SMS ???. ? wrote:
> Tinman wrote:
>
>> In fact it's just the opposite: most of AMPS will be shut down with
>> only a handful of rural operators--statistically insignificant--that
>> cling to AMPS.
>
> What you don't understand is that those handful of rural operators,
> while insignificant as far as their own subscriber numbers, are
> providing roaming coverage to tens of millions of Verizon and Sprint
> subscribers (and getting revenue from doing so). I don't care that a
> company like Golden State Cellular has only a few hundred thousand
> subscribers, they still provide CDMA and AMPS coverage to me in many
> areas where there is no other coverage at all. GSM users are SOL in
> those areas.


Your argument assumes a great many AMPS-capable phones still in use. I don't
buy that argument, as most people don't use AMPS/CDMA or AMPS/TDMA phones
anymore (and GAIT never took off). I haven't had one in over two years. And
quite frankly I've not been all that impressed with the quality of AMPS on
CDMA/AMPS phones for about 5 years now.

Moreover, the number of AMPS-capable digital phones is going to drop even
more so next year. Any carrier who can't rely on their own subscribers to
make a living is in serious trouble if they think they can instead rely on
AMPS roaming. And you can forget about OnStar users for revenue...


--
Mike