I know lots of people who use pre-paid phone service. Several of them opt for this method because in my more rural area it takes more than one provider to get seamless coverage when you are traveling. Others do it because they don’t want a contract or want to keep an eye on how many minutes a family member uses.

Pre-paid provider Boost Mobile has announced the first sliding form factor PTT handset on its network. The device is the Motorola Debut i856. The big feature of the handset is the nationwide PTT walkie talkie service.

The handset features a 1.3MP camera, stereo Bluetooth, and GPS along with wireless Internet. The phone supports MMS and text messaging and has an optional 8GB microSD card for storing music. Boost will sell the i856 for $169.99 and it is available today.