There was nothing like being a 20 year old in the early 00’s with terrible friends all with Nextels, standing in line at a store, hearing your phone go beep beep and then a loud rant filled with every curse word you can imagine. I’ll never forget the looks.

My pops was a dedicated Nextel customer. I remember the countless afternoons when his phone would chirp and on the other end it was my uncle seeking to have a quick walkie-talkie chat 😂 good times.

Here in México having a Nextel was a symbol of status and wealth. If you we're a business man, or dealt with them you needed a Nextel... Or if you wanted to look like you had money and power. One time a friend and I went to a bar to have a couple of beers. My Friends father was the owner of a small engineering firm, so he gave him a Nextel in case he needed something. So long story short, My friend was trying to get a hold of her sister, but Nextel network was down for some reason. A couple minutes pass and we see a teenage girl across the bar pretending to speak with someone (loudly) on her Nextel. We started laughing, and I said: "maybe she has access to a super VIP network and thats why she has service and you don't".

That Nextel walkie talkie feature worked so well and so easy. Every contractor had them. I can’t believe it didn’t stick around as a mainstream feature.

As someone who's oldest phone was a random LG messaging phone from the early 2010s this series has been an incredible look into a technological landscape I never experienced

This is one of most compelling video in this series. While Nextel is not as well known worldwide, this video highlights the downfall of a company that fails to adapt to new technologies fast enough.

I almost cried at the end of this video. I just started college at the time that Nextel went under. Those were some of the best years of my life. Having to come to grips with reality and acknowledging that those days are now "obsolete". It hurts, kinda. But as with all things, we move on and we evolve.

I remember when direct connect came out, my neighbors owned a paving company and I was amazed to see them "walkie-talky-ing" to each other across town using cell phones.

I didn't expect a video about a network I've never used from a country I've never been to, to nearly bring me to tears with the passion and panache it was presented with. Stellar video.

My first time to Brazil in 2016 i was shocked to see Nextel as one of the 4 big cellular carriers in the country, so of course I brought my old Nextel phone with me the following year and activated it here with no problems! Everything still works even though I don't use the phone that much it was a lifesaver when my smartphone was stolen and i needed a backup.

I loved Nextel up until the end. I remember working at AT&T Wireless and my manager asking me why I still carried my i930 Nextel phone. I told him the Direct Connect was faster than a phone call and faster than a text message. I then Direct Connected from Los Angeles, California, USA, to my brother-in-law in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, in less than one second and for free. Then, I intentionally chucked my phone on to the break room floor to show him how durable the phone was. He just looked at me in disbelief. He told me that I needed to get onboard (drink the Kool-Aid), but I had made my point.

This is one of my favorite KZfaq series ever. We've basically won the game right now with smartphones, but it got boring because of that. Seeing novel designs and solutions to issues we've mostly conquered is a lot of fun, and that's a kind of fun I miss a bit. It just keeps it interesting.

6:48 I hereby petition to bring back the retro Michael Fisher 'stache.

The storytelling in this video was top-tier

This “When phones were fun” has easily become my favourite series on tech KZfaq 👌🏾 I’m from South Africa so this part of it was fascinating as I remember looking at US forums (I was a Symbian user) like HoFo back in the mid 2000s and seeing people talk about PTT and Direct Connect, but never fully understood what it was all about, this video greatly explained it. Amazing the different journeys that were taken in different countries and regions to lead us where we all are now. In South Africa we are still dealing with high call and data costs though, so a lot of people prefer using WhatsApp Calls to consolidate the cost to data. Will you at any point be covering mobile phone OSs in the series E.g. Symbian and all it’s variants (S60, S80, S90 and UIQ) looking into each manufacturers take on it? And same with Windows Mobile? Awesome work Michael! Keep em coming!

I absolutely loved this video. I've always been so fascinated with Nextel. My parents were very early subscribers and they stayed with them all the way to 2012 when they finally had enough and swapped to Verizon with iPhones. I still have my mother's Motorola i776 and it still powers up and works like a charm. I agree that walkie talkie functions fell out of favor with pop culture, but I must say that the convenience of pressing a button and instantly talking to anyone is still unmatched by any other method of communication.

