Nextel's Direct Connect service is going national.

Direct Connect allows Nextel mobile phone users within specified work groups to talk to each other at the press of a button, essentially turning Nextel phones into two-way radios.
Direct Connect is popular among local and regional fleets, but has been limited to specific service areas until now.
This week, Nextel announced that customers will now be able to use Direct Connect service across the country. That could make Nextel phones a serious option for more wide-ranging fleets -- truckload carriers, for example. Wherever there is Nextel service, drivers will be able to press the button and talk to dispatch just as if they were within local radio range.
Nationwide Direct Connect still has some limitations. For example, it is only available to work groups based in certain parts of the country. According to Nextel, service is initially limited to groups based in New England, Florida and Southern California. The company said that other areas are being added, and that by June 16, more than 50% of Nextel markets will be enabled for nationwide Direct Connect.
Nextel is offering a range of nationwide Direct Connect pricing plans, and technology developers are adding functionality to Nextel and other mobile phones, including GPS and bar-code scanning connectivity.
That should make mobile phones an afforable alternative to some onboard computer systems.