Verizon Wireless has announced its new Samsung Convoy 2 mobile phone, a rugged model featuring push-to-talk communications capabilities for military personnel as well as first responders such as police, firefighters and ambulance workers.

With its support for military specifications 810F on durability, it's suitable for users working in intense heat and humidity. It can survive low-pressure environments, vibration, shock and solar radiation. The unit can also withstand salt fog, sand and dust, which users in first response and the military are exposed to.

"This is a basic phone that has been hardened for a work environment," Rob Enderle, principal analyst for Enderle Group, wrote in an email to eWEEK. "This means the costs associated with it are minimized."

Announced on Aug. 9, the Convoy 2 sells for $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year agreement. Push to talk costs $5 per month per line.

The clamshell Convoy 2 is a follow-up to the Convoy, introduced in November 2009.

Source: eWeek