Nextel Direct Connect® & Nationwide Direct Connect™ FAQs
 
What's the difference between Direct Connect™ service and the new Nationwide Direct Connect™ service?
Direct Connect™ and Nationwide Direct Connect™ services both offer the same great convenience--you can get right through with the push of a button using our long-range digital walkie-talkie feature.

Direct Connect service works in your home market, where you can contact other Nextel customers also in your home market. 

Nationwide Direct Connect service lets you use the Direct Connect feature across the country. Nationwide Direct Connect is being introduced in two phases:
  • Nationwide Direct Connect service travels with you. You can contact other Nextel customers traveling with you or Nextel customers in the area you're visiting. Currently available in several markets, with more being added regularly.
  • Nationwide Direct Connect service is available coast to coast. You can contact any other Nextel customer anywhere in the U.S. on the Nextel National Network--even Hawaii. Scheduled to be available mid-2003.
When will I be able to use Nationwide Direct Connect service on the road?
You can use Nationwide Direct Connect service when you're on the road once it launches in your home market and the market to which you've traveled.
  • You can place Direct Connect calls to other Nextel customers who are traveling with you or who live in the area you're visiting.
  • You will not be able to make Direct Connect calls back to your home market.
Think of Phase 1 as the Direct Connect service that lets you contact any Nextel customer within a particular market. Once Phase 2 completes, you can make market-to-market Direct Connect calls.

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When will I be able to use Nationwide Direct Connect service to contact any Nextel customer anywhere on the Nextel National Network?
After the rollout of Nationwide Direct Connect service completes, you will be able to contact any Nextel customer anywhere in the US on the Nextel National Network. Think of Phase 2 as the ability to make market-to-market Direct Connect calls. This service is scheduled to be available in mid-2003.

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How am I charged for Nationwide Direct Connect service?
There is no charge for Phase 1 (traveling) Nationwide Direct Connect service. Once Phase 2 (nationwide) is complete, you'll have a choice of flexible payment options. For both phases, the minutes you use count toward your plan's included Direct Connect minutes.

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What do I need to use Direct Connect service?
  • You'll need a rate plan that's provisioned with Direct Connect minutes.
  • Both you and the person you're contacting must have Direct Connect-capable phones and be located within the same Direct Connect local calling area. Check coverage  in your area.
Note: While all Nextel phones support local Direct Connect calling, some phones cannot support Nationwide Direct Connect service.

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What do I need to use Nationwide Direct Connect service?
To use the service while traveling, Nationwide Direct Connect service must be available in your local calling area (or home market) and the market to which you travel.

Nearly all Nextel phones support Nationwide Direct Connect service. However, certain models cannot, including: b370, c280, i1000, i2000, i370, i390, i600, Lingo (L3000), m100, m370, m470, r370 and r470.

If you have one of these models, you will need to upgrade to a new phone to use the Nationwide Direct Connect service. See the National Phone Upgrade Program information on the Nextel website (Click Here to View), or call 800-NEXTEL9.

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How can I find out where Nationwide Direct Connect service is available?
You can check availability on the Nextel website -- Click Here to Check Availability.

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What do I need to do to get Nationwide Direct Connect service?
Nothing! Once your market launches in Phase 1, you can place Nationwide Direct Connect calls to colleagues, family or friends traveling with you and other Nextel customers in the launched market you're visiting.

Later in 2003 when Phase 2 rolls out, you can use the Nationwide Direct Connect feature to place calls from any market to any market on the Nextel National Network.

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I don't want my employees (or only some of my employees) to have Nationwide Direct Connect service. What should I do?
If you would like to block access to this feature from some or all of the phones on your account, contact  Customer Care at 1-800-639-6111.

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How am I charged for Direct Connect and Nationwide Direct Connect calls?
Direct Connect and Nationwide Direct Connect calls are deducted from the Direct Connect minutes included in your monthly plan. There's no additional charge for the traveling feature of Nationwide Direct Connect service.

When Phase 2 (nationwide) rolls out, you can choose from flexible pricing options for Direct Connect calls made to another area.

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Do the Nationwide Direct Connect calls I make count toward my Direct Connect minutes?
Yes. Any time you initiate a Nationwide Direct Connect call, the minutes are deducted from the Direct Connect minutes included in your monthly plan.

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If others contact me using the Direct Connect or Nationwide Direct Connect feature, will this count toward my Direct Connect minutes?
No. The person who initiates the call has Direct Connect minutes deducted, not the person who receives the Direct Connect call. However, if you respond after six seconds have passed, you are considered the initiator and the minutes will be deducted from the Direct Connect minutes included in your monthly plan.

