Thread: Verizon Push To Talk Goes Live

It's always satisfying to see a new service announced and then quickly launched not long after. Especially when we're talking about Verizon. This month it a rumor broke out that Verizon would be launching a Push-To-Talk service. Sure enough, today Verizon has launched their PTT service.

Features:

• Make quick exchanges. Push one button to contact team members or clients.
• Place group calls. Hold conversations with as many as 50 total participants.
• Check team member status with Presence. See who is available for a Push to Talk call.
• Manage contacts for the entire company online. Add, delete and assign contacts, create groups and more.
• Use one number, one device. Make and receive voice calls without needing a second device or phone number.
• Enjoy coast-to-coast coverage. Connect on our nationwide broadband network, and get expanded coverage across the United States within the National Enhanced Services Rate and Coverage Area.

Granted, there are a few catches. The first of course is Verizon wants $5 a month for the service. Another being not all devices support the new PTT service. Sadly, all the hype has come to nothing. As far as we can tell, right now PTT is not supported on any current BlackBerry device. Hopefully, this will change soon. With that said, this offers business customers another solid line of communication.

• Get more info on Verizon's PTT service

Great news, but jeez $5 more bucks?

Your right though, it is a great service for business.

Wait, I know VZW has had PTT longer than that. Our department switched to VZW a year ago almost, and weve had it since we switched.

Originally Posted by Neolantis

Great news, but jeez $5 more bucks?

Your right though, it is a great service for business.

We have 22 of the Telus Mikes and 3 of the bb PTT's, they are fantastic for business. I love the fact that I can get any of my guys, whether they're in town, province or country.

Am I missing something here? Why is this news? Verizon Wireless has had PTT since early 2005 and a revamped rollout came in 2008. I understand that the Tour will be supporting the service soon, but this article does not make any mention of that - and that is the only NEW information!! What is going on here BBOS?

Guys, THINK about it...this is a BLACKBERRY website. Dedicated to BBs all over the world. So...when an article goes up talking about a PTT service launching, it's sorta implied that it's launching for the BB.

Yes, VZW has had PTT for years, but never for the BB devices until now.

I'm willing to bet this is a feature they will add in all BBs from here on out. Of course, it's more of an OS issue than a hardware feature. But I still wonder how it will perform on the CDMA network of Big Red's. Time will tell.

Now then, where's the official 5.0 OS for the tour?!

I just checked my wifes Tour, and in the app center pushed by VZW, there is push to talk app. Wonder when that got pushed out?

Originally Posted by jdrudd2

Guys, THINK about it...this is a BLACKBERRY website. Dedicated to BBs all over the world. So...when an article goes up talking about a PTT service launching, it's sorta implied that it's launching for the BB.

Yes, VZW has had PTT for years, but never for the BB devices until now.

I'm willing to bet this is a feature they will add in all BBs from here on out. Of course, it's more of an OS issue than a hardware feature. But I still wonder how it will perform on the CDMA network of Big Red's. Time will tell.

Now then, where's the official 5.0 OS for the tour?!

Look, I love BBOS, and am not trying to dog it in any way, but this is just a poorly written article, in my opinion. To make a blanket statement that every article that is posted on this site pertains to BlackBerry services is just foolishness at it's best. ESPECIALLY when an article pertains to a service provider and their services which are supported on hundreds of different devices and platforms. We do have Android and iPhone forums here, no?

The original article made not one mention about a BlackBerry PTT service, just that the author hoped for it. Go ahead, re-read the thing; in fact I will quote the article directly:

"As far as we can tell, right now PTT is not supported on any current BlackBerry device. Hopefully, this will change soon. ."

Hopefully, this will change soon? And jdrudd, just what exactly am I supposed to take as to what the point of this article is? Wishful thinking? Some VZW fanboy promoting their service? The article clearly says that PTT is NOT supported - how does this support your claim then, that every article posted here pertains to BB devices when this one clearly says the opposite. Maybe next week, you would like BBOS to post an article on the the iPhone OS 4.0 and how it isn't yet available for Blackberries, but would hopefully change soon. What's the difference?

Furthermore, this article is talking about an OLD service that has been active for years now with no mention of updates or anything that would differentiate it from the "new" PTT service, if that is what the article is describing. I am no journalist or writer (obviously), but if you are going to write a piece that could be viewed as/confused with yesteryear's news, you had better make it extremely clear just what is "news worthy" about the article. In this case, if in fact the news was the PTT is coming to the Blackberry Tour, WRITE THAT IN THE ARTICLE!!!

I know I'm going off on a bit of a tangent here, but the last poster just got under my skin with their ignorance that as the reader, I am in the wrong even though the author clearly did not write a good piece here.

Maybe I am asking too much, or am holding the writers to a higher degree of quality/professionalism. The readers deserve better. I know I'm on BLACKBERRYos.com, but still - don't make me have to guess what your article is "implying"; there should be no implication.

Want to write for us?

Hell Brett ..... I was going to ask the same thing.
Posted via mobile device

Mr.Wireless, you have to remember that this is NOT a verizon forum. This is a BlackBerry forum. Never in the history of Verizon have they allowed PTT for the BlackBerry devices. This is a new feature that is being pushed out by verizon for the Blackberry devices. This was not a poorly written article and was written with the information we were given. If you do not think it is a great article then you are entitled to your own opinion but no need to keep dwelling on it. You can always write articles for us if you would like. If not then please do not call an admin unprofessional.

Originally Posted by Brett Wyman

Mr.Wireless, you have to remember that this is NOT a verizon forum. This is a BlackBerry forum. Never in the history of Verizon have they allowed PTT for the BlackBerry devices. This is a new feature that is being pushed out by verizon for the Blackberry devices. This was not a poorly written article and was written with the information we were given. If you do not think it is a great article then you are entitled to your own opinion but no need to keep dwelling on it. You can always write articles for us if you would like. If not then please do not call an admin unprofessional.

It is my opinion, and maybe not to that extent, but I know it was shared by other members as well. I will admit to being harsh, but that one poster just irritated me with comments. I'm not dwelling on it and this will be my last post regarding it, but just thought this site was better than that. I'm sure BBOS is striving to make this the #1 forum and outlet for Berry owners worldwide, and was just giving my two cents (OK, maybe 200 cents) to help provide constructive criticism. Sorry if I offended anyone with my comments, that was not my intention.

But I do still think that the article was poorly written with misinformation (stating the new PTT service has launched when, in fact, it hasn't and won't until 3/30) without enough details as to what makes it NEWS since VZW has offered PTT for years, and too much opinion. Not what I want to be reading on here, and if it's opinion pieces and speculation with disinformation that you want, then yes I will in fact write for you.