Nextel direct connect: Nextel makes doing business as easy as a click of a button.

If you use broadband service at home, a paid hotspot network while traveling, and a mobile phone for all your voice communication, the combined cost each month is enough to make you reconsider tin cans and a wire. If you're constantly checking voicemail and racking tip a monolithic mobile phone bill each month, it's probably time to check into a less costly--and less complex--solution.

One of the most intelligent options is Nextel Direct Connect service, which all but created the push-to talk (PTT) market, causing mobile phone manufacturers and mobile phone carriers to sit up and take notice. It makes sense. When you want to place a local or long-distance call, Nextel service works just like any other mobile phone service. However, if the person you're calling is in the same coverage area (within about 300 miles) and has a Nextel phone, you can use the push-to-talk feature. For an extra $10 fee per month, you can use Nationwide Direct Connect for free state-to-state connections. Nextel charges a flat fee for Direct Connect, and the "cell phone as walkie talkie" concept means your colleagues are just a click away.

It's a great idea, as field service personnel have discovered. The only question is: Does Direct Connect "translate" to the mobile business computing arena?

The short answer is: yes, quite well. I tested Direct Connect with several Nextel phone users, some of whom weren't even aware their phone had the feature available. We used popular business models such as the Nextel i60c (this basic black model gives users a no-frills approach to voice communication) and the color Nextel i95cl (CSI: Miami fans will recognize this model as the one Haratio uses). We added a long list of phone numbers--friends, relatives, neighbors, etc.

Configuring each phone took about five seconds: All you have to do is enter the Direct Connect number for anyone you want to call either in your phonebook or directly into the keypad. The number looks like a phone number separated by asterisks (e.g., 123*456*7890). After you dial the number or access the user in your address book, you just press the push-to-talk button on the side of the phone to connect instantly.

Digital and reliable

In the Minneapolis area, the digital and secure network worked flawlessly. Even in more rural areas, Direct Connect worked almost as well, although I usually had to pull up the antenna for extended conversations or suffer through a connection filled with static and interference from other cell phones. In most cases, I could engage in short conversations without even flipping open the lid on the phone. In crowded areas such as malls and bus stops, the Direct Connect service maintained a strong signal. Most of the credit goes to Motorola's Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), which was originally developed primarily for construction workers and field technicians.

I also tested Nationwide Direct Connect, which works the same way as local Direct Connect without any lag or interference. Nationwide Direct Connect works the same way as local Direct Connect without any lag or interference, but lets you connect to any other Nextel user in the U.S.

Two-way perks 

What impressed me the most about the Direct Connect and Nationwide Direct Connect services is that the connections were almost always immediate, as opposed to what happens when you make a cell phone call. Usually, there's a lag time on cellular networks as the call is placed and connected--a few seconds after you press the talk button, a few more seconds for dialing, and a second or two for the call to connect.

With push-to-talk, communication is more immediate, which may help business workers communicate when they know there won't be any lag time. The network uses packet-compression techniques to stream line voice calls. Do you need to report to your boss about a business report that's due in an hour? You can provide quick updates without placing a "real" phone call. Knowing you can make a two-way call without much hassle can promote more communication, which in turn can help your team complete projects faster.

UpShot

There's really no downside to Nextel's Direct Connect, even when you start looking at the various calling plans available. When it was first introduced, calling plans with Direct Connect cost about US$200. Now, you call choose a value plan with 100 Direct Connect minutes for as little as US$40 per month. Step up to a slightly better plan at $49.99 per month and every Direct Connect call is flee. Couple this with Nextel access via, say, a Blackberry 7510, and you've got a pretty strong package for the mobile business user.

Compared to standard mobile phone offerings, the Direct Connect feature is a bonus--one that will save you money and help you communicate more effectively.

Nextel http://www.nextel.com

Direct Connect US$49.99 for unlimited service

BUSINESS BENEFIT

Direct Connect means colleagues are just click away.

* Little to no lag time when connecting

* Coverage and reliability are strong

John Brandon is a freelance writer from Buffalo, Minnesota. Before starting his writing career, he worked as an IT manager with a large consumer electronics retailer. His areas of expertise include handheld computers, notebooks, smartphones, wireless technology, displays, and any other computer-oriented device. [e-mail].