Leader: If it's good to talk, is it even better to push-to-talk?

Orange has once again dipped its toe into mobile waters ahead of its main competitors. Today sees it launch TalkNow, a voice service that most people will characterise as push-to-talk (PTT) in a move that will interest end users as much as the mobile operator.

2004 is likely to be the year of PTT. Major infrastructure providers, most notably Nokia, have got their PTT act together and with more and more phones shipping with OSes that allow downloads of software such as a PTT client (part of what makes such phones 'smart'), businesses will have this option, especially as most other operators also start to get on board.

Two main user questions come to mind and both should be at the forefront of Orange's thinking.

First, will this technology - allowing walkie-talkie style one-to-one or one-to-many chatting as well as easier voice messaging - find markets outside of certain verticals? In the US, if you're looking for the main example of a developed PTT market people know, everyone cites the construction industry. However, Orange has already been trialling in areas such as high-tech, haulage and pharmaceuticals.

Its offering should also prove more flexible than the proprietary Motorola technology used by Nextel in the US, allowing international use over GSM networks.

Looks promising but the jury is out on this one. As one triallist put it, etiquette is key. PTT comes with a reputation for being intrusive. Managing presence profiles will be important to avoiding a 'shouty' phone on your desktop - and undoubtedly too much trouble for some users.

Second, how will Orange and others target PTT to consumers, especially the youth who, research and experience show, love to chat? Pricing cannot be prohibitive plus this section of the market is obsessed with SMS and, to a growing though still relatively small degree, photo messaging.

Marketing and the inclusion of the TalkNow client software on lower end phones will be critical to any success in the mass market.

Most notably, it is encouraging to see Orange - which silicon.com has always stressed is either (a) innovative in trying lots of technologies/services or (b) spreading itself too thinly in trying lots of technologies/services (we admit our feelings can vary) - preach simplicity.

A telling comment at the TalkNow launch event came from Orange executive vice president Richard Brennan. While admitting one-to-many voice messaging is possible now with many handsets on the Orange network he points out it is just too complicated, with the fiddly entry of many names and numbers.

"Most people get their secretaries to do it, it's that difficult," he said.

PTT will clearly need to be 'executive proof' if it is to fly for Orange and its high-value user base. Maybe that's why acceptance by nimble-fingered teenagers isn't the only consideration.