Sussex Cellular/SciTel Wireless is DEAD

[roamer1]

It finally happened! They canceled their own license on August 4...web site is down...switch is down (dialing 973-388-anything goes to recordings indicative of a switch shut down)...

http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/Appl...applID=3071270

This FINALLY opens the door for Cingular, Dobson, or someone else to swoop in and get some 850, although since Sussex simply shut down without selling the license, whoever wants the vacated spectrum will have to go through the FCC's application process.

-SC

[SQFreak]

So did they just leave their (five) customers out in the cold?

Is Sussex the last AMPS-only holdout?

[Yankees368]

So did they just leave their (five) customers out in the cold?

Is Sussex the last AMPS-only holdout?

LOL. If you are with either of these carriers, it's time for a new phone. You know, i hear this digital phone thing just may be the next big thing!

[roamer1]

So did they just leave their (five) customers out in the cold?

Is Sussex the last AMPS-only holdout?

AFAIK, any customers they still had were dumped.

There are still a handful of AMPS-only carriers in the US, but they all serve extremely rural/isolated areas in the West or Alaska, or oil rigs and boaters in the Gulf of Mexico.

-SC

[Fullstrength]

I wonder who will get the license, its really only cingular and Dobson, who can really go for it. Verizon already has an 800 license. Tmobile doesnt believe in 850. It going to be like a please take me situation right ?

[SQFreak]

I wonder who will get the license, its really only cingular and Dobson, who can really go for it. Verizon already has an 800 license. Tmobile doesnt believe in 850. It going to be like a please take me situation right ?

Won't it have to go up for auction?

[roamer1]

Won't it have to go up for auction?

Unserved area rules should apply. If only one carrier shows interest in the area, they can likely avoid an auction.

My guess is that Cingular will go for it, since it allow them to move from weak 1900 coverage to stronger 850 coverage. To me, Dobson doesn't really seem logical; while Dobson's Poughkeepsie-area system borders Sussex County to the north, the area is a much better fit for Cingular because of I-80 and (from what I see) Sussex County having closer ties to the rest of NJ, the NYC metro, and NEPA than to Poughkeepsie. The only other carrier I can see interested is Commnet Wireless, who tends to pounce on unserved areas, but New Jersey is so far removed from the rest of Commnet's properties (not to mention Cingular and T-Mobile both having 1900 there making for a less-than-captive audience of carriers) that I expect they'll pass. I don't see anyone else being interested, if only because of the cost required to get from AMPS to GSM (going CDMA when VZW is there would be suicide.)

-SC

[jones]

So did they just leave their (five) customers out in the cold?

Is Sussex the last AMPS-only holdout?

No, VZW has CDMA Coverage where SUSSEX CELLULAR operates.
VZW was the one who KICKED THEIR

[bobolito]

So they preferred to die rather than sell their company. What a shame! LOL! This certainly puts out of their misery an agonizing company. Finally a scarce resource such as cellular wireless spectrum will get some justice!

I really hope Cingular gets the license. It would be easy for them to just add the 850 to their existing network. I don't see them buying any of the Scitel locations. Verizon already has 850 there so I don't think they will get it even if they wanted to.

[SQFreak]

No, VZW has CDMA Coverage where SUSSEX CELLULAR operates.
VZW was the one who KICKED THEIR

That had absolutely nothing to do with my question. My question was if Sussex was the last company in the country to have only AMPS.

[Fire14]

That had absolutely nothing to do with my question. My question was if Sussex was the last company in the country to have only AMPS.

I think they were the last in this area of the Northeast, I know in NJ they were, as for the country, I am sure out mid-west there are some left, especially since there are people looking to keep the Analog alive beyond the 2008 date & companies have applied for extensions, but can't give you a 100% answer.

And I am glad to hear they finally went where they belong, especially with there attitude they always had towards other carriers. I also hope Cingular gets this area, since they need it badly for the 850 coverage.