Between Nextel's walkie-talkie and Sidekicks, kids today have no idea what they missed out on.

Hey Michael! This is random, but as someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression for over 20 years now, and who is having a particularly bad episode as we speak, you, your videos, and especially this series does help to allieviate it all a little bit, so thank you. Take care!

As someone who's moved a million times and doesn't have much from my life before about 2016 or so, I very much appreciate that you still have this time capsule of old cell phones and nametags for shitty retail jobs. Ephemera is a much more interesting form of history than the textbook stuff, in my opinion.

My dad had Nextel when I was a kid. The coverage I remember being not very good in my more rural city. The coverage seemed to fade out quicker than most other carriers (at least quicker than US Cellular in a lot of places as that’s what I mostly used otherwise at the time), especially when my dad inevitably broke the antennas on his phones. My dad said he liked the push to talk features though, so there’s that. I also remember the basic mobile Internet and being blown away by being able to check the weather forecast on a phone. Nextel was an interesting part of my childhood.

I’m sure the “whatever this is” is a carrier bag carrier. It allows you to carry multiple carrier bags in the one hand by hanging them on and holding the handle. Great video as always Michael 👍🏻

07:41 I thought about this family guy clip in every other 'When phones were fun' episode...finally

Oh the nostalgia! I graduated high-school in 2005 and I absolutely loved my nextel that I had at that time. Thank you for this great video and a trip down memory lane!

I would give ANYTHING to have my Nextel back! I had the checkered flag Nextel for eight years! That thing got run over by a racecar, and was still kicking! I loved that phone so much!!!! I still have it, actually.

I went travelling around america in 2008 and saw a couple use this feature whilst at Disney World, i hadn't seen anything like this before and couldn't get my head around it! Thanks for adding some meat to the bones!

While I've got nostalgia from them being with Sprint, (grew up near the campus) I certainly don't have nostalgia for the people that would obnoxiously use the walkie talkie in public at full volume.

That funky Nextel ringtone is so nostalgic my dad worked in construction and had one of these phones, I can remember hearing it go off like as if it was yesterday

Greetings from India 🇮🇳 Thanks Michael, as a former Telecom professional (1999 to 2013) I recall Nextel in the US and always wondered what happened to its IDEN network. You made it clear and simple 🙏

I honestly miss the days of NEXTEL. It was so convenient to get in touch with someone with the two way radio. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. I love when Michael Fisher releases nostalgia videos on tech. "Stay mobile my friends."

Nextel phones were unbelievable… my stepdad had one that got run over by a concrete truck. It still worked.

That flip-phone from 12:40 - 12:57 looks SO COOL! I love how sleek it looks for a flip, and those buttons look so clicky. It's easily one of the best looking flip-phones in this video!

The “hit me on my Nextel chirp” plug earned you a subscriber out of me because maaaaannnnnn is that deep cut throwback!!!!! 🤣😂

Fun fact: "Aina" means "Always" in Finnish, and the company seems to be originating from there. The product lives up to its name!

I loved my Nextel and was definitely top 2 of my most fun phones. I remember the walkie talkie and going to the phone store and paying $1 a ringtone. They would upload whatever song you wanted so you could use it as a ringtone. All of my friends had one. Good Times 🤙🏽

Your videos are the only ones on youtube that make me emotional at the end. Just absolutely top-notch storytelling. I don't even really care about old phones but i'm about to go on a binge just because i enjoy your videos so much.

thank you so much for the time, energy, and effort into makin this nostalgic phone video. i appreciate the love into compiling this video together. i didn't know how the fall of Nextel happened, but, i wasn't into phones back then, but i remember this company being a big company.

I never was a Nextel customer, but I STILL think the walkie-talkie feature is one of the coolest features I wish I could've participated in. This series really reminds me just how cool phones were.

