The end of iDEN

USA cellco Sprint announced plans to migrate its business and government customers from its iDEN based Nextel network onto the Direct Connect platform – its CDMA based push to talk service.

Sprint also announced that it plans to cease service on the iDEN Nextel national network as early as June 30, 2013 as part of its Network Vision plan – a series of network updates designed to offer next generation network capabilities to customers.

Sprint will send written notices to business and government customers from next month regarding the iDEN network shutdown. Additional notices are planned for distribution to the iDEN base multiple times over the next year as the shutdown of the iDEN network becomes more imminent.

Sprint’s CDMA based Direct Connect coverage is expected to broaden throughout 2012.

The company is currently carrying out a plan to consolidate multiple network technologies into one seamless network. Network Vision is expected to add net economic value for Sprint from reduced roaming costs, cell site reduction, backhaul efficiencies, more efficient use of capital, and energy costs savings.

Sprint anticipates that the iDEN network push to talk functionality will become inoperable as early as June 30, 2013; however, Sprint CDMA voice and data services on PowerSource devices (dual mode iDEN and CDMA devices) will still be available. The company has already discontinued selling iDEN devices in certain channels. It will discontinue selling iDEN devices in all channels and all brands carrying iDEN Nextel products over the next several months.

iDEN technology has had light exposure in the Middle East, having primarily been rolled out in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The Jordanian operation, which was branded Xpress, is no longer operational, brought down by difficulties related more to the business case and strategy adopted by the operator’s owners and management.