Sprint to add an additional $10 charge per month for iDEN subscribers starting in January

The Motorola Admiral is a Sprint Direct Connect phone

Sprint plans on turning the switch off its iDEN network on June 30th, 2013. In order to hasten subscribers' migration to the carrier's new CDMA-Direct Connect network, Sprint is charging $10 a month extra to those deciding to stick to their current iDEN plan. The extra billing will end after June when the network is turned off and the 800MHz spectrum is re-farmed for LTE use.

Sprint is advising current iDEN subscribers to make the move now, before January rolls around, bringing the extra $10 charge with it. A Sprint spokesman said that those who rollover to CDMA-Direct Connect should find a price plan that is "comparable to what they have now. They are also eligible to receive a variety of very attractive device offers." Online, Sprint currently offers three PTT phones with Direct Connect. The Kyocera Rise is free with a 2-year contract, the LG Optimus Elite which is $29.99 on contract and the Motorola Admiral which costs $49.99 with a 2-year contract.

There is some competition with the recent launch of AT&T's enhanced PTT service which runs over the carrier's 3G/4G pipeline including its 700MHz LTE network.