Canadian wireless carrier Telus Mobility reported a number of enhancements to its Mike-branded, iDEN-based network, including nationwide capabilities and new handsets based on Motorola Inc.’s new iDEN platform.
Telus Mobility said the network expansion of its Mike service will allow customers to place Direct Connect walkie-talkie calls across the country similar to what U.S.-based carrier Nextel Communications Inc. launched earlier this year with its Nationwide Direct Connect service. Telus Mobility added that the service will be available in all of its Mike markets stretching from Vancouver Island to eastern Quebec, covering approximately 24.2 million potential customers, or 77 percent of Canada’s population.
Cope added that Telus Mobility is working with Nextel on expanding Direct Connect services between borders, and the companies expect to introduce the offering early next year.
“Direct Connect has always set Mike apart from the wireless crowd,” said George Cope, president and chief executive officer of Telus Mobility. “Now, with the ability to remain in instant pushbutton contact with fellow Mike users across most of Canada, we expect our business clients to rely more and more on Mike’s ability to save them time and money.”
To go along with its enhanced service offering, Telus Mobility also launched a handful of new Motorola iDEN handsets based on its “Falcon” platform, including the color-screen i730, the ruggedized i305, the economical i205 and the mobile fleet targeted i58sr. The carrier said it plans to introduce additional handsets next year that offer multimedia messaging, integrate MP3 players and have built-in cameras.
Nextel said during its third-quarter conference call that it plans to launch new Motorola handsets, which are expected to be the same as the Telus Mobility offering, next week.
