Nextel extends Direct Connect service

Nextel is looking to sharpen its focus on business customers with enhancements to its push-to-talk service and wireless access to Salesforce.com applications.

Nextel last week announced that its Direct Connect push-to-talk customers can use the service internationally for the first time. The wireless service provider also has a new voice mail feature for Direct Connect called NextMail.

International Direct Connect is available in Argentina, Brazil, Canada and Peru. The company plans to offer service in Mexico later this summer. The service lets Direct Connect users based or traveling to these countries use the push-to-talk service. Customers had been limited to using Direct Connect in the U.S. Nextel says it is exploring expanding Direct Connect in other areas of the world.

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Nextel is looking to sharpen its focus on business customers with enhancements to its push-to-talk service and wireless access to Salesforce.com applications.

Nextel last week announced that its Direct Connect push-to-talk customers can use the service internationally for the first time. The wireless service provider also has a new voice mail feature for Direct Connect called NextMail.

International Direct Connect is available in Argentina, Brazil, Canada and Peru. The company plans to offer service in Mexico later this summer. The service lets Direct Connect users based or traveling to these countries use the push-to-talk service. Customers had been limited to using Direct Connect in the U.S. Nextel says it is exploring expanding Direct Connect in other areas of the world.

Chicago Scenic Studios started using Direct Connect about five years ago, and the service was the "key reason" the company chose Nextel, says Bob Doepel, founder of the company, which builds scenery sets for live events, museums, theater, television and film.

"In the event industry things happen immediately and we need to be able to communicate immediately," Doepel says. The company not only builds sets in the U.S. but also in Canada, South America and the Middle East. "It will be great to [use Direct Connect] in more international locations," he says.

International Direct Connect is available with two pricing options. Nextel offers a pay-as-you-go option that costs 25 cents per minute with no monthly fee. Or users can pay a $5 monthly fee and pay 15 cents per minute.

The NextMail service for Direct Connect customers will let users record voice mail when they cannot reach another push-to-talk customer. The message is stored as an MP3 file and delivered to its intended party.

Doepel says he's also looking forward to using NextMail. "Right now if I can't get a hold of someone with [a Direct Connect] alert then I have to call back on the cell to leave a message," he says. "It would be nice to eliminate that step."

NextMail costs $7.50 per month and is available now in advance of an official launch expected by month's end.

The service provider also is expected to announce access to CRM software services from Salesforce.com as early as this week. This on-demand CRM service is also available now although not officially announced. Nextel did not provide pricing, but Salesforce.com service fees start at $65 per month, per user.

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