Nextel opens door to international walkie-talkie users

Virginia-based mobile operator Nextel Communications says it plans to let walkie-talkie users in Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Peru talk to its subscribers in the US. Nextel hopes that expanding the reach of so-called ‘push-to-talk’ technology to incorporate International Direct Connect services will attract fresh interest from the business community; it has previously offered push-to-talk successfully to the haulage and construction businesses, which often need to contact colleagues more quickly than they can through cellular technology. Nextel customers will be able to push a button to connect immediately with Telus subscribers in Canada and NII Holdings customers in Latin America.