IMfree Push to Talk

What is Push-to-Talk

Push-to-Talk can best be compared with a walkie-talkie. You use however a regular mobile phone, PDA or PC.

Speech is transferred into data packages and sent over regular Internet or mobile Internet (GPRS, UMTS or WiFi). With a push of a button a conversation is set up. While talking, the "speech data" is being sent. This is called streaming. The spoken words are delivered instantly without having to finish your sentence first. When a person is finished talking, he or she releases the button. A short beep indicates the receiving party that he can start talking back.

Push-to-Talk does not set up a connection like a normal phone call. This enables you to start talking directly after pushing the call button. On the mobile phone, PDA or PC a software client is installed. Persons to talk to are entered in a contact list, just like the buddy lists of Instant Messaging programs like MSN or AOL Messenger. This also makes it possible to have a conversation with multiple persons at the same time. The contact list indicates which persons are available or don't want to be disturbed.