[agentHibby]

That had absolutely nothing to do with my question. My question was if Sussex was the last company in the country to have only AMPS.

As Roamer1 said there are some providers in Alaska and also one in the gulf of mexico that does AMPS only. On Feb 18, 2008 when analog becomes optional, they will not be required to do digital so they can stay with analog as long as they like. The only thing may be problemsome are the E911 rules.
So there are no more AMPS only providers in the Northeast, MidWest, Southeast.
If only one provider wants it then they get the license. If two or more providers want to have the airwaves, then it will have to be auctioned off. I would think the FCC will not allow Verizon to buy, also I don't think they really would want it.

The only logical reason to drop and not get boughtout is if they were going to get more money from a tower rental company to buy their towers than a company like Cingular to get the network and customers.

[jones]

My question was if Sussex was the last company in the country to have only AMPS.

Sussex could mean Sussex County.
Sussex Cellular operates in Sussex County, NJ
Thought you mean Sussex County has AMPS Coverage only,
cuz you just said SUSSEX.

[MeatChicken]

VZW won't be interested in this, since this very rural area has virtually no capacity issues requiring more spectrum there, just terrain/coverage issues.
CING would be the most logical choice as they are the "A" 800 carrier in the rest of North Jersey....

[bobolito]

That was certainly an odd spot in the middle of the Northeast with an 800Mhz block dedicated only to Analog. Glad Sussucks Cellular is finally over.

[roamer1]

VZW was the one who KICKED THEIR

IMO, VZW had nothing to do with Sussex's downfall -- what happened to Sussex was their OWN fault, with their arrogance, attitude toward other carriers and so on. Quite a few other small carriers exist and compete effectively with VZW... (Case in point: Farmers Wireless in Alabama, who is GSM and actually has better pricing than VZW in many cases, and has better coverage than VZW in many areas of the 2.5 counties where they are both 850. Farmers serves an area of Alabama that is even more rural and economically depressed than Sussex County!)

-SC

[Fullstrength]

i remenber in the old Comcast days, you couldnt even roam on sussex cellular, the map was strange it showed nj without sussex county. Once ATT got in there it all changed and thats when they needed to do something. Which was like 1993. I think they were riding on fumes this whole time.

[jones]

IMO, VZW had nothing to do with Sussex's downfall -- what happened to Sussex was their OWN fault, with their arrogance, attitude toward other carriers and so on.

In this very Rural Area, VZW had good CDMA Coverage.
Better that Sussex Cellular analog coverage.
I know cuz i got friends who live here.
Most people who live here use VZW cuz that's the one that works
in this rural area.
That's why i'm saying VZW brought them DOWN,
they were like a DELI store competing against Walmart.

[Yankees368]

In this very Rural Area, VZW had good CDMA Coverage.
Better that Sussex Cellular analog coverage.
I know cuz i got friends who live here.
Most people who live here use VZW cuz that's the one that works
in this rural area.
That's why i'm saying VZW brought them DOWN,
they were like a DELI store competing against Walmart.

Hey, theres nothing wrong with a good old fashion deli! lol

[JFB]

Wasn't Sussex Cellular just one guy with one cell tower? Thats what I seem to recall anyway. He should have sold out before 1900 MHz came along.


Sussex county is actually a nice and growing area with several lakes that are very busy in the summer. It also has a few ski mountains and Mountain Creek

[bobolito]

i remenber in the old Comcast days, you couldnt even roam on sussex cellular, the map was strange it showed nj without sussex county. Once Att got in there it all changed and thats when they needed to do something. Which was like 1993. I think they were riding on fumes this whole time.

I had Comcast Cellular (now Cingular) and I used to roam on Sussex Cellular back in 1999. Then, when AT&T deployed their crappy PCS 1900Mhz TDMA, the roaming agreement was changed to roam on AT&T instead of Sussex Cellular. This happened in 2000 when Cingular was formed.