Nextel/Motorola i355 phones

[hatidua]

Anyone here know anything about using Nextel/Motorola i355 (or similar models) phones as radios? I've seen several threads on other forums but was curious if anyone local knew much about it as some of the lingo the radio folks toss around is rather alien to me.

[rbeau30]

I was listening to one of the reapeaters either last night or the night before that someone was saying he was using his phone to talk to the guy righ there, and was also hearing himself being broadcast on the radio next to him.

I didn't get any particulars because I was mobile, but it was kinda interesting.... I think it uses the internet.

[cmailliard]

Raytheon make a device called an ACU-2000. It is an interoperable communications bridge to allow agencies to talk to one another. You plug a radio in from agency A, agency B, and C and a Nextel from agency D and they can all talk to one another. It has diminished in use in Colorado and the Denver Metro because of the Statewide DTR and Network First System, but every Mobile EOC has one in it. Not sure if this is what they were using but it sounds like it.

If memory serves Sprint was dumping the Nextel service.