Nextel

Nextel Communications, commonly known as Nextel, was a United States wireless carrier known for its Direct Connect push-to-talk service and for operating on an integrated iDEN network developed with Motorola. The company targeted business customers and field personnel, offering instant communications alongside traditional mobile voice and data.

Origins and growth: The business originated as Fleet Call in 1987 and was renamed Nextel Communications in the early 1990s as it expanded nationally. Nextel deployed the iDEN technology, which fused voice, data, and messaging and allowed users to communicate instantly via a two-way radio–like Direct Connect feature.

Merger and corporate changes: In 2005, Nextel merged with Sprint Corporation to form Sprint Nextel, creating a combined wireless operator that sought to integrate iDEN with Sprint’s other networks. The merger aimed to expand coverage and services, though it faced challenges related to network integration and customer migration.

Dissolution of the Nextel brand: Over the 2010s, Sprint gradually migrated Nextel customers onto its own networks and began retiring the iDEN platform. The Nextel brand was largely de-emphasized, and after Sprint’s acquisition by T-Mobile US in 2020, Nextel ceased to function as a separate consumer brand in the United States.

Legacy and notes: The Nextel era left a distinctive mark in business communications, particularly for its Direct Connect push-to-talk service and for the use of iDEN technology. See also Direct Connect, iDEN, Sprint Nextel.