I miss Nextel, I really do. I had an i875 Boost Mobile "Where u at" chirp phone for work. The system was dope. I know walkie talkie over cellular is still around but its not the same

What a great video! Thanks for the nostalgia. As a former truck driver, we relied on these. Often used to call them No-Tell. Always had issues with that service however

I absolutely loves this video, it was a walk down memory lane for me. I worked for Nextel and then Sprint from 05 to 13 and just seeing the old legacy Nextel stores, the old business cards, hearing that PTT, man that took me back. Those were fun phones for fun times for me. Thank you for making this.

We had Nextel in my country for some years (i think till 2014-15). I distinctly remember a friend having one and using it to call her family in another country. It was nuts to me, specially when a minute of international calls was the equivalent of least half a dollar per minute.

As a someone from outside the US, I only know Nextel from their sponsorship of the NASCAR cup series, and your videos where you talk about working for them. A fascinating video tbh. Many old carriers from the UK that no longer exist, and I miss too tbh

You're GOATed for working at Nextel and representing them properly. I loved my i860 so much.

"When Phones Were Fun" is by far my favorite tech series on KZfaq.

Another great video Michael! Awesome you kept the name plates or tags or whatever you call those things LOL, I too worked at a dealer for some time and watched how things changed over time. I still have my Nokia flip phone and my iPhone 3gs my first real smartphone. In the past decades it's mind blowing how fast technology has advanced. Thank you for this series, it really is a great one, keep it coming my friend, a big fan from the Philippines here!

Great video! This brought back some memories. I worked for Sprint from 2009-2014 as a Tech Support Supervisor, and I remember how much the Nextel acquisition whooped our butt in the call center lol. I'd love to see a video about 4G, and how all the other carriers were going with LTE while Sprint decided on WiMAX. It'd be cool to see the differences between the 2 networks.

i love how mr. fisher has all of his memories from THAT era saved! i mean these photos fascinates me a lot! I'd give everything in this world to get back my clicked photos of those early 2000's which all of them i lost! digital camera photos are still with me but we used digital cameras back then for occasions or not just very randomly.. but we did use our phones to take that random shot, that forgotten moment, that maybe it's not the best photo but it's what I've got to freeze this memory forever. hey man you are very lucky and wise to still being able to keep all these and me? not so much as my oldest phone photo collection just dates back to 2012 and by that time many used a cellphone camera very often. thank you Mr. Fisher for still through your photos and this series, taking me down to a nostalgia supernova that i still adore and miss.

This video was incredibly nostalgic for me. My dad used to own a Nextel i730 when was younger and I remember my dad would always use the walkie-talkie feature with his co-workers. Not to mention, on the front of the phone, there was this LED ring that if you set your ringtone to a specific track, the LED ring would light up to the music. Thanks for taking me down memory lane, Michael! A great video as always!

You are not aware how happy this video made me 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 I was a Nextel fan boy!!!! My first phone ever man this is nostalgia cityyy !!

Great video, Mr. Fisher. I had a handful of different Nextel phones back in the day. I enjoyed some light software modding of the i860, and being a fan of Windows Mobile really liked the i930 too. Many a chirp from friends and family back then.

Keep this series going, ur videos about the phones back in the days are amazingly good en makes me wish this period never ended. Good work!

I have fond memories growing up with my dad using a NEXTEL phone and his work buddies hopping in whenever to update him. He had several Motorola i1 series phones (many of the ones featured in this video). It ended with the Motorola i1, an Android phone on the iDEN network. At that point (the early 2010s), data services were so slow on it that it was almost unusable. Roaming was definitely a thing though. When we traveled he was able to roam on iDEN networks used internationally.

