Sonim Technologies unveils ultra-rugged FirstNet devices, support for direct-mode PTT module

In addition to the dual-SIM capability, the XP8 includes an SD card that can used to provide additional storage for body-camera video or other items, Plaschke said.

Other XP8 features include:

• A larger, 5-inch screen (compared to the XP7’s 4-inch screen) with much greater resolution;
• Gloved-hand/wet-finger operation for applications;
• A replaceable battery;
• A significantly improved camera that captures better images in low-light conditions; and
• Is CSCF-ready to handle classified information.

While the XP8 was designed “from scratch,” the XP5S is built on the foundation of Sonim’s XP5, Plaschke said.

“The XP5S is a complete upgrade to the XP5, which is our radio-centric phone,” he said. “The XP5S has a new chipset and new memory, running on an Android operating system. The XP5S has improved audio and improved noise cancellation. It has improved durability, compared to the [XP5]. It comes with the same three-year warranty. It has a replaceable battery and a larger screen for better visibility.”

Plaschke said he believes the XP5S is ideal for school-bus drivers, security personnel in hospital and non-public-safety municipal workers that want to interoperate with—or augment—existing LMR networks. The XP5S is expected to be priced in a manner that will fit in most budgets, he said.

“It’s a device targeted toward the extended primary [public-safety users],” Plaschke said. “It comes at a very low cost—a price of less than $300—and is likely to be subsidized by FirstNet. We believe that, in a typical two-year contract with AT&T, this phone will be available at a very, very affordable cost.”

Plaschke said the new Sonim devices include several attributes—for instance, the replaceable battery, the direct-mode module and the SecureAudio Connector—that are contrary to the trends found in commercial smartphones today, but the company wants to address the stated needs of public-safety users. AT&T personnel have exhibited a similar attitude in their work on FirstNet, he said.

“We couldn’t be more proud and honored to be associated with AT&T,” Plaschke said. “They have matched the necessary level of commitment that we think we’ve tried to show to public safety. We are very proud to go hand-in-hand to provide the best possible handset capabilities, accessory capabilities and application capabilities, while they provide a best-in-class network.”