phillips

 Mobile company Fastmobile has announced public availability of its push-to-talk
service Fastchat, the first push-to-talk (P2T) service to be launched anywhere
outside of the United States where, in some parts, P2T usage already dwarfs SMS.

It has proved so popular with both business and private users that US operator
Nextel already generates around 20 per cent of its revenue from P2T. If the same
popularity is achieved in the EU, then fastchat would rapidly eclipse SMS as the
messaging tool of choice.

In effect, Fastchat turns a mobile phone into a walkie-talkie, enabling people
to send and receive what amount to ‘voice texts’ to and from other Fastchat
users immediately, either one-to-one or between a group. While this sounds
distinctly ‘retro’, P2T messaging represents a significant improvement over SMS
by bypassing the slow and clumsy process of entering text via phone keypad.

For the pay-as-you-go user who need to send a quick message to someone, Fastchat
also provides an alternative to a credit-eating phone call.

Fastchat works across all UK operators, and in all countries that have
GPRS-enabled networks, and is easy to install, complies with all existing and
planned standards, and requires no infrastructure investment.

Fastchat will be available to consumers and business users via the web, for
Nokia 7650 and 3650 handsets with the Sony Ericsson P800 following soon.
Fastmobile plans full support for all GPRS-enabled Smartphones and mass-market
Java phones.

http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=15832

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
FREE Cell Phones with up to $400 Cash Back!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/_bBUKB/vYxFAA/i5gGAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/