At the end of the video, I saw those Harris XL-200P units and because of that, I need to put my $0.02 in as the average Joe/Jane wouldn’t have any idea of what those devices are, or how they even relate to cellular data technology. For those willing to get a crash course in the subject, strap in and hang on for the ride! Two way radio systems today mainly consist of Family Radio Service (FRS) sets and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). These types of radios can be bought off the shelf at most big box retailers, but they really don’t have much range; a lot less than what is advertised on the packaging. These types of radios have a limited range due to the amount of power they use to transmit. FRS devices especially are restricted 0.5 Watts, and can only use a fixed length antenna which is non removable or modifiable by FCC Part 95 rules. GMRS devices have a little more leeway in the Part 95 rules, BUT you must pay the FCC for a license to use those frequencies, in which you are given a callsign that you must identify with on the air. There are also repeaters that can be accessed in the GMRS service, which can take a signal that ordinarily would only go a mile on its own, and rebroadcast it out with much higher power over a much larger coverage area. Similar technology exists in the amateur radio service (FCC Part 97) and in the commercial radio service (FCC Part 90) that allow for much wider communications coverage. Some of these communications are rebroadcast on other linked repeaters over internet protocol (IP) links so as if you talk on one, you can talk on all linked repeaters, further increasing coverage range from a local level to as far out as regional, national, or global. This bit is outside of the scope of this conversation but if you want more info on that, look up DMR-MARC and Brandmeister Networks on Google. Also Motorola MotoTRBO IP Site Connect. Digital radio communications have evolved significantly over the last 20 years in the Land Mobile Radio (LMR) sector. We now have digital modulation technologies such as DMR, P25, NXDN, and TETRA. I will be focusing mainly on P25 though, as that relates to the radios I will be discussing in detail about. Project 25 (P25) is a digital modulation technology that was developed by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) as a means to unify public safety communications technologies around the world and within the United States. At the time, various law enforcement agencies and emergency services were using a wide variety of communications systems on different services that would not always work with a neighboring agencies systems. So if mutual aid assistance was needed from a nearby district, they wouldn’t be able to communicate with each other without getting additional communications equipment from the other district. P25 set a unified set of standards that would be met to enable any agency in the country to be able to communicate with anyone else using the same equipment, and a set of dedicated frequencies for each device. Sections of the 700MHz and 800MHz band were repurposed from cellular use to be dedicated for public safety communications nationwide in the United States. As the technology continued to advance, regional trunked radio systems became commonplace to facilitate unified communications across district lines. Trunked radio systems are a bit too advanced for the scope of this discussion, but if you are interested can look up the means of operations on Google. However there are sometimes dead zones where the trunked frequencies cannot penetrate inside of a building or if a user is outside of the radio system coverage area, the user could not contact anyone. Now enters LTE technology. L3Harris and Motorola Solutions have made their own solutions to this common problem. On Harris’ XL-200 Mobile and Portable platforms, they have a feature called BeOn LTE that has a SIM card installed for a mobile carrier (Certified on Verizon, AT&T, and FirstNet). If the radio determines that the radio is out of range of the system and cannot communicate with any other nearby sites, it will revert to an LTE data backup channel and all voice and data info from the associated talkgroup that is currently selected on the radio will be sent to the radio and from the radio over an LTE IP link to an IP node which then sends it back into the trunked radio system to other users and dispatch. Motorola Solutions also has the exact same technology for their APX and APX NEXT series of radios, just that it is called SmartConnect. It also has certification for use on Verizon, AT&T, and FirstNet. These technologies allow our front line first responders to always have a line of communication with any resources needed to ensure the public’s safety and security. Feel free to drop a reply if you want more specific details on this or if you liked this nugget of information give me a like.

Wow! I can't believe you kept all of our Nextel stuff! The only thing I have left is a box of old phone. Lol I can't believe I'm just seeing this now. You really brought the nostalgia on this one! Good work!

I subbed to your channel thanks to this video all a few others before it. I'm 38 and man I remember everything of cell phones from 2001 and up. I love it and wish the younger generation would watch and learn life wadnt always easy as it is today

Your continued success is well-deserved Michael, outstanding videos. Well done.

