Is your local Analog cellular network turned off yet?

Hi everyone,

I'm a reporter for the Washington Post and I am writing a story about the shut-off of analog cellphone networks. It sounds like some of you still use analog service from time to time. Would anyone be willing to talk to me more about this? Please email me: hartk@washpost.com.

Thanks!

Kim Hart

 

replied to your PM Kim, keep us updated.

 

Today is 1/19/08 and Verizon analog is still on here.

 

same here in Rodeo, exspect to see still after the 18

 

Out roaming around rural CA and NV. All the analog only towers are still analog only......get to work guys

The hard limits are set so tight on the digial towers its going to be a big loss when analog is gone. So much coverage is going to be lost. Maybe they consilder an unusable digital signal coverage, who knows,,

 

That is a shame. It would be very disappointing to see a "strong" signal on your phone but have it be unusable because they set a hard distance limit.

 

If those are Alltel analog towers out in CA and NV... you got about 8 more months per their web site. There is a link in the "Service Announcements" that explains the analog sunset information.... I think someone posted a link and/or a pic with the info. Alltel is shutting its analog in phases with the eastern part of the US being shut on 3/31... hopefully, you should get some digital by 9/30.

 

Yes you would hope that they would, and I'm sure they will have digital before shutting off analog. I mean they wouldn't just have their cell sites sitting there transmitting no signal whatsoever.

What I'm hoping, though, is that they would get rid of the hard distance limit on their cell sites. I mean if your technology (CDMA) allows for the signal to travel far, why limit yourself?

 

I have a feeling the reason they limit it is to keep the number of dropped calls down. The local tech looks better to his boss if the number of dropped calls are low. It could also be capacity issues, licensed area or 911 issues. I doubt they want someone in NV making a 911 call on a Utah tower and it going to a Utah call center. So just block it alltoghether.

Whatever it is its total BS. I understand distance limmits it in the city, yes they need to limit it to 1-5 miles, but not out here.

I think I see a SAT phone in my future.......

 

The Nortel CDMA Alltel is running is pretty flexible, cant you get the engineers to tweek it 5 miles here or there? I know Western Wireless ran abunch of OMNI sites but Alltel changes alot of the OMNIS to Sectored in my area. I belive you change the limits on a per sector basis.

So you could change the limits where there needed. The only thing would be the soft handoff would only have 1 pilot to run on so going down a hill and losing the 1 pilot would drop the call, similar to weak handoffs on GSM.

 

Those are all valid reasons for limiting the disctance of a cell.

Do you know the technical name for this "virtual" distance limitation CDMA uses? I've worked with WCDMA, which has very similar properties to CDMA, but I've never heard of this (I guess it's unique to CDMA?). Normally we just down-tilt the antennas or reduce power if we want to limit the range. Which is really the best way to do it anyway. But that usually involves sending a person to the site. I guess with the virtual limitation it can be done by someone sitting in an office, so it's cheaper to implement in terms of $. Or I guess it can be used in addition to downtilting and reducing power, just as an extra measure.

 

Everything out here is omni antennas. I have had them extend one a few miles and it worked well. Maybe when analog is off ill ask to get a few more of them opened up. As long as analog is alive i can always call out

 

Not analog, but went to Phoenix and Tucson this weekend and no IS-136 "TDMA" anywhere that I went this weekend. All analog roaming.

 

FEB 6 2008
verizon analog still very strong! full strengh every where i can get an average analog signal of 78 and an average 1900mhz cdma signal of 67. I'll bet yal that i'll still get service afther the 18.

 

I was just out at my cabin for the past 3 days. Digital tower was down due to the major snow storms we have has. A far off analog tower was going strong and filled the void. Still going strong in LA here too. I do expect analog to go off by the end of feb here in the city though.

If Verizon cuts analog off between Mojave and Mammoth, there will be major coverage gaps. I dont think anyone will miss att analog.....

