Alltel Corp. is set to launch Kyocera Corp.’s Slider SE44 as its second push-to-talk handset for the carrier’s Touch2Talk walkie-talkie service. The carrier recently noted it had signed up 50,000 users to the Kodiak Networks’-based service at the end of the first quarter.
The Slider SE44 joins the currently available Kyocera 3250 handset.
Unlike the 3250, which is a ruggedized candy-bar style handset, the Slider will not have a dedicated PTT button on the side and will instead use a softkey on the front of the phone to initiate a PTT call. In addition to PTT functionality, the Slider will also provide access to Alltel’s BREW-based Axcess data service that allows customers to download applications, including ring tones, games and e-mail.
The Slider handset is expected to retail for $80 after a $30 mail-in rebate and a two-year contract, while the Touch2Talk service has a range of pricing and usage models beginning at $5 per month for 100 minutes up to $20 per month for unlimited use.
“The Kyocera Slider phone with its impressive design and features will have significant appeal for the growing number of consumers, including families and teens, who want to instantly communicate through Touch2Talk,” said Frank O’Mara, executive vice president of marketing for Alltel.
