European carrier Orange is rolling out its own Push To Talk service ahead of efforts to create a standardized PTT system.
European mobile carrier Orange has announced that it will begin offering Push To Talk (PTT) functionality starting in the UK, and rolling out to the rest of its network by the end of the year under the name "Talk Now".
Following 9 months of private trials with businesses and selected end-users, Orange has decided to not wait for other carriers to decide on a PTT standard and is going out on its own. Service is now available in the UK, and by year's end is expected to be available in France, Switzerland, the Caribbean, Romania, Slovakia, The Netherlands, and the Dominican Republic, as well as in Belgium and Jordan via Orange partners.
Push To Talk (PTT) is a walkie-talkie-like service that allows users to send no-connect one-way voice messages to other subscribers, who can then respond with another one-off voice message making it very useful for short conversations or quick notifications. The Orange Talk Now service will support both one-to-one and one-to-many PTT calls.
Alcatel, LG, Nokia, Sagem, and palmOne will be the first manufacturers providing Orange with PTT-enabled phones. However, unlike most PTT phones Orange's initial phone lineup will not have a dedicated call button but operate through software. That is expected to change next year as new models become available. The palmOne Treo 600 will be the first model supported.
Orange is offering an initial promotional period for its Talk Now service aimed at corporate customers, allowing them to make group-calls with Talk Now for the same cost as a standard voice call. Later, Talk Now users will have the option of either a bundle or pay-as-you-go payment plan. Full details, including pricing, will not be made available until after the promotional period has ended.
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