RIM licences Kodiak push-to-talk — MobileMonday Global: Industry News

^{Switch from walkie-talkie to regular phone call} RIM licences Kodiak push-to-talk

6 Jan 2007 at 20:23 GMT Timo Poropudas

Research In Motion has signed a licensing agreement with wireless-networking specialist Kodiak Networks that will allow the smart-phone manufacturer to support push-to-talk features on its devices.

Earlier Cingular Wireless announced push-to-talk (PTT) service on RIM’s BlackBerry Pearl. According to News.com deals with other carriers should be announced shortly. Tim Hall, vice president of strategic alliance for Kodiak Networks said that Kodiak’s PTT client will also be offered on other BlackBerry devices, he said.

PTT, sometimes called POC (push-to-talk over cellular) services allow only one person to speak at a time. Kodiak offers a feature that allows PTT users to transfer, while in the middle of a PTT call, to a duplex-channel or a regular cell phone call. One person making the switch from PTT to a regular cell call activates the switchover for everyone else on the call.

Kodiak’s PTT client also allows users to control their availability and check the availability of other users; offers call waiting for both incoming cell and PTT calls while the customer talks via PTT; and distributes voice mail via PTT to a single person or to groups.