| After several "false starts" by existing network | | | | Find more information about this at their website. |
| providers, there is at last a viable mobile phone PTT | | | | Conventional two way radio, or private mobile radio ( |
| facility in the UK. | | | | PMR ), is limited in range by various, mainly |
| For the first time ever in the UK, a Push To Talk facility | | | | topographical, factors. Whereas PoC is limited only by |
| is now available "across networks". | | | | the availability of GPRS phone coverage. It is been |
| This innovation is unlike any other PTT system, | | | | said by some phone users that it just involves more |
| anywhere else... worldwide. | | | | button pressing and makes the whole process more |
| All major networks are covered, so a T-mobile user in | | | | cumbersome. (A button on the phone must be be |
| Manchester can simultaneously converse with | | | | pressed whilst talking). |
| Vodafone users in London and Orange users in | | | | Thought about logically, this is the only way the system |
| Cardiff. All connections are seamless and the users | | | | can be used with multiple users trying to speak at the |
| are totally unaware of the cross network technology. | | | | same time. i.e. whilst one user is talking, all other |
| Push To Talk over cellular (PoC) is not a new concept | | | | members of the group are prevented from doing so. |
| by any means. The idea to use your mobile phone as | | | | The real advantages of PTT are realised when a |
| a two way radio, is very popular in the United States. | | | | "group" conversation is needed. Ask any existing two |
| There were several problems with previous PTT | | | | way radio users how useful "open" communications |
| attempts by airtime providers in the UK... | | | | are. |
| - Latency (delays in the audio through the system). | | | | During a PTT call the speech is digitized and sent over |
| - Lack of publicity (possibly due to the carriers gaining | | | | the network as GPRS data to the recipient, or more |
| less revenue from the calls?) | | | | usefully, multiple recipients, so "group" conversations |
| - Lack of public awareness of the benefits of PTT. | | | | can be held anywhere there is phone coverage. |
| (People tend to think of phone calls as they have | | | | The system also works internationally as long as the |
| always been used... 1 to 1). | | | | UK registered mobile Sim has international roaming |
| - Users within the group were tied to using the same | | | | enabled, albeit at an increased cost, for international |
| network. There is a new initiative in the UK market, | | | | data transport. |
| spearheaded by a company called Intechnology. By | | | | Be aware that this system is NOT a cheap alternative |
| investing heavily in a number of dedicated PTT | | | | to standard tariff voice calls. It is a third party add on, |
| servers, one for each cellular provider, and linking them | | | | and they charge a fee for the service. It is aimed |
| together, they have overcome two major obstacles. | | | | primarily at business users. |
| Users can subscribe to the service irrespective of their | | | | The least that will be needed is a data enabled Sim |
| carrier, and the audio delays are now a thing of the | | | | card, in addition to ongoing payments to the PTT |
| past. | | | | provider. |