[paolo]

This may come as a supprise to some of you, but yes it IS happening sooner than we thought. Analog will be gone in less than 6 months in Canada.. Rogers has confirmed this already, stating that less than 45,000 of its customers are using either an Analog or TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) handset. Thats pretty good that we have that little ammount of people using analog/tdma. The benefit is that once it is shut off, there will be less interference so they can turn UP the gain and increase the capacoty for EDGE/UMTS, and even deploy new technologies such as Kodiak's PTT Solution and your signal will be even stronger, plus more capacity for GSM = less network busies.. I believe they are even targeting customers who are still using old phones and offering them some kind of upgrade..
I think its a good move.

Cingular in the States is doing a similar approach, but instead of shutting it off completely right away, theyre charging anyone with a non-gsm phone a $5 network surcharge to use their phone. Something crazy like 10 mill people in the states still use Analog/TDMA service on the Combined Cingular/AT&T network. They cant progress easily to future technologies such as UMTS/HSDPA or WCDMA while still maintaining a legacy Amps/tdma network, they simply dont have the spectrum or capacity if Analog/TDMA is still eating it up.. Cellphones are so cheap now a days, its worth it to migrate to GSM.. I also think this is a positive move, who still uses 20-year old Analog technology? gees.

What are your thoughts? Positive or Negative

[microbunny]

good stuff//

technologies needs to advance...

[FocusGuy7476]

does nothing for me, i'm using CDMA/EVDO for cell service.

[NefCanuck]

I'm actually surprised that Rogers was still supporting analog cell service myself. Hell, I figure they'll start banging people to go over to digital TV really hard now, it must cost them a mint to have to maintain their analog service for cable TV along with the digital service...

NefCanuck

[paolo]

Well, correct me if I'm wrong but there still exists some telus (and other networks) whos phones with older PRLS who are programmed to roam on Rogers for analogue.. they will get no service when they loose digital coverage after the cut-off date unless telus can cut a roaming deal with the b-side carrier AND push a PRL update to those customers before the cut-off.. Thats the onyl bad thing I can think of.. Sucks to be them.

Yeah Nefcanuck, it costs them a lot of money to keep the analog/tdma network up and running, they arent making enough revenue from it to make it profitable anymore.. its time to shut it down, its like having 2 dedicated lanes on the 401 dedicated and only like 10 cars a day ever use these lanes, meanwhile the rest of the lanes are traffic jammed. free up these lanes for all other cars and notice the traffic flow much more freely.

[hardk0re]

Maybe they should work on getting a good digital coverage before this. I have rogers and it doesn't even work at my house in digital, only analog :P

[OAC_Sparky]

A lot of Americans paid good money for their analog phones, not that many years ago -- and generally they have better network coverage in the US.

SO their ideology is, if it ain't broke, why fix it?

[paolo]

OAC_Sparky,Aug 28 2006, 01:03 AM Wrote:A lot of Americans paid good money for their analog phones, not that many years ago -- and generally they have better network coverage in the US.

SO their ideology is, if it ain't broke, why fix it?
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yeah but there were smaller networks and more of them at one point in time in the good ol US of A, and it made sense to invest in analog at the time, but now most of the networks have been boughten out by one another, and had to migrate sooner or later to GSM to keep their licences.. I also heard theyre mandating to shut off analog TV Transmissions in the states by 2008?

[OAC_Sparky]

paolo,Aug 28 2006, 07:39 AM Wrote:yeah but there were smaller networks and more of them at one point in time in the good ol US of A, and it made sense to invest in analog at the time, but now most of the networks have been boughten out by one another,  and had to migrate sooner or later to GSM to keep their licences.. I also heard theyre mandating to shut off analog TV Transmissions in the states by 2008?
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That may very well be true, but the point I'm trying to make is that here in Canada, on average, we tend to flock willingly to newer technology. For example. we have a higher percentage per capita of internet users than the US.

Apart from the "extra" phone features such as digital services and such, I cannot honestly say that there has been huge technological leaps and bounds in the quality of the phone connection or sound in the time that I've been a cell user.

I've been with Rogers/AT&T since 1983. This is not a direct criticism on them (and I don't want this to start any Rogers bashing -- it's not my intent), but a generalization on the industry as a whole.

So, 13 year later, I still get a poor or dropped signal on the QEW at Bronte Rd, on the 403 at Waterdown Road and on the Ancaster Hill. I'm not in the middle of Buttpoke Saskatchewan (no offense to people from Buttpoke), I'm in the GTA. I'm using what was a year ago a $400 Treo phone; it's not a rinky-dink handset. If you took away the camera, internet, Palm features and text messaging, I cannot say that the actual PHONE service is worlds better than any other of the other 6 cell phones of various sizes that I have stuck collecting dust in a junk drawer, along with their various chargers, car chargers, and headsets that I shelled out money for. If the old NiCd batteries lasted longer, I likely would have had only half that number phones.