In the late 90s I started a company to provide dispatch to contractors (HVAC, plumbers...). One day I got a call from the marketing person at Unwired Planet wanting to know more about how well our software was received by the contractor community. The next day they were meeting with Nextel people to push their HDML markup language. I would characterize the experience during the late 90s as the Wild West of early cell phone days. Push to talk was hot - unless you weren't ready for the loud interruption they caused. Our focus was to leverage the HDML language and providing "quiet" communications. I attended what was probably the last Unwired Planet conference. It was jammed with wannabe's - including our company. Very interesting times. We dropped out by 2000. The primary reasons were (a) too complicated for one-finger responses (yes, even though our software provided simple menus), and (b) overall too klutzy for ham-handed field techs. It was easier to call for instructions than use HDML menus, which were necessarily limited. For sure this was an exciting technology time. Then, on the last day of the UP conference, I talked to a former AT&T sales rep who said, "CDPD (the technology used for HDML data) would never be successful. Cell tower coverage was too limited." By then it was too late to for us.

i love this video series. this is what makes me come back to mrmobile constantly.

Enjoyed this one and discovered why so many companies and regular people jumped on Nextel back then. As usual you had some entertaining shots like the two phones on your belt. This "when phones were fun" series of videos is really different and educational.

My first phone was the i500 and got my wife an i550. I still remember when international direct connect launched, and couldn't believe I could walkie-talkie my boss in another country! Now I just install that Zello app on all my family phones, which does the same thing for free. Great video Michael and RIP Nextel!

I've been waiting for a Nextel episode!! I worked in a legacy Nextel store during the merger!

With this series, you really are onto something Michael!! Superb as always, an absolute treat to watch !!

I worked for the company from 99 until 2009. 1st as a phone tech then network engineer. Loved it. Miss it.

Wooow. The I95 CL. I had completely forgotten about that thing. It was my first cellphone in high school, and I was the first person in my friend group to have a cell phone, so it was a pretty big deal. Always thought it looked like the hood of the Toyota Celica at the time.

I always think about my first cell phone, a Nextel i560. It was amazing. I loved the push to talk feature. My parents had the i580 which looked a little cooler. thanks for the video! My family was about to go with the palm pre but it was too expensive at the time and we switched to AT&T and all got iphone 3GS' which was cheaper on a 2 year contract

I haven't watched Mr. Mobile in over a year, this video was amazing. So glad I clicked on it.

This video made me reminisce about my days as a Trainer for a Call Center for Sprint|Nextel back in 2008-2012. Keep 'em fun videos comin'!

This dude: " the whole networks out maybe I should call and ask if I should close the store" The Boss on Walkie Talkie: BEEP " Keep yo ass in the store" BEEP

Love it! I still compare any new phone to my bulky Nextel. I remember that I could text message on it without looking. I cant do that on a touchscreen.

I had my main phone with Cingular and a Boost Mobile for work! Those were the days. Awesome video as always my dude. I always get nostalgic with these.

I don't know how you don't have 10 million subscribers yet. Your videos and reviews are always on point. Keep up the amazing work!

I still have 6 Nextel phones on my used phone timeline shelf in my ManCave. The i1000 Plus is still in great condition after years of abuse. I have the i95c, first color screen Nextel phone. My i860 exploded in my pants pocket while voting for President in 2004. When Sprint killed off Nextel walkie phones, our circle was crushed. In 2005 I switched to Sprint and the MM-7400 with their ReadyLink walkie talkie. Wow, what a huge flop. By Day 2 our circle abandoned ReadyLink and we were just regular GSM phone owners. The fun had ended until…..PPC-6700 Windows smartphone was released. That’s another story.

Wow so much nostalgia! I use to have these. Thought I was super cool 🤣. Had the i730 with the color ring in the front. At that time it was such a flex 💪

The level of research and effort that must have gone in to make this video... wow. Respect, Mr. Mobile!

Michael’s videos are always amazingly produced, not to mention the narration/voice-over. You should be nominated and get an award for that 👍

I freaking loved my Nextel. They were ubiquitous here in Mexico. Then out of the blue less and less people had them so they kind of positive feedback looped into oblivion. Wish they made a comeback.

