So, now Sprint and Nextel are going to try to patch things up. Sprint on Thursday announced it will extend its long-standing partnership with Motorola and enhance its unique iDEN network. Upgrades will include a greater network and infrastructure support along with software upgrades. In addition to Nextel Direct Connect’s push-to-talk (PTT) service that relies on the iDEN network, Sprint will continue to offer its Sprint Mobile Broadband PTT service that uses the newer, faster EVDO Rev. A network to connect users instantly and without associated billable minutes.
Dan Hesse, Sprint’s chief executive officer, said “The iDEN network is a key differentiator for Sprint as it allows us to offer products and services no other carrier in the industry can match,†Hesse said in a statement issued late Thursday.  Speculation that Sprint would unwind its Nextel unit intensified as Sprint talked of “disposing†assets and Hesse failed to express unconditional support for a long-term future involving Nextel.
At the same time, Sprint said it would add the Motorola i576 handset to its line-up on November 2nd, along with the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone at an unspecified time later this year, both of which will offer the Nextel Direct Connect PTT service that connects users in under one second. Eight other Nextel Direct Connect compatible handsets will launch in 2009, with five of those handsets coming in the first half of the year.
