Sprint Nextel announced that it is going to “rejuvenate” its Nextel iDEN network. It decided that the iDEN network is a key asset, and it will do what is necessary to reinvigorate the Nextel services and brand. To that end, Sprint and Motorola have extended their commitments to one another. Sprint said it will launch [...]

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Motorola yesterday previewed two new walkie talkie phones for Sprint.

ic602: A successor to the Blend / Buzz line of CDMA / iDEN hybrid phones. Features the same clamshell design but adds a camera to the Buzz’s monochrome external screen.
i335: An entry level ruggedized candybar phone for the iDEN network with a [...]

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Sprint will launch a new brand campaign July 1 using the tagline “Sprint Ahead.” The company will use TV, print and outdoor ads to promote their coverage, high speed data network, and Walkie Talkie service. But the company will no longer call itself Sprint Nextel, instead opting for the Sprint, together [...]

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Sprint Nextel has launched the Motorola ic402 on its Nextel network. The ic402 is the second dual-mode iDEN/CDMA handset, the ic502 was launched last month. Dual-mode handsets are an important part of Sprint’s integration strategy with Nextel. Voice calls are made over the Sprint PCS network and walkie-talkie services are handled by the Nextel iDEN [...]

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Sprint Nextel has launched its first dual mode (CDMA and iDEN) handset, the Motorola ic502. We first heard of this handset when it was approved by the FCC this summer. Ever since Sprint’s take over of Nextel the combined company has promised launching handsets that could span both networks as part of a master plan [...]

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Sprint Nextel has launched the Motorola i880 on its iDEN Nextel network. The i880 has been rumored for quite a while and comes in at the high-end for existing iDEN handsets. It’s also an update to the popular Motorola i870, which was unique for shipping with an antimicrobial coating (it doesn’t appear the i880 kept [...]

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Sprint Nextel has launched the Motorola i580 on its iDEN Nextel network. We first saw the handset at CTIA. The i580 is a fairly high-end handset (especially for Nextel’s lineup), but is still built to military specs. The handset is designed to be able to withstand dust, shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, solar radiation and rain. [...]

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The Motorola ic502 gained FCC approval [FCC id AZ489FT7019] over the weekend. It’s notable for being the first dual-mode iDEN/CDMA handset. When Sprint merged with Nextel it was made known that the Nextel iDEN network would be phased out in favor of Sprint’s CDMA and that dual-mode phones would aid the transition. The phone can [...]

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The long awaited Motorola i870 has officially been announced by Motorola. The feature packed handset is the first in the US to ship with a antimicrobial coating (this is more popular in Asia).
Other features of the Motorola i870 include:

WiDEN high-speed data
1.3 Megapixel Camera with video capture
Music player with external playback controls
microSD (TransFlash) memory card [...]

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Despite a myriad of lawsuits attempting to stop the merger, Sprint and Nextel have announced that the deal is expected to be completed on Friday. None of the suits has successfully won an injunction that could legally stop the merger. As of Friday, the two companies will be traded on the NYSE under the ticker [...]

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As expected, shareholders of both Sprint and Nextel have approved the proposed buyout of Nextel by Sprint. The $36 billion deal is expected to gain federal approval soon (according to industry news reports, sources inside the FCC have hinted at this coming very soon).
Besides federal approval, the deal is facing pressure from several lawsuits. This [...]

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Nextel today launched its third camera phone, the Motorola i850 (the i860 and i275 being the others). The i850 looks to have most of the features of the i760 in addition to the camera.
Features of the Motorola i850 include:

VGA camera
262K color display
Group Connect and Direct Talk compatible

Nextel is charging $199 for the i850 after $50 [...]

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Nextel Partners, a publicly traded company that offers Nextel like service in small rural areas, claims the upcoming merger with Sprint will break the join-venture agreement. Nextel Partners wants to be able to use the same brand identity as the new company (see previous coverage) instead of the Nextel name.
In a filing with the Securities [...]

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Nextel has announced plans to test a 3G network in Washington D.C. based on UMTS TD-CDMA technology from IPWireless. Nextel currently has no 3G plans (though after the merger with Nextel EV-DO will be available within the same company). The field trial will begin during the third quarter.
The service will still be offered in Nextel’s [...]

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In a conference call with employees, executives with Sprint PCS and Nextel announced details surrounding the upcoming merger. The new company will be called Sprint Nextel Corporation. The combined company will employ the Nextel name as a product brand within the Sprint service portfolio for services provided on Nextel’s iDEN network
The new logo, shown at [...]

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