Here in South America, Nextel hung around until the year 2015! Since 2006 (at least in Chile) they provided services to the public as another carrier. As you mentioned, mainly Motorola phones and Blackberry. As the years went, they released android phones with the PTT button, like the Huawei Titan U8820 and the Motorola i867. (There was even a Ferrari edition for some reason) In they end, before everything crumbling down, they made the PTT an app, so any android phone could use the Push To Talk feature.

They were amazing for everything from convoy road trips, to reaching the other guys in the shop at work. Man I miss my Nextel, it's one feature I wish cell phone companies would have kept around.

My parents and grandpa had a Nextel. I've done so much research on them and I would love a Nextel. I still remember the chirp. Amazing video

When sprint brought them that’s when it went down the drain smh Nextel alone was fun & could still make money in todays market because I miss my i860 & i880😂

I was one of those huge Nextel elitists 😂. I’ll never get that awesome chirp out of my memory. Great video. I’m wondering how you got them working now?

This video, was pure magic. Thank you again MrMobile

Videos from this channel are always worth a watch even if the topic is unrelated. Simply because MrMobile's production is so damn good. Additionally, thanks to Fisher for blending his personal sojourns into this video. I feel it gives it more depth. Takes us down memory lane.

Just saw your video on Nextel. It was nostalgic as it brought back memories of using the Motorola i90 for business and casual communication. I remember that cell phone talk time was not unlimited either local or nationwide so PTT came in very handy and saved me from over usage charges. (I hated when the ‘meter’ was running and used PTT whenever I could. I was extremely upset when Sprint Mobile acquired Nextel as the service was patchy at best in my area (Cleveland, Ohio). Ironically, prior to my using Nextel, I had a Sprint dealership for a short period of time. I was losing money, because at the time (2000) every phone I sold, I had to buy back because of poor building penetration and unreliable cell service. Anyway, you brought back some good memories of PTT. Thanks.

I frickin’ love this series!! This was a great episode! Brought me back to my high school days and “chirping” all damn day lol.

So good that you showing vintage phones which showed what was before iphone that no one knew..#bestvintagephonereviewonyoutube...thank you Mr mobile...

Another awesome when phones were fun episode, another episode of the best tech series on youtube. Keep it up MIchael !!

my favorite episode of WPWF thus far! really enjoyed the deep dive from every angle

This is such a great series! Best phone and tech reviews going

This is a video that just makes me smile. I remember using my company issued Nextel as a truck driver.

I always finish Mr Mobile videos with a smile on my face. thank you

Everyone I knew had a Nextel back in 1999. It was great being able to direct connect, send alerts and even group alerts and chats. Looking back, it was kind of obnoxious walking around in public places blaring the chirp sounds and speakerphone at full volume. And I remember having no minutes left for the month but still being able to chirp away for the last week or so. It was great. And yes you could always get a chirp out even when the network was too busy for voice calls. I completely forgot about how annoying it was to have to keep trying and trying to get a call to go through. Oh how far we have come.

I had boost mobile "chirp" as a teen in the 2000's. It was awesome to just be able to reach out to someone instantly, instead of waiting for a text message or waiting for the person to pick up. Kudos on the topic. 👍

Love these. Good to see another, never heard of Nextel (here in UK) radio talk was a great usp!

This video makes me yearn for a Time I can never go back to. Excellent video as always, if you'll excuse me I'm off to have an existential crisis

I LOVED this! I miss my Nextel "chirp" phone. Even my military dad liked his. It cold fall a hundred times and never broke, the chirp function was a timesaver. And even when the cell towers were down, the chirp function would work. I was told because it was on an analog system, or something like that. I miss it!

What a great video, and those nametags from when you worked for Nextel was icing on the cake.

Haven’t even started watching yet and I’m so happy you did this!!!!! 😁

The greatest series on KZfaq! Hell yeah! Thanks, Michael!

You had me at “anemic .3 megapixel camera” Seriously tho great video. Great blast from the past! I miss when the design/features of the phone was different every year. Something to look forward to aside from the inevitable progress from phone to phone.