In the US, there is a bigger population, and more people that are willing to stick with a technology that --works--. And they'll need to be dragged kicking and screaming to the new age. Newer networks and systems might mean all the world to the administrators and owners of those systems, but to the average Joe who's paying the cell bill, he doesn't care so long as he gets the connection when he needs it.

[PIGEON1]

I got an anolog phone with bell and I refuse to end the contract because where my parents live only annolog works cause digital sucks A** if your not in the major cities and even then it still has its moments. I have never lost a call to anolog and always have service where ever I got.......thank God for anolog not relying on LINE OF SITE TRANSMISSIONS.....unlike digital. Digital will never match or touch the seveice capabilites as anolog for that one reason.

Bell has offered me up to 4 free phones and coverage on them all for two years for free to cancel my anolog plan, but I won't. They can't cut me off as long as I pay the bill every month. Bell polocies state that they have to renew the contract ever two years as long as I meet the ALL the requirements of the contract in the previous two years of service.....and boy do I ever follow them so they can't get me with that loop hole.

So as long as I keep with what I and probably a few other people are doing their will always be anolog service out there.

[D-Dub]

FocusGuy7476,Aug 27 2006, 11:04 PM Wrote:does nothing for me, i'm using CDMA/EVDO for cell service.
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Yeah me too

[S2]

hardk0re,Aug 27 2006, 09:47 PM Wrote:Maybe they should work on getting a good digital coverage before this.  I have rogers and it doesn't even work at my house in digital, only analog :P
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Yeah go figure, their coverage has ALWAYS sucked......... always will IMO......

[Flofocus]

Who uses 20 year old analog service?

Bell customers who are sick of having a rogers phone that does not work 1/2 hour outside of the city.

Thats who. :P

[Oscar The Grouch]

S2,Aug 28 2006, 01:03 PM Wrote:

hardk0re,Aug 27 2006, 09:47 PM Wrote:Maybe they should work on getting a good digital coverage before this.  I have rogers and it doesn't even work at my house in digital, only analog :P
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Yeah go figure, their coverage has ALWAYS sucked......... always will IMO......
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Agree... I've said this in the past and will repeat it again; if you don't plan on going out of country, get a Bell/Telus phone. Rogers still isn't as good as Bell/Telus in Canada.

[ANTHONYD]

Flofocus,Aug 28 2006, 01:20 PM Wrote:Who uses 20 year old analog service?

Bell customers who are sick of having a rogers phone that does not work 1/2 hour outside of the city.

Thats who.  :P
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Yup.

Rogers coverage is absolute sh it.

Horrific.

[scoobasteve]

meh, never had a problem with mine.

Never had a problem with bell either.

[bluetoy]

Flofocus,Aug 28 2006, 01:20 PM Wrote:Who uses 20 year old analog service?

Bell customers who are sick of having a rogers phone that does not work 1/2 hour outside of the city.

Thats who.  :P
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What do you mean outside the city. Half the time rogers doesn't work inside the city. They will never beat analog service. Worked everywhere.

[PIGEON1]

scoobasteve,Aug 28 2006, 12:52 PM Wrote:meh, never had a problem with mine.

Never had a problem with bell either.
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Ever taken your Rogers phone to the country....(northern ontario) they don't work at all and neither does Bell's or Telus' digital phones work in the country. (at a certain point they don't work)

That's why analog works the best....(LINE of sight as I said earlier.

[NOS2Go4Me]

I have a Nokia 2190 brick. I have no idea what it uses, but it says D for digital I assume when I'm at home or in larger centers.

To be OT, I really don't care. If I can't be found, all the better.

[Casper]

FocusGuy7476,Aug 27 2006, 08:04 PM Wrote:does nothing for me, i'm using CDMA/EVDO for cell service.
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Me too. Telus West since 2001 (when I started working for them).

paolo,Aug 27 2006, 08:14 PM Wrote:Well, correct me if I'm wrong but there still exists some telus (and other networks) whos phones with older PRLS who are programmed to roam on Rogers for analogue..  they will get no service when they loose digital coverage after the cut-off date unless telus can cut a roaming deal with the b-side carrier AND push a PRL update to those customers before the cut-off..  Thats the onyl bad thing I can think of.. Sucks to be them.
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Only a few old Telus East (ClearNET) phones. Everyone west of Ontario had a mandatory handset swap or PRL update back in 01/02 (man, that was hell...) to get off of Rogers' AMPS.