I've said it before, and I'll say it again. A mobile phone is ONLY as good as the network it's on.

That being said, the i1000plus is a very good phone, believe it or not... I purchased mine through a local retailer for $99 (I purchased 2, one for myself and one for my wife). I wanted these phones mainly for the direct-connect functionality. Since 90% of the mobile phone bill is calls to my wife, I figured the Direct Connect would save us a bit of money.

In case you're wondering, the Direct Connect feature is a walkie-talkie type of feature you can use to talk to co-workers or friends that are on the same "group" network. Now be careful with this. If you are planning to buy one of these because a friend or family member owns one, make sure you know which group network they are on, since that will restrict the amount of people who you can direct connect with. If you have 2 friends that are on 2 different direct connect networks, you will only be able to talk to one of them. It's not easy changing networks (requires a phone call to customer service), so make sure you can get all your friends to agree to be on the same network.

The phone itself is a bit on the larger side when compared to what I'm used to (Star Tacs and more recently the V8160 Vulcan), but I have to say i'm okay with its size. It's still pocket-friendly without a doubt.

The menus are confusing at first. Accessing features is different on the i1000+ if you're used to startacs. However, once you get the hang of it, it's really no big deal. There's 10 ringer options, a vibrate mode (which is kinda weak, but it gets the job done), and the usual fare of phone features. The unit is a flipopen model that allows you to see through a clear window who's calling via the display (Caller-ID has to be enabled by Nextel, and it's only free with some plans).

The display is standard-fare LCD on a green backlit background. The buttons are spaced out nicely, and the phone itself is comfortable, albeit a tiny bit heavier than what i'm used to.

The speakerphone is nice. That's not a feature you're normally used to on a cellphone, but it already eliminates the need for a hands-free kit in your car. I like that.

The voicemail menus are really nice, definitely a step above the Star-tac menus for accessing voicemail and messaging. It's a lot less confusing. Just open the lid on the phone, and hit "Mail", and you have 3 mail options: Voice mail, Mesg mail (usable via yourphonenumber@page.nextel.com), and Net mail (internet Email). How sweet is that? It's all right there, no bouncing through menus, perfectly organized in one place.

The phone itself has 4 communication modes. There's Phone mode, which is self explanatory. There's "Private" mode for direct-connecting to another nextel subscriber in your current group, there's "group talk" mode, which allows you to talk with a group of people, and there's "Net" mode, which is Nextel's wireless web mode. I don't use "Net" or "Group" modes, so I will have to pass on talking about those.

The direct connect (private) functionality is something I am so impressed with. Hit a button, say what you want to say (Usually "Honey? Are you there?" for me), and wait for a response. It's half-duplex (only one person can talk to each other at a time, and you have to hit a button walkie-talkie style), but it's a great way to save a couple of minutes of phone charges since you already have the unlimited direct connect time in your plan. You *DID* decide on the unlimited direct connect option, right? RIGHT?

Using Direct Connect is downright infectious. It's so easy to just communicate with your wife or buddies and not have to worry about incurring normal cellphone charges. While there's tons of instances you WILL want to use normal phone mode, I must say that the bulk of my usage on this phone is direct-connect. The direct connect feature makes a beep when a direct connection is coming in. You can use the vibrate function for this. Also, you don't HAVE to use the speakerphone for direct connect usage. You can toggle between using the earphone or the speakerphone for direct connect calls. That'll keep you out of embarrassing yourself in a crowded meeting, and still be able to see who's trying to reach you by glancing through the LCD window.

Battery life is adequate. For my purposes, the battery lasts 2 days, but I typically keep it charging in my car when i'm driving. It includes a lithium ion battery that SUPPOSEDLY has 100 hours of standby time. I don't buy THAT, but the battery life is adequate enough for me. I doubt it'd last a whole weekend with regular use, but it'll certainly make it through most of it and die out sunday afternoon.

Standard phone service is digital-only, which means in fringe areas you won't be able to revert to an analog signal. While I used to think this was important, i'm less harsh about it now since a lot of areas have finally gone digital. Coverage in Manhattan is adequate, though forget about using the phone in the tunnels (Lincoln/Holland). Both phone service and direct connect don't work there.

Reception in buildings is also a bit iffy. I was walking around Home Depot the other day talking with my wife on direct connect, and the signal meter was pretty much nothing. At work though, it's fine no matter where I go. I guess it depends on the type of building you're in and whether there's a tower nearby.

So, is this phone for you? Maybe...

If you spend a lot of time talking to a small group of people and you can convince them to get nextel phones for direct connect purposes, absolutely. It's a great way to not pay outlandish fees for all the calls you're making and have the freedom to talk to them anytime you want. This is a truly liberating feature that you will really enjoy. I know I do.

If you have no use for Direct connect however, then the phone service is really only mediocre. You can't use it in tunnels in the NYC/Metro area. It tends to not like buildings too much, and the phone itself is a bit on the bulkier side. Do NOT buy this phone if you have no use for the direct connect feature. You're better off with Verizon and a Startac.





Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 99