Joel Koltner wrote:
> "John Navas" <spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote in message
> news:u204n3tsbidd9q5dc2nk7u49qpchhkhjsv@4ax.com...
>> <http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-onstar_23bus.ART.State.Edition1.2a4dbb8.html>
>
> Interesting article... surprising that it's "impossible" to upgrade OnStar
> units from analog to digital, though -- clearly it has to just be a matter of
> it not being cost effective or something, but that seems odd given that the
> lady who complained received a $500 coupon towards a new card... hmm...
> Granted, I suppose that a $500 coupon is really only "worth" a small fraction
> of that amount since the likelihood she'd be able to use it (or sell it) is
> quite slim.

Actually most rural AMPS (Analog) networks will remain operational even
after the FCC AMPS mandate expires. The operators of the rural networks
have already stated this. They have no incentive to drastically reduce
their coverage.

The large carriers that have AMPS networks (AT&T, Verizon, and Alltel)
will turn off most or all of their AMPS networks soon after the mandate
expires. However per FCC rules, they are forbidden from turning off AMPS
in areas where doing so will result in any loss of wireless coverage.

According to the FCC website, "Cellular licensees that intend to
discontinue analog service after February 18, 2008 are permitted, in
lieu of making a revised Cellular Geographic Service Area (CGSA)
showing, to file a certification stating that the discontinuance of
analog service will not result in any loss of wireless coverage
throughout an affected CGSA."

If the FCC actually enforces their own rules (doubtful under a
Republican administration), this virtually guarantees that AMPS service
will remain available in areas where the digital coverage is less than
the AMPS coverage. Personally I could tell the FCC many areas even in
the San Francisco Bay Area where there is only AMPS coverage, but
somehow I think that the FCC has no intention of enforcing its own
rules. Unless someone is out there documenting all the AMPS only areas,
how would anyone challenge the carriers with not abiding by the FCC
rules? The carrier would simply have to say, 'no, we never had any
coverage in xyz area.'

Operators of small rural cellular networks have already indicated that
their AMPS networks will remain intact "for the foreseeable future."
This is because it would cost them a considerable amount of money to
install enough digital towers to duplicate their analog coverage.

The real question is whether Verizon, AT&T, and Alltel will comply with
the FCC rules and keep AMPS up and running in areas where there are not
sufficient digital towers to provide equivalent coverage to AMPS. It's
possible that the urban carriers that also have AMPS networks in rural
settings will just quietly leave the rural portions turned on in order
to remain in compliance with the FCC rules, but they understandably
don't want to get into the position of saying which AMPS areas will
remain on and which will be turned off.