The Finest In Two Way, Ultra Long Distance Cellular Radios
I’m not one that lends himself to a lot of unnecessary hyperbole. I do have a bit of a marketing background, but honestly, most people can see through it, so I tend to be pretty straightforward when I’m reviewing or testing out new products. That having been said, the new Nextel i682 Two Way Cellular Radio is really a game changer.
Full disclosure: EventTone Wireless is an authorized Nextel dealer.
For those who don’t know, Nextel is back. Its kind of a long story but when Sprint bought the Nextel brand, their only interest was the spectrum Nextel owned. They needed the bandwidth to grow their network, so they took that and tossed away the rest. A company from Florida picked it up and ran with it. The initial radios that were offered were, shall we say, less than impressive. I dismissed the line for about 6 months.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved the product and the ideas behind it. Nextel was now offering Two Way Cellular Radios, also known as Network Radios, which used the AT&T cellular network as its backbone. That meant you could use a two way radio, with all the features they offer such as multiple channels, one to many connections, grouping and, most important, ultra long distance connection without a repeater or any special additional equipment. Basically, it was push to talk, release to listen, but you could instantly connect over a vast area. You could use them in closer environments much the same way you would use any two-way radio, but you can also connect citywide, across multiple boroughs and across the country. You wouldn’t need a tower, repeaters or any other specialized gear. There is a monthly service fee through Nextel, but it is substantial less than any of the other, previously mentioned, options.
Along with the long distance coverage, the units offer, at no additional cost, full mapping GPS, texting and more.
The service was never the problem. I didn’t like the actual radios. They felt like toys. They didn’t hold up and were clumsy to use.
Then…
Nextel has now introduced the new i6 Series. They offer the i682 radio that looks, feels and offers features similar to many Motorola DMR radios. We used them earlier this year at the Las Vegas CES show and they were a big hit. They are solid, easy to use and hold up very well.
Nextel also offers an array of vehicular mounted devices to choose from to suit the specific usage of your enterprise. With basic group and one-to-one worldwide Push-To-Talk functionality and GPS based location tracking, NEXTEL offers the features you need in the form factor that fits your application.
Nextel even offers a powerful PC Dispatch software that enables efficient management of field units via its GPS location viewing as well as archiving and instant recall of location and Nextel group & private connect calls.
There’s even a smartphone app you can put right on your phone if the radios are needed. It allows for Group Connect & Private Connect Push-to-Talk functionality as well as GPS location on existing smartphones and tablets in your organization letting your enterprise to use whatever device it chooses, yet still having the added benefit of the hallmark Nextel Group Connect, Private Connect and GPS tracking features.
Now, there are other manufacturers that offer this technology. We believe it is the future and other players, such as Motorola, Hytera and Icom, offer this technology. The issue is, each of these manufacturers are heavily invested in the standard radio market, so their models and service are extremely expensive. Even many of their base models start at $1200-$1500 each. That doesn’t include their monthly service. Once you add that on, it becomes a hardcore investment that may make you think twice before buying.
By comparison, Nextel’s base models start at $299.00, a full $1000.00 less than their competitors. We’ve tested all the units. The quality is the same. Why would you pay that much.
Even the i6 series, which is Nextel’s top line products, are in the $399.00 to $549.00 price line. Most of the models we sell are in the lower part of that range. They are durable, full of features, easy to use, and offer short, long and ultra long distance coverage right out of the box.
Conclusion
After being in the two-way radio game for over a decade, we’ve learned the key to success is seeing new trends and moving on them immediately. The only constant in business is change.
Two way cellular radios are the future. It just makes sense. Cellular service now blankets the entire world. Using two-way radios that connect to those networks only makes sense since they are already in place. Why bother with repeaters, towers and all kinds of additional installation, maintenance, and down time when the solutions available are already available and tested.
The Nextel i6 Series, with the i650, i670 and i682 offer high quality equipment at prices starting under $300.00, and, if you decide to purchase a fleet of radios from EventTone, we are offering ways to get the equipment for free. Just give us a call at 855-396-5450 to find out how.
Whether you need local, city wide, nationwide or ultra long distance coverage, Nextel radios and service keeps your entire crew connected seamlessly, without the need for repeaters, special programming or training. Come experience t