News to me! Alert!

Posted by on October 21, 2007, 1:18 pm

> My first Tracfone was analog. I replaced it to get some new features
> (including a flip style case, making it safe to keep in a pocket). I
> bought the new phone locally, and called to transfer service. This was
> NOT required to keep service. That was less than a year ago. Maybe
> they've changed something since that.
> BTW, I did have to get a new number (they said because of the change
> in technology), but I did get to keep the airtime minutes.

Same here. I could have kept the old number, but there was a fee. Since I
don't even know the number, I certainly couldn't care less what it is. It's
not as if I ever give out the number. I have the number written on the
inside of the carrying case so I can give it to the AAA people for call
back. Car breakdown is literally the only reason I have this phone, and I've
used it 4 times in 9 years. I was able to keep my 900+ minutes, too.

Posted by Red Green on October 21, 2007, 9:45 am

@z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:

> I have carried a cell phone for years for almost solely for emergency
> use. Don't even know how many years I have had it, shows only 6 hours
> and a few minutes on it. Today tried to use it and it was
> inoperable. A guy with me tipped me off that ALL old phones are now
> inoperable as of a couple weeks ago.
>
> Per him. CPs were all changed over to digital and the old analog ones
> no longer work. I presume that info was publicised somewhere but I
> sure didn't see or hear it.
>
> Harry K
>

> for almost solely for emergency use.

If you are in the US and it is SOLELY for emergency use, you don't even
need service. If you can power it up and hit any tower of any provider,
you can dial 911.

--
Red...

"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."

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Posted by Mark Lloyd on October 21, 2007, 1:09 pm

wrote:

>@z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:

>> I have carried a cell phone for years for almost solely for emergency
>> use. Don't even know how many years I have had it, shows only 6 hours
>> and a few minutes on it. Today tried to use it and it was
>> inoperable. A guy with me tipped me off that ALL old phones are now
>> inoperable as of a couple weeks ago.
>>
>> Per him. CPs were all changed over to digital and the old analog ones
>> no longer work. I presume that info was publicised somewhere but I
>> sure didn't see or hear it.
>>
>> Harry K
>>
>> for almost solely for emergency use.

>If you are in the US and it is SOLELY for emergency use, you don't even
>need service. If you can power it up and hit any tower of any provider,
>you can dial 911.

There was some change related to cellphone service around here. In
some areas I would get an "Emergency Only" message on the phone
display. That sounded scary and Tracfone customer service was of no
help at all.
--
65 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy

Posted by jmagerl on October 21, 2007, 9:51 am

I believe the story goes something like this:

Unlike DTV which mandates a shutdown of the analog stations, THe FCC did not
mandate the shut down of analog cell phones. They mearly said "you may stop
maintaining them". Some networks will chose this time to get rid of the
analog system, some networks may continue on as is, and some networks will
charge a user fee to analog phones usetrs to maintain the network.
Eventually the analog system will disappear but it wont be instantaneous. IT
will more likely fade away. In my opionion the driving force will be all
those millions of analog On Star systems that will keep it around for a few
more years.

LAst I heard ATT had said that something like 90% of the network had
switched to digital and for the others there would be a user fee (to drive
them over to digital too).

>I have carried a cell phone for years for almost solely for emergency
> use. Don't even know how many years I have had it, shows only 6 hours
> and a few minutes on it. Today tried to use it and it was
> inoperable. A guy with me tipped me off that ALL old phones are now
> inoperable as of a couple weeks ago.
> Per him. CPs were all changed over to digital and the old analog ones
> no longer work. I presume that info was publicised somewhere but I
> sure didn't see or hear it.
> Harry K
>

Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on October 21, 2007, 10:23 am

> Eventually the analog system will disappear but it wont be instantaneous.
> IT will more likely fade away. In my opionion the driving force will be
> all those millions of analog On Star systems that will keep it around for
> a few more years.

Old analog On Star customers were told they would not longer have service.
IMO, it was always overpriced anyway. I had one free year when I bought my
car and I never renewed.

http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/digital_transition.jsp

However, based on a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling, cellular
carriers will not be required to support the analog cellular network
beginning in early 2008. Without the analog network, we can't ensure the
coverage that will allow us to provide subscribers, with analog equipment,
the services they expect from us. As a result, beginning January 1, 2008,
OnStar service in the United States and Canada will be available only
through vehicles that are capable of operating on the digital cellular
network.

We at OnStar sincerely regret that we will not be able to provide OnStar
service to vehicles with analog equipment after December 31, 2007. All
OnStar subscribers affected by this change will receive a letter from OnStar
that outlines how this affects

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