Alltel Cutting UP Analog Service?

I think analog service is required to be maintained until sometime in 2007, but I certainly don't know the details.

 

The provider you were roaming on was Dobson (Cellular One)
On Feb 18, 2008 analog (AMPS) becomes optional and Cellular providers can choose to take it down. New towers cellular providers may or may not use AMPS.

I would think the GSM providers would shut the whole thing down
maybe some CDMA providers might keep it up in rural areas.

Wonder if Sussex Cellular will do in 2008?

 

I think CDMA providers would shut it down too,
why would VZW sell CDMA phones only?
Analog is only Good for Voice.
i think Sussex will just sell their Network,
the Tower/Spectrum are worth Big Bucks.

 

Most providers are downgrading their AMPS service considerably since 95% of their active handsets have to be E911 compatible by the end of this year. That means that analog bag phones and other analog phones, which do not have the GPS E911 capability, are not longer able to be activated or put onto existing accounts in most cases so there are less analog phones in use and less analog spectrum is needed. They can put many more digital subscribers on the same amount of spectrum as a single analog user so it makes sense that as they start elimitating most of the people using analog equipment they would have less and less AMPS spectrum available until 2008 when they will elimitate it altogether. I would suggest getting an external antenna and booster kit for a handheld digital phone which will give you almost as much coverage as your bag phone had. From what I understand, Signal Reach makes a pretty good booster but I've never used one so I can't say for sure.

 

Of all Countries its only the USA
that's still Operating an Analog Network.
Other countries had shut Down their Analog.
What's with the FCC?

 

:headscrat :googlyeye Your guess is as good as mine. :dunno:

 

What should the FCC do? They already gave the carriers pemission to phase out analog after 5 years.

 

Yeah... but why would you mandate 95% E911 compliance by 12/31/2005 but tell carriers they have to keep analog until 2008? That doesn't make much sense IMHO, analog phones aren't E911 capable. I know there are tri-mode phones but for the most part, if you're using analog signal with a digital phone you're probably not very happy because of static, a hot phone and fast battery drain.

 

Face it..it's another thing Alltel does. They dont care about their customers anyway....

 

Alltels AMPS service(verizons also) here in michigan has become completely unusable in the last year or two. If you can complete a call, or even get your phone to dial out, you will most likely loose signal before anybody can say more than a couple of words. Usually they are "what did you say", "hello,hello, are you still there?", especially on Verizons network. Alltel has pretty much allocated as much spectrum as possible to CDMA in and around all towns, cities. With exception of a few way out in the boonies. But with a network designed for AMPS spacing(now CDMA) there is a large hole in between towers every few miles. With no AMPS to fill in the gap, 6-8 miles of good service, 2-3 of absolutely none. But neither VZW or ALLTEL show these areas of no service on their coverage maps. If they did thier coverage maps would quite litterally look like swiss cheese. And that does not look as good to customers as "solid colored" coverage maps. Wether that color be red or blue.

 

Verizon's maps are pretty accurate, however I think Alltels are/have been a bit suspect, and when Verizon must use Alltel's information to populate it's maps there are going to be some issues.

Over the past year or so Verizon has gone from rate plan maps to coverage maps, I don't think Alltel has switched to coverage maps just yet. Either that or their RF engineering department is pretty generous with the blue paint.

 

Verizons maps arent very accurate, everybody I know is constantly complaining that they cant even complete a call without dropping the call. That and they find more holes of no service than holes of service. One of the guys switched from Alltel to VZW(my boss). He found out VZW does not have access to Alltels entire network. There is a Alltel tower about a half mile from his house, brand new just completed a couple pf months ago. His daughters Alltel phone works great at home. His VZW phone does not work at all. And yes he has confirmed that it is an Alltel CDMA tower. And yes he does say "can you hear me now" alot while he's walking in circles, back and forth then running outside before the call drops.

 

We had an interesting discussion in another WA forum on E911 in August last year. ( See E911 ).

The systems being deployed for E911 include both A-GPS and U-TDOA technologies. This allows for E911 service on AMPS or analog phones too. See the link above and information on U-TDOA and the TruePosition web page, http://www.trueposition.com