This article was published on June 10, 2013

AT&T plans the first ever push-to-talk iPhone app for the US market


AT&T plans the first ever push-to-talk iPhone app for the US market

US telecommunications behemoth AT&T is set to launch a new push-to-talk (PTT) app for the iPhone, making its existing enhanced PTT service available to millions more corporate customers across the US.

As things stand, AT&T currently offers an Android app for PTT, but this only works across a handful of compatible devices. However, with Sprint on course to close down its own Nextel network at the end of June, a service that offers a similar (and popular) push-to-talk feature, AT&T sees this as a good opportunity to capitalize by introducing an app for iPhone users too.

It’s worth noting here that Sprint will be doing its utmost to switch existing Nextel users to PTT-capable phones on the Sprint network, though no word yet on whether it will be going down the iPhone-route too.

The app works similar to that of a walkie-talkie, letting business users communicate with one another simply by hitting a button, rather than dialing and waiting for others to pick-up. It’s particularly useful on large sites where there’s a need for big groups of people to stay in constant contact with one another.

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It’s not yet clear when this app will actually be made available, though it will be among the first push-to-talk applications made available for iPhone users in the US.

Feature Image Credit – Thinkstock

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