I've seen several posts over the months that either mention or encourage the use of dual-mode (both digital and analog) mobile phones because the analog signal is much more prevalent in the backcountry. However, this idea may not hold much merit in a few months.

If you have not noticed, it is very difficult to purchase a new-model mobile phone that includes analog reception. They are all digital-only. There is a reason for this.

The analog protocol that mobile phones use is called Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) and works on the 800 MHz "cellular" frequency band. Back in 2002, the FCC decided to no longer require carriers to provide AMPS service as of February 18, 2008. [citation] It looks as if some providers will completely shut analog service down as of the "analog sunset" date, while others will phase analog out by progressively replacing analog equipment with digital. I have listed links to some information from companies and services below:

• ADT
• OnStar
• Verizon Wireless

I could not find information from Alltel, AT&T (Cingular), Sprint, T-Mobile, or U.S. Cellular. If you have any questions about your own mobile communications service (whether it be mobile phones, security systems, or any other communication-based service), I encourage you to call your service and get more details. I especially encourage those of you who rely heavily on analog cellular communications to plan for the future!

P.S.: On a related note, remember to replace your TVs or get digital converter boxes for them before the [current] "analog TV sunset" date of February 17, 2009, unless that date gets postponed again for the fourth or fifth time.

I actually meant to put this in "The Survival Forum" instead of "Around the Campfire", but oh well.

Well, when it finally happens, I guess it will allow me to select from a wider variety of phones. Up 'til now, I have always carried a dual or tri mode phone to include analog and digital services. Most of the phones are all digital now, as the original post indicates. In some of the areas that we camp and hike, there are sometimes analog signals, and no digital service. I think the more rural areas have been last on the list for upgrades to digital. I had been holding out and only picking from the handful of options that covered both services, but, I guess that won't be something to think about anymore. (Maybe that means Verizon will have converted all the old analog cell sites by February?)

From what I've read on the cell phone forums the big providers will all drop analog shortly after the allowed date but the small guys may still keep it around. I've noticed that most of the time now when I am getting an analog only signal its extended network or roaming which means I'm on one of the small providers towers so you may still be able to get an analog signal.
However, I've limited myself in the past to tri mode phones and last time there were not many to choose from so I ended up with an LG which turned out to be the Kia of phones. Since Verizon is now allowing their new every two credit 4 months early (20 months for the two year contract) I'm going to get a decent phone and am not going to bother with analog. My thoughts are that even though some of the smaller companies might keep it around there is no gaurentee for how long and I probably won't get any notice when they turn analog off so I may never know until one day when we try to make a call. I'm supplementing my cell phone with other methods of communication such as CB and ham radios.

"...the big providers will all drop analog shortly after the allowed date but the small guys may still keep it around."

If all the phone mfgrs drop analog on their phones, there wouldn't be any reason for the small guys to continue, would there?

Sue

They will still make a few and even for a few years after the last one is made there will be people with them for years. My old Motorola flip phone is still in use by a family member on a prepaid plan as well as our phones from 3-4 years ago.

My old Motorola flip worked better than any of the mini-phones I have had since. I miss it...

And each phone I'be gotten has had less and less recpetion. As they get smaller and have a smaller antenna they get worse. I'm not able to get a signal in the valley where my parents live and I used to be able to. SO in a way that has helped me become less dependant on the analog signal too.

Unlike something like an 8-track tape player, just because a consumer decides to continue using an analog phone, if the analog network is no longer there, the consumer is out of luck. (And I say this as someone who is using a 5+ year old cell phone)

I can't see any financial incentive for any carriers to continue providing analog service. The network equipment is old and is an additional cost to support and maintain, and the subscriber base is relatively small since mostly only widely spread out rural folks may totally depend on analog-only service. In contrast, the financial gain from dumping their analog networks, forcing analog customers to buy new phones, freeing up bandwidth for more lucrative services or to sell off, etc. is a no-brainer for the carriers.

Besides, has any carrier implemented a cost-effective analog solution to meet E911 requirements? I'm not aware of any. Yet another reason that analog networks will get dropped ASAP.

Thats where the small carries may keep some analog around since their contract could get them a part of roaming charges, or those rural customers. So some of those little guys will probably keep the towers up as long as they can get a small profit from them. But thats the reason I'm dropping analog myself, no gaurentee that it will work. In a power outage for example, the large carriers drive a gnerator around to their remote sites to charge the batteries and keep things working but the little guys may not have that, theirs may go down once the batteries run down.