 

by law if there is a huge gap, they need to fill it in with some form of wireless , if they replace analog, not worth it money wise since hardly any people will use it comparied to a city like LA.
ATT BARELY HAS ANALOG, if anyone evan can get an analog signal with ATT, then let me know. id expect april for a large city, if not later, and probly alot later for rural areas. AS I SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, DIGITAL CAN KISS MY ***, im sick of it, crappy coverage mostly.
I know digital has many advantages like longer battery life, better sercurity, and texting, but i just want a phone that can do what phones are supposed to do, make phone calls!

 

This is like watching Will Smith in "Legend".

Except Analog Man is the star....and every afternoon he goes out to the river and sits on a dock at a table all alone. Pulls out his good ole Analog phone.....

Hello....this is Analog Man.....is there anybody out there?:nopity:

 

ATT analog is still workings strong here in LA. Only 1 voice channel per tower, but it hands off and i can drive across town and hold a call.

Im on it man...i got an old brick activated and its with me everywhere.

Who picked presidents day weekend for this anyway? What kind of joke is that?

Im with you, turn it off in the city. Its just a waste of power. But leave it on everywhere else, its a solid backup that fills the holes. Because I dont care what the law is, there is going to be coverage lost, period....

 

lol stonewall!
yea a place like LA thats flat land need mabey one or 2 good towers in the places were there hills and by the coast. as for hilly and mountain areas or barren lands, analog should be used along with digital.


what ever is best for the consumer

 

Analog was ok when it was the prime technology but today that stuff hasnt been maintained correctly in over 5 years. You may have an analog signal but the voice quality is usually so bad it I do get on analog I will wait till I get in a better coverage area and use digital.

The only resolution is to federally mandate that all carrier have Digital system in place at the same tower where analog use to reside, the coverage wont be the same but its a start.

Far as the remote area they make all kinds of 3 watt kits with external antennas.

I live out in the sticks in a hilly area with tons of 100 foot or taller trees and I actually have full bars on 850 or 1900 digital. The analog is on the same tower and little stronger but the audio sounds like you are trying to call Tokyo on a CB radio.

I feel for those still using the stuff and I hope the carriers hurry up and put up digital, but I have no regrets about Analog going away. Im tired of keeping that stuff running, there isnt much for spare parts to keep it going and no manfacturers will work on it. I tried getting a part fixed 4 years ago and I got told they dont support it.

 

You are exactly right Analog man. If they would just keep the consumer in mind, the rest would fall into place for the stockholders! :thumb:

 

''While Plateau wireless currently offers AMPS/TDMA/GSM in its markets, as demonstrated
and supported by the current use of AMPS in these markets, it is clear that there is a continued
need for AMPS service in these rural markets. Due to the analog receiver characteristics, which
allow a cellular call to continue under extremely poor received signal conditions, and due to the
power available with analog bag phones and mobile installations, AMPS works particularly well
in rural areas where digital service cannot maintain a call and, as in all markets, digital service
does not duplicate analog service. Therefore, prohibiting analog service to subscribers in
Plateau’s markets would not serve the public interest.''

 

THATS THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT THERE BUD!

and as for 3 watt kits, wont u need to mount them on something? i aint walking around with a 3watt kit on me...be kinda wierd when going out in public. Verizon's analog around here still works great! still clear and i can hear it very well compard to cdma, and dont get me started on GSM, every i new with a GSM phone cant get service very well in the hilly part or the coastal part of the town

 

From a business perspective, none of the carriers will turn off analog in an area until a working, profitable, replacement in installed. Spending $150k to upgrade a site that generates $20k worth of revenue a year won't be on the fast track to conversion.

 

those words make me feel less scared for some odd reason :googlyeye

 

Guess we will see in 9 days.

 

What will determine the conversions is where the spectrum allocations are more profitable. Eventually they will all be converted to digital, but the prioritization of each site will be based on it's ability to generate more money for the company. If a site covers less area with digital but picks up more traffic and enables users in that smaller area to use revenue generating services then it will be converted. None of it really has to do with "coverage area," but more with direct profit.

 

None of it really has to do with coverage area but more with direct profit. That is the reason that analog will be turned off.

 

Are we gonna start seeing tower engineers climbing towers to remove analog antennas and equipment?
Or will this be done from one location that has control over a group of cell sites?

I assue they'd have to goto each individual cell site and remove all analog equipment from atop the towers and inside the site shelters.