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How can I add more Direct Connect minutes to my rate plan?
You can add minutes by calling Customer Care at 1-800-639-6111.

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Do I need a different number to receive or place a Nationwide Direct Connect call?
No, your Direct Connect number is your Nationwide Direct Connect number. Be sure to give other Nextel customers your entire number (Area ID*Network ID*Member ID).

To place a Nationwide Direct Connect call, you need to enter the person's entire Direct Connect number (Area ID*Network ID*Member ID).

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Who can use Direct Connect or Nationwide Direct Connect service to contact me?
Only the Nextel customers to whom you give your number can contact you using Direct Connect or Nationwide Direct Connect service.

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Where can I find my Direct Connect / Nationwide Direct Connect number?
Your Direct Connect number (also your Nationwide Direct Connect number) consists of your Area ID*Network ID*Member ID. To find it, follow these easy steps.

For i1000plus, i10001, i700plus, i550plus, i500plus, i3701, i3901 and i6001 phones:
  1. Press the "*" key.
  2. Press the "#" key.
  3. Press the "2" key.
For i20001 and i2000plus phones:
  1. Press the "menu" key.
  2. Press the option key under "Prgm."
  3. Press the "2" key.
  4. Press the option key under "Prgm."
For i95cl, i90c, i88s, i85s, i80s, i60c, i55sr, i50sx and i30sx phones:
  1. Press the "Menu" key.
  2. Scroll to My Info.
  3. Press the option key under SELECT.
  4. Scroll to Prvt ID.
  5. Press the option key under VIEW.
1 This phone does not support Nationwide Direct Connect service.

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How do I place a Direct Connect call to a Nextel customer in my local calling area?
Follow these steps: (for i95cl, i90c, i80s, i88s, i85s, i60c, i55sr, i50sx and i30sx models, skip to step 2.)
  1. Press the Mode key until Prvt Ready appears.
  2. Enter the Area ID and press "*."
  3. Enter the Network ID and press "*."
  4. Enter the Member ID (displayed on your phone as Prvt Ready).
  5. Press and hold the Direct Connect button.

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I stored a colleague's Direct Connect number in my phonebook. Will I be able to use this number when we travel to another market?
Yes, you can use this number if you originally stored the entire Direct Connect number -- Area ID*Network ID*Member ID. Note: Some handsets truncate the number when it has been stored and only display the last few digits (or Member ID).

If you only stored the Member ID, you will need to revise your phonebook entry to include the entire number. See "Editing Stored List Entries" in your phone model's User's Guide.

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How can I quickly store Direct Connect numbers?
Access the Quick Start guide for your phone model to get specific instructions on storing Direct Connect numbers.

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How can I use the Direct Connect feature so that people around me don't hear what my caller says?
Depending on your phone model, here are some options for holding private conversations:

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What's a Call Alert, and how do I send and receive one?
A Call Alert is a Nextel Direct Connect feature that allows you to notify someone that you'd like to talk. It is less intrusive than immediately sending a Direct Connect communication to the other person. Sending an alert allows the person to decide whether or not it's convenient to respond at that time.

For i1000, i2000, i500plus, i550plus, i700plus, i1000plus, and i2000plus phones:
  1. Press the "Mode" key until you see "Prvt Ready."
  2. Press the option key under "Alert."
  3. Select the person you want to alert by entering their Private ID (Direct Connect Number) or selecting their name from your stored list.
  4. Press and hold the Direct Connect button until you see "Alert-Sent Successful" on the display. The alert plays intermittently until the recipient answers, queues, or clears it.
For i95cl, i90c, i88s, i85s, i80s, i60c, i55sr, i50sx and i30sx phones:
  1. Enter the Private ID (Direct Connect Number) of the person you would like to alert or select their name from the Phonebook if stored.
  2. Press the option key under ALERT, and the Ready to Alert screen displays.
  3. Press and hold the Direct Connect button until Alert Successful displays. The alert plays intermittently until the recipient answers, queues, or clears it.
When you receive a call alert, your phone will emit an intermittent chirp and will display the name (if stored) or Private ID (Direct Connect Number) of the caller. You can either answer, queue, or clear the call alert.
  1. To answer the Call Alert, press the Direct Connect button.
  2. To queue the Call Alert, press the option key under QUEUE.
  3. To clear the Call Alert, press the option key under CLEAR.
NOTE: Until you answer, queue or clear the call alert, you will not receive any additional phone, Direct Connect or Group Connect calls.


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