Since it's such a busy day here on the BBS (and I'm bored), I thought I'd ask a stupid question.

What is the deal with Push-to-Talk cellphones, like the irritating Nextel/Sprint bleep system? I can understand the desire for connectivity without using the cellular network, for cost, and for when the network is unavailable, but what does that have to do with PTT? Why does avoiding the cellular network necessitate irritating everyone around you?

In addition, ignoring the out-of-band communication aspect, what is the advantage to that method of using a communication device at all? Walkie-talkies were engineered that way because of technical limitations, not out of desire.