One of Many Dual-Mode Phones: The Motorola ic502

Motorola ic502

Bits of Information:
- Dual Mode Using CDMA Voice (1900 MHz band only - no 800 MHz CDMA band) & iDEN Walkie-Talkie (800 MHz ESMR band)
- Features the rugged design of Nextel iDEN handsets
- No support for EVDO data
- 900 contact phonebook
- Alarm, calendar, voice recording, and speakerphone support
- Also was formally know as the "RACER"
- Price rumored to be about $250 USD
- Uses a SIM card

Photo:
External Link To The Photo

External Resources:
Motorola ic502 - the first dual-mode phone for Sprint Nextel (phoneArena)
Technology news - Motorola ic502

I'll wait for one with more features. In rural parts of Georgia, Sprint roams on Alltel's towers, some of which are 850mhz, so this wouldn't work at my dad's house. I really am looking forward to a dual mode phone with more features and definitely both CDMA bands! For you Nextel users it would probably give you better coverage and voice call quality... I dunno.

I would buy a dual mode phone. Put it this way, there may not be a choice. The future of iDEN may be solely in the hands of Uncle Sam...from what I've seen, they're still going to put a good amount of money into iDEN, but by 2010, they expect it to be put out to pasture. And the better the new stuff does, the sooner they are going to start trying to get people to migrate; I saw 2008, but if it goes well, it could be sooner.

They know better than to leave all the Direct Connect(ers) high and dry, it's done absolutely HUGE for them. They won't hopefully (fingers crossed) drop the ball on this one...that ship would sink so fast if they did.

Back to the phone...anytime something like this comes out, new technology and all; it's definitely not a good idea to go and get the first one, or first couple. It's not like it's just a new model phone for an existing technology; this is the first model of a 'new' technology, or technologies. The first couple of phones (and people who get them) will definitely be the guinea pigs of the bunch. But if you can roam on voice, and DC from what I read, on other companies that have pre-arranged deals with Sprint, how can that be bad? Rather than have a clogged up network, limited towers and equipment, and if it's a heavy volume time of the day, be or get kicked off because of how many users are all going at the same time.

Check out the link stuff Diehard-Iden posted, they're going to say Sprint on the front and inside, and Nextel on the back, kind of like they do now. I saw one prototype that was black and yellow, and hopefully they'll do all black like most of the other pictures that I've seen. They are definitely modeled more like Nextel phones (rugged), as opposed to the Sprint ones (silver and more delicate, you get the idea).

I don't think it was formerly known as the Racer, I think it's what they're also calling it besides just the model number. Anyone see them getting confused with Razr's as far as this name? If they both weren't Motos, it would probably not be called that.

I guess while I wait to see what they come out with, my plan now will get closer to expiring so maybe I won't to pay the ETF. Only time will tell...

There are more dual-modes, much better than this one. I'll post some info on the other models soon.

I hope they in the Nextel vein, I also saw some of the ones that are more like Sprint phones and I didn't like them.

Moto/iDEN all the way baby!!

watch out for markets....October 1st seems to be the lunch date for dual mode, however it seems like Texas will be the first market to be introduced....that market is saturated, and quality is not good because of the number of subscribers.

[quote=dude222] I'm going to quote myself on this one:

Anytime something like this comes out, new technology and all; it's definitely not a good idea to go and get the first one, or first couple. It's not like it's just a new model phone for an existing technology; this is the first model of a 'new' technology, or technologies. The first couple of phones (and people who get them) will definitely be the guinea pigs of the bunch. But if you can roam on voice, and DC from what I read, on other companies that have pre-arranged deals with Sprint, how can that be bad? Rather than have a clogged up network, limited towers and equipment, and if it's a heavy volume time of the day, be or get kicked off because of how many users are all going at the same time.

Wow. IF this could fix some of our coverage issues...Nextel's name wouldn't MUD as often.

Would this phone merge Nextel and Sprints network is so then Sprint is the next power house service i think. Because it seems like where i dont have service sprint does and nextel service sprint no. But if not that i really dont see the big deal.

only phone imma get is the 880 i dont want nothin to do wit sprint

the dual band phone is pretty cool, we got one in last week, good size but doesn't have the extras either. I personally will not get one, unless of course I am provided one for free, haha. I am waiting out for the 880 as well