Nextel Pushes Ahead with Push-to-Talk Phone Dominance

Reston, Virginia-based Nextel has solidified its position in the market by announcing a significant increase in first-quarter revenue, up 21% compared to Verizon Wireless' 15%. This success can be attributed to the company's strong customer base, which pays an average of $67 per month for their service. This is significantly higher than the monthly rate paid by Verizon Wireless customers, who pay around $47 on average.

The key to Nextel's success lies in its push-to-talk phone technology, which allows construction crews and other businesses with employees on the road to stay connected through a walkie-talkie-like feature. This unique selling point has proven to be a major draw for customers, making it a significant marketing challenge for competitors like Verizon Wireless.

In fact, Nextel has taken steps to protect its trademark by contacting companies to inform them of the push-to-talk technology and preventing rivals from using similar terminology to describe their own phones. The company has also filed for a trademark on the acronym PTT, which is likely to become synonymous with push-to-talk technology.

This move has left Verizon Wireless in a challenging position, as it will now have to find alternative ways to market its own push-to-talk product. According to Rick van Nostrand of Earnest Partners in Atlanta, this could make it even harder for customers to switch from Nextel to Verizon Wireless. 'That's an attractive place for Verizon to be, and gives their customers another reason not to switch,' he said.

Nextel's dominance in the push-to-talk phone market is unlikely to change anytime soon, given its strong customer loyalty and willingness to pay a premium for its service. With this trademark victory, Nextel is well-positioned to continue defending its position against competitors and cementing its status as the leader in the industry.

Nextel push to talk phone