The much awaited initial shipment of QChat enabled phones (that’s Sprint’s long promised Direct Connect replacement) have popped up online at the Sprint site following this April 10 press release announcing availability for Kansas and Colorado subscribers. So far their debut is limited to a help section of the site and apparently all ordering has to be done via Sprint direct sales. Interestingly the Sprint site make no mention of QChat - instead referring to it as Direct Connect as show on the following screen shots. PS - Yes, these phones do connect to old style Nextel’s - check the video demo on the next page for proof.

Instead of launching into an explanation of QChat (the Direct Connect replacement for Nextel’s aging service), Sprint opts to call their new technology Direct Connect as illustrated in this photo from the Sanyo Pro 700 online help tutorial.

While the old Nextel style Direct Connect was available everywhere, the phones using QChat are only able to access Direct Connect when in an EVDO Rev A coverage zone (Yes, the Nextel subscribers can speak to the Q-Chat subscribers - and vice versa).

Per the Sprint press release of April 10, 2008:

The Sanyo Pro-200 and Pro-700 provide industry-leading push-to-talk performance, while operating on Rev. A portions of the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (except in Puerto Rico). Compared to other providers, Sprint’s expanded Nextel Direct Connect portfolio continues to offer significantly faster call set-up times of less than one second and one-to-one interoperability with the world’s largest established push-to-talk community. Features available on these handsets include:

* Direct Connect(R): Instant one-to-one push-to-talk communication that is interoperable with the millions of existing Nextel Direct Connect subscribers. Direct Connect provides the call set-up times of less than one second that customers have come to rely on to boost productivity and save time and money.

* Call Alerts: A repeating alert that users can send to let another Nextel Direct Connect subscriber know they are trying to reach them.

* Group Connect(R): Unique one-to-many capability of Group Connect that helps customers quickly communicate with up to 20 other Nextel Direct Connect users all at once. Group Connect groups can be created and managed dynamically on the device or online. At this time, these new devices are not interoperable with Nextel or PowerSource devices for Group Connect services.

Other new features exclusive to the new Sanyo Pro-200 and Pro-700 phones include:

* Single number option: If they wish, most customers purchasing these new devices can choose the simplicity of having one phone number for voice and push-to-talk calls on the Sanyo Pro-200 and Pro-700. If preferred, all Nextel Direct Connect subscribers can opt to have a separate Direct Connect number.

* TeamDC: This more formal one-to-many feature allows up to 35 Nextel Direct Connect subscribers to communicate via PTT at the same time - nationwide, quickly and easily. Customers create and manage groups online, then all members of the group receive a notification and can access the group. TeamDC is only available on these new devices and is not interoperable with Nextel or PowerSource devices.

* DC Permissions: Customers have the ability to block/allow incoming one-to-one push-to-talk calls and Call Alerts with the Sanyo Pro-200 and Pro-700 phones.

* PTT Missed Call Notification: - When on a Nextel Direct Connect call, customers receive a notification if they miss a push-to-talk call, Call Alert or Group call.

* Call Alerts with Text: With the new Call Alerts with Text feature, customers can attach one of several preset text messages, such as “Please stop by,” to Call Alerts sent to other Sanyo Pro-200 and Pro-700 users.

* Sprint(R) Mobile Sync: This easy-to-use online tool lets customers manage all of their contact information online, including setting up groups. Additionally, this feature automatically synchronizes with the phone, allowing for easier entry, easier access and full secure backup of contacts. Contacts automatically transfer if the customer moves to another Sprint Mobile Sync-capable device.

Link: Here’s a demo of the speed with which the old Direct Connect works